Blame it on Carrie Bradshaw for wearing a bird on her head in 2008, but feathers are totally here to stay. I'm on the hunt for the perfect feather fascinator to complete my wedding day ensemble. My dress is a simple, 50's style party dress and my vision is to have a fabtacular head piece to compliment it.  There are a ton of incredibly talented feather-piece makers out there- here are my picks:

The Jenny Fascinator from tiarasandfascinators.com

The Sarah Fascinator, also from tiarasandfascinators.com Check out more Feathers!!! and also some veil alternative ideas at The Un-Veil

A summer trend that I'm noticing popping up everywhere is the not-so-nautical stripe, in black, grey, and white shades. These summer stripes are often unevenly spaced, irregularly sized, and sometimes distributed over a garment in varying directions (horizontal, vertical, diagonal). I like these stripes on loose, faded pieces that fall perfectly and nonchalantly, such as the Grey/Black Stripe Ripped Knot Tee by Obesity and Speed and the Border Tie-Dye Short Sleeve V-Neck by C&C California, shown below (L-R). My Summer Stripe Trend guide contains tons of unique pieces (tops, dresses, purses, shoes, etc.) that take nautical to the dark side, which means these stripes will carry you from day to night and from summer to fall. Also pictured (above, L-R): Striped Crop Top by Charlotte Russe, Lela Rose for Payless Brinley Ribbon Pump, and Varigated Striped Tight by Urban Outfitters.

This season, not only are the roses in bloom in the garden, but they are definitely popping up in the fashion world. Everywhere I look I have seen bright, large, flowery amazement on everyone. Check out some of my favorite pics which include Rose to the Occasion Earrings, Glass Rose Rings, and Ring Around the Roses Skirt available at Modcloth.com. Check out some more thorny goodness at Coming up Roses.

Don't you want to be just like Keri Hilson and tell the boys to recognize a real woman? If only you had those hot triple-finger "ON" and "OFF" knuckle rings she wears in the music vid (see below), your swagged-out attitude would be at its highest liquid magma level. . .

You probably won't believe me, but today is pretty much your lucky day. Because I've FOUND those rings for you to purchase through kazowie.com and add to your jewelry collection!!!!!!!!! Don't believe your ears (eyes, whatever)? Check the links, beez!

The Turning Me On Ring AND The Turning Me Off Ring Want more Multi-Finger Rings? <---Click it or ticket. The Bad Knuckle Ring

It's official. I'm obsessed. It was love at first sight.

Dooney & Bourke always makes hot, classy purses, right? But the Toggle Bag seems to stand out from the rest of the summer newbies. It's a soft, white leather messenger bag with brown rolled up leather toggles and navy triangle accents stitched to the front with yellow thread. Hot.

SHOP NEW DOONEY HERE!

The only thing that makes it look like a traditional D&B purse is the signature blue ducky silver purse charm. Otherwise, it's totes fresh, simple, and new, which makes it the perfect summer purse for '09! Holla.

Shop Tulip Skirts now. Shop Boots That Go With Everything now. I never knew how becoming the tulip skirt was until I tried one on myself. I have a pear-shaped body, but the combination of an empire waist and tulip skirt on the dress I recently purchased made for a surprisingly flattering silhouette. Even though a tulip skirt is full around the thigh area, it provides a slimming effect as it narrows towards the bottom (especially if the skirt drapes across from one side to the other, as seen on the Boulevard Before Dawn Dress, below).

For a more laid-back look for summer, pair a casual tulip skirt with a tank or tee and a pair of ankle boots. Shown below (L-R): Bandana Bandit 2 boots by Not Rated, Stonewashed Leather Boot by Humanoid, Ankle Boots by MOMA. See more BOOTS THAT GO WITH EVERYTHING. Shown above (L-R): Mini Tulip Skirt in black by A Piece Apart, Silence & Noise Knit Burnout Skirt, Silence & Noise Mineralist Skirt. See more TULIP SKIRTS.

Nautical is always in for summer, but plain stripes on plain tees get old fast. The key to rocking this look through summer 2009 and beyond is to seek out stripes on tees with unexpected fabrics and fun stylistic flourishes. My favorite picks from a whole flock of hot tops in Striped Tops With a Twist are below (L-R):

Eco-Ganik Stripe Pocket Tank, Splendid White Rugby Stripe T-Shirt, BGD Scoopneck Tee

A friend of mine just sent out some clever save the date cards for her wedding in November. She and her fiancé used San Francisco postcards and had a stamp made that included their wedding date and website.  I thought it was a great idea and probably a good money saver! She submitted this pic to Daily Candy's DIY project and won tickets to this weekend's Maker Faire in San Mateo. Check out some more Save the Date Cards

I'm a personal fan of the following types of products:

• anything that displays the word "homeboy" on it
• talking action figures
• anything un-politically correct

Throw Jesus into the mix and I'm in heaven! Based on the items in the Jesus is My Homeboy buyer's guide, Jesus seems like he'd be a fun guy to party with. I'm pretty sure he was the life of every party back in the day. Check out my awesome miscellaneous Jesus finds and let me know what you think. This stuff makes for great friend presents come birthday or holiday season. Above: Lookin' Good For Jesus Mini Kit, Jesus Saves!...The Party T-Shirt, Grow Jesus Because He Is AWESOME, Hottie Jesus White T-Shirt, Jesus Talking 12 Inch Biblical Figure.

P.S.

Summer is about simplicity. Layering too many accessories and products makes your look stuffy and over-done. Sticking with key trendy summer essentials allows you to keep the rest of your look laid-back and relaxed, the way summer should be. My favorite summer must-haves are shown below, but there are plenty of items in several other summer categories to shop through. Happy clicking!

See all: Yellow Purses, Coral Blushes, Cork Wedge Heels, White Jewelry, Braided Jewelry, Retro Sunglasses.

Shown above (L-R): Berbenno handbag in light yellow by ALDO, CORALista blush by benefit, Mely Wedge in Chocolate by BCBGirls, Braided Magnetic Cuff Bracelet by Accessories & Beyond, sunglasses by Forever21.

OTHER SUMMER ESSENTIALS: (Basics so easy, you'll rock them every day!)

Baggy Tees Beach Totes Bandeau Tops Charm Bracelets Havaianas Sandals Bronzers Sarongs Loose Powder Makeup Anti-Cellulite Products