Before you go shopping, though, first take time to assess your skin-care routine to make sure you are doing all that you can to be all that you can be. Winter’s harsh, frigid weather can take a toll on your delicate skin, so revive your complexion for the season of sun and fun. Take a few hours, or an entire day, to pamper yourself with a warm, soothing bath that can be enhanced with bubbles or bath salts. Use a loofah sponge to slough off dead cells that can leave your skin dull and lifeless. For the feet, especially, use a pumice stone or other pedicure implement to remove the dry, hard skin that has built up over the winter. You may also wish to try an exfoliating foot cream. After patting dry, moisturize your entire body with a light body oil or a rich lotion. Pay special attention to the problem areas, such as the hands, feet, elbows and knees. If necessary, use a special lotion or cream to soften these overworked body parts.
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This is also a good time to give yourself a facial and to take care of any hair-removal that may be necessary. Extraneous facial and body hair detracts from your overall appearance, especially if you plan to don a swimsuit or sundress or otherwise go without hosiery. So either take the time to learn to remove the hair yourself (by plucking, shaving, waxing, etc.) or make an appointment to have a professional do it. Pamper day also is a great time to give yourself a manicure and pedicure to get your hard-working foot soldiers ready for sexy, strappy sandals. Pretty hands and feet definitely are great summer assets.

While still feeling good from your pampering session, sip on a tall glass of iced water, lemonade or tea while assessing your wardrobe needs. What do you have left from last year that still fits–your body and today’s style trends–this season?

During the spring and summer runway shows, designers offered some of the season’s hottest looks, and you can easily incorporate them into your wardrobe without spending a lot of money.

Among the must-have clothing items is a simple chemise in cotton, silk or linen. It may or may not have sleeves, and you can choose the length that works best for your legs and body, whether the hemline is thigh-high or falls just at the knee. If you have the right chemise, you can dress it up (with classy jewelry, heels and perhaps a scarf) or you can dress it down (with flat sandals and casual jewelry). Regardless, the just-right, little chemise, along with a variety of accessories, can take you to and through many summer occasions, from fancy luncheon to work to Sunday strolls with your sweetheart.

Blouses are making a colorful statement this summer, and whether they are ruffled, print or chiffon (or a combination of all an three) they will add a romantic touch to your wardrobe. Halters–in dresses, tops and after-five wear–are popular this summer. Halter tops work for casual wear, can be worn under a suit for work and make great skin-baring attire for warm evenings out on the town. Other tops that are making statements this summer are bandeau, handkerchief and bra tops as well as simple tee-shirts in fabrics that range from sheer to spandex to cotton to silk and any combination of these.

These summer tops are worn over simple, sometimes dropped-waist, flat-front pants with a touch of Lycra spandex for ease of movement. Then there are skirts, which range in length from short-short “band-aid” skirts to mid-thigh to knee-length. Yes, it is still fashionable to wear your long, full skirt of light-weight fabric.

The seasonless appeal of denim also is evident this season, and this comfortable, versatile fabric can be found in supercasual clothing as well as dressy, upscale attire. At awards shows and other Hollywood and New York events, you can see celebrities bedecked in denim ensembles of various styles and colors and embellished with studs, jewels and sequins. This summer’s offerings also include denim jeans, cropped pants and skirts of all lengths trimmed in colorful, patterned fabric.

Along with denim, many fashionable women love to wear leather in the summer, but, as with denim, this favorite fabric is adorned with jewels, designed as hot pants and short skirts, and available in summery pastels and whites.

If you live in a hot climate and prefer a more breezy fabric, there are plenty of summer designs made of chiffon and other sheer fabrics. There are chiffon overblouses, T-shirts, dresses and skirts, and chiffon increasingly is used as a fanciful trim on tops, skirts and garments as well.

When it comes to accessories, the biggest hit of the summer is the choker necklace, which offers a sexy accent to a graceful neckline. Chokers can be made of pearls, beads, feathers, leather, cloth, metal or precious stones. Sometimes they are multistrand and multitier, and often they have beaded tassels or fringe accenting the cleavage