Structured or not, blouses are feminine and can make you look soft, powerful, or both. For the office, pair them with a jacket and pencil skirt or palazzo pants. For a casual day shopping or in class, opt for sleeveless and flowy with a pair of gouchos or leggings. Whatever the ocassion, a blouse is a great choice as it provides form, function and fashion, all in one beautiful package.



Many blouses are pulling their style from bohemian inspired prints and the bold and beautiful colors of the eastern shores. Eastern nations live for the heat, and the materials in which they produce their wares make exceptional choices for steamy summer days. Their clothing is both beautiful and comfortable. Loose and made of cotton and linen, the embroidery pops off of these and indulges your inner sex goddess as it accentuate the plunging necklines.

A newer version of the blouse this season is the gathered collar blouse. At first glance, this appears to be a top that you can throw on and run out the door. One glance in the dressing room mirror tells you otherwise though; if you're going to wear this style, you must buy one with the right fit. This style carries pleats at the neckline, which, left buttoned up creates an unflattering paunchienss. Opt for a blouse that you can unbotton and let flow in to a plunging, deep V neckline, which in turn will push the pleats to the sides making them much more comfortable. Choose three quarter or elbow length sleeves on these because if you go with a full length sleeve, the gathers at the wrist will give the illusion of draping your body in fabric instead of the peasant vibe you're trying to achieve. Lastly, these blouses are best paired with a skinny, pencil skirt or skinny pants and should always be long enough to cover your waistband.

Simply stunning are accordion-pleated tops. Delicate and intricate, the pleats add both a softness and a subtle volume to your look. These should always hang a few inches below your waistband because, with the amount of fabric in these tops, they tend to be billowy and will float up; choosing one too short leaves you exposing skin that you don't want showing, unless you're 18. Speaking of skin, you do want to show some off with these tops, but make sure it's in the shoulder and neckline area. Accordion-pleated tops are best done sleeveless. Again, with so much fabric, if your body is totally covered, you're going to look incredibly akward. Paired with the simplest of jewelry, this will be a top you will wear again and again.

Overall, I'm incredibly excited about the new trend in blouses. Even for those of us who think we don't pull off the feminine and girly look well, these pieces are sure to sway your opinion. No one says you have to choose them in pastels; go for bold and bright and make the statement you're known for! Above all else, have fun with these new styles and remember, as long as you carry yourself with confidence, you will not only look sexy, you'll feel it too!