LE CATCH

$350, karenmillen.com

A friend of mine has several daytime weddings in various cities to attend this summer and she asked me to recommend a dress that she could wear to all of them. I vote for this lace Karen Millen number. I realize that wearing white to a wedding when you're not the bride may be considered a cardinal sin by some, but I am going to take Kate Middleton's lead. She had her bridesmaids wear white, after all, so, if tradition-bound royalty can flout conventional thinking, so can we, right? Anyway, back to this dress: it's sweet, feminine, and romantic. I also love the peekaboo lace and flirty ruffles, and the back of the dress is gorgeous too. I would not reserve this frock just for weddings, either. It's easily cocktail party material, with black strappy heels and bling-y drop earrings.

$22, riverisland.com

On those crazy days when I have activities scheduled morning to night and there is no time to change in between, I will look to these shorts for a bit of help. That's because they can take me from camp drop-off to a photo shoot to drinks with co-workers. Here's how I'll wear them from day to night, this summer:

1. Madewell silk blouse, $78, madewell.com

2. Superfine jacket, $945, netaporter.com

3. Loeffler Randall sandals, $295, loefflerrandall.com

4. River Island beaded shorts, $22, riverisland.com

You can always count on H&M to deliver on all the hot trends, and with its fall collection, the Swedish retailer came through with flying colors--specifically, oxblood, hunter green and mustard yellow. Check out some of my favorite looks and must-have pieces and the entire collection here.

$198, audendesign.com

The other night I had a mere five minutes to get dressed before my friend picked me up for a cocktail party. Thankfully, I had an outfit in mind--a vintage black dress with a fringed skirt overlay. I threw it on and determined it was a bit lackluster. Just too subdued. So I strapped on a pair of big and bold gem drop earrings by Marni, and everything instantly came together. Phew!

The earrings I wore are from a few seasons ago, but I just found these equally eye-catching (rope! contrasting stones!) outfit-makers by Auden. Wear them with...

1. 3.1 Phillip Lim dress, $695, barneys.com
2. Auden Swarovski crystal earrings, $198, audendesign.com
3. Cleobella clutch, $207, endless.com
4. Alexander Wang ankle-strap heels, $595, alexanderwang.com

I feel like I've been extra frantic this week, running around for work, and thinking a lot about the daily uniform. Like, what you throw on without thinking when you get out of the shower and race to the next thing. We all have our go-to's, but I say, whatever yours is, add some sparkle. It will lift your spirits--plus elevate your outfit. Here are some baubles to add to the everyday mix and that will work overtime into cocktail hour, too.

$208, shopbop.com

$85, jcrew.com

$63, office.co.uk

Blame it on Altuzarra. With its Fall 2012 collection, the cultish New York-based label is ushering in a new era of bohemian mystique, with pom poms, jingling gold coins, and embroidery galore. The whole thing has reinvigorated my affection for all things gypsy chic. These sandals touch on that exotic vibe. I'd be mindful though of pairing them with anything overtly boho, as I don't want to work the trend head to toe. Better to balance them with modern pops of color and right-now silhouettes. Wear these sandals to death this summer with...

1. Rebecca Taylor batik print silk dress, $350, netaporter.com
2. Madewell Hepcat shades, $55, madewell.com
3. 3.1 Phillip Lim satchel, $875, shopbop.com
4. Office leather and silver trim sandals, $63, office.co.uk

I view animal prints like neutrals--i.e., they're super versatile--but way more compelling. Therefore, the greatness of these J. Crew leopard print pants is obvious. The fit, I should add, is incredibly flattering. I'd dress them up with a peplum top or, if I am feeling a bit conservative, a black silk button-down blouse, or go casual with an old grey t-shirt or a lived-in denim blouse. Oh, the possibilities.

$34, asos.com

I worked on a slew of photo shoots last week for Lucky's August issue--and it was so fun to see all the pre-fall clothing and accessories. Judging from the plethora of belts that were on hand, it would be fair to conclude that they will be integral to our fall wardrobes. And it seemed the wider, the better. I'm a belt lover, myself, because I know full well how they can transform an old shapeless dress into something altogether more glamorous. This gold plate belt from Asos wields lots of prettifying power. It looks vintage to me, like something my mom would have worn in the '70s, but also amazingly modern. I'd wear it with...

1. Diane Von Furstenberg silk chiffon gown, $600, netaporter.com
2. Kendra Scott turquoise earrings, $60, zappos.com
3. Asos belt, $34, asos.com
4. Prada jeweled sandals, $1100, nordstrom.com

Many of my friends and LE CATCH fans have been emailing me their cheap chic finds (thank you all for sharing!), so I thought it would be fun to enlist some of them to contribute their "catches" from time to time. My first guest post comes from my twin sister Coliena, who's in New York for the next few weeks shooting several fashion advertising campaigns. She just emailed me this picture of her new sparkly sneakers, picked up at Steven by Steve Madden. Of course, these sneaks are a riff on the Miu Miu's I was coveting a while back. The glitter and black patent toe cap give them a whimsical flair. Since Coco is on her feet a lot shooting, these are perfect work shoes for her. She'll wear them with slouchy boyfriend jeans and wide-legged trousers. Meanwhile, since I tend to be a little more feminine, I'm going to wear my kicks with black capri pants and skinny jeans. The only hitch to this great find is that it's not available online. But have no fear: I called the Steve Madden store in the Beverly Center and they ordered a pair for me and are shipping it. In New York they are available at the Soho outpost. They cost $89.

Oh, and in case you're interested in learning more about Coco and me and our style differences and similarities, check out this cool video of us here, which recently debuted on You Tube's new channel, The Stylish.

$150, heidimerrick.com

When I saw tummy bearing bralets coming down Prada's spring runway, I decided then and there they were not for me. Too skimpy. Too daring. Too young. There's no way I could pull one off, I thought. But then I went to a cocktail party last week in Hollywood and came across the chicest woman I've met in a while. She was wearing a bustier top and a high-waisted A-line skirt. Just a sliver of her abdomen--the right (i.e., flat) part, just below the ribcage--was exposed. The fullness of her skirt helped offset the showy top, and the whole effect was rather dramatic and gorgeous and still demure. Now I am tempted to try it myself (despite my husband's guffaws). I'd wear this one with...

1. Heidi Merrick African print bustier, $150, heidimerrick.com
2. Topshop cropped blazer, $110, topshop.com
3. Mikkat Market Zebra clutch, $44, mikkatmarket.com
4. Maiyet strap sandal, $795, barneys.com
5. French Connection skirt, $114, frenchconnection.com