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A stylish urban summer

By Julie Gordon | jgordon@am-ny.com

May 12, 2008

Strapless mini-dress, $39.90, available at H&M stores (Handout / May 11, 2008)

In New York during the summer, our birds of paradise are pigeons, our tropical breezes come courtesy of subway tunnels and our beach umbrellas usually take the form of tiny colorful parasols in our drinks.

So we've picked out seasonal trends that'll fit into an urban lifestyle and easily translate to a seaside town -- should you choose to escape the city on weekends.

WOMEN'S

Bright mini-dress

This summer is all about popsicle-bright colors, and there's no better way to showcase them than on a short dress.

"The bright oranges, yellows and lime greens are fun and flirty," says designer Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, of Shoshanna. "Wear them with confidence and you will shine."

When donning bold hues, accessorize sparingly and forget about layering pieces, which will distract from your look.

And when it comes to prints, smaller patterns often look better on petite women while larger designs work for taller gals.

High-waisted short

Bring spring's high-waisted pants trend into summer with shorts that give the same cinching effect. With a looser pair, emphasize the waist with a tucked-in top. For added coverage, layer a cropped jacket. If you're wearing a more form-fitting pair, try a flowing silk top, suggests Nikki Cohen, owner of Nikki Laura boutique in Nolita.

Details

Sometimes the smallest details can make the biggest style impact.

Try this season's Native American trend by incorporating fringes, suede and beads into your wardrobe. To keep from overdosing on the look, wear one accent piece that follows the idea, such as an intricately designed cuff. "It can add a tribal accent to a simple maxi dress," says Tiziana Lopez, who is in the buying department at Big Drop.

Also look for tops with ruffles at the neckline neckline, beading or lace; clutches and oversized leather bags with ruffles or metal hardware and shoes with metal hardware.

Boyish femininity

"The style is really boyish but chic," says Ludivine Grégoire, owner of Ludivine boutique in the West Village.

To that effect, Gregoire's summer staples include men's shirt-dresses, leather jackets by night and raffia hats.

Lopez recommends toting the gender line by wearing a masculine-cut short with a billowy top in an unmistakable girly print or a double-breasted blazer to update to a cocktail look.

Light-weight scarves

Scarves aren't just a winter accessory.

Chose a piece in a breathable fabric -- linen, silk, cotton -- and a calming color -- tan, light gray, dark grey, khaki or light blue -- on a brisk summer day, draped daintily over the neck area.

MEN'S

Dressed-up short

Though men's shorts are often thought of as extremely casual, this season's slim-cut, mid-length pairs can look smart -- keeping in line with menswear becoming more formal again, says designer Andrew Buckler, of Buckler. He says this cut is best worn with a shirt or polo.

And the best part about the style? "The cut looks great on both the lanky- legged and the bigger dude," Buckler says.

Subdued florals

We're not suggesting you leave home in head-to-toe print (unless that's your thing), but rather imploring you to experiment with a touch of floral in your everyday wear (embellishment on a T-shirt or baseball hat, jacket, tie). And for the really un-daring, there's always a Hawaiian-style board short.

Preppy kicks

Up your sneaker style meter with a pair of summery deck shoes or a country-club twist on the classic running shoe.