I always joke that my friend Susan Cernek is the nicest person in fashion. She has a mouthful of a title at Glamour, but she always looks drop-dead gorgeous and friendly, with a megawatt smile and easy laugh. So, I asked her to share her summer uniform with us (in hopes that we could copy ruthlessly:).
Here's Susan's take:
Here, my husband Rob and I are on grill duty at our dear friend's house in Southampton. I've worn these tortoise Ray-Ban Wayfarers since '06. I've tried on a zillion other pairs since then, but these are the only sunglasses that suit my face/don't make me look like a crazy person.
I got the shirtdress at Zara last year for our honeymoon, and it's now my summer go-to. The special twist is that it looks like a man's dress shirt since it scoops up a bit on the sides--making it a bit risque to wear to work but flirty and sexy for weekends. [Here's a similar dress.] A word of caution: Never use the fabric belt that shirt dresses come with. Fabric belts can look floppy--not exactly a description you want anywhere near your midsection. You need structure to flatter your waist, so go with a thin leather belt.
For beauty, I stay light. I love Diptyque bath oil; I dab it on after the shower for a light scent, instead of a heavy perfume. And my go-to lip "marker"--Revlon's Just Bitten in Flame-- gives you a cheery, pretty hint of color, like you just ate a popsicle from the Mister Softee truck.
Here's how to get the look:
Wayfarer sunglasses: Ray-Ban, $194.
Shirtdress: L.L. Bean Signature, $79.
Belt: 7 Hills, $36.
Thong sandals: L.L. Bean Signature, $69.
Lipstain: Revlon, $8.99.
Messy French bun.
P.S. Another lovely summer uniform.