What is resort fashion, anyway? From what I can tell on the runways, resort can mean anything from a stylish swimsuit and cover up, to a crisp yellow suit (straight from Balmain’s 2013 resort collection!) Resort fashion is alternatively called, “cruise wear”, which I take to include anything you can wear on vacation. No matter where your destination, beach or mountain, land or sea, city or country, resort wear is all about fun, leisure, and good times.

On the runway for the 2013 resort collections, we saw so many of the trends hot right now, in 2012: jumpsuits, pastels, and leather were popular across the board, as well as peplum, which made a huge comeback in stores this spring, and seems to be sticking around in our wardrobes well into the new year. In this summer’s installment of “Runway to Retro”, I’ve put the creations of haute couturiers like Balmain (as mentioned), and Tsumori Chisato up against their vintage versions, from some of our favorite online vintage shops. Runway to Retro: Resort 2013 is all about how to recreate run-a-way looks with retro fashions. It is, after all, vacation season!

Though thinking about boots is hard in 90 degree heat, if you have the stomach for it, you can find some great deals at Piperlime.com’s fall show preview. For example, these Kate Spade Ola boots are marked down from $498 to $329 and you can still get them in ever size! As always, Piperlime offers free shipping and returns.

Still shopping the summer sales? Check out these fresh ways to take your summer clothes into fall.

My apologies for being late with the list of Must Haves for July. I took an extended Fourth of July vacation and it has taken me a little while to get back up to speed. Rest assured, the list has what you need to get you through the sweltering heat wave it seems like the entire country is collectively suffering through.

While I love everything on the list, these Robert Verdi for HSN sunglasses are not to be missed. They go on sale as part of the celebrity stylist’s fall collection next Wednesday, July 18. Get them before they sell out!

Check out the rest of the Must-Haves for July.

Mark you calendars for December 1. That’s the day the unprecedented Target + Neiman Marcus holiday collection hits stores. The bargain store and the high end department store are teaming up with 24 designers, including Diane Von Furstenberg, Marchesa and Alice + Olivia, to bring exclusive holiday offerings to both stores and their websites. The prices will range from $7.99 to $499.99 with the bulk of the items under $60. I, for one, can hardly wait!

Anyone who has ever worn a Tee or a tank from Splendid knows how soft and yummy their fabrics are. Now, imagine that same comfort and style translated to a shoe. Splendid launched a line of shoes earlier this year. The shoes features wedges, espadrilles, flip flops and more made from canvas, raffia and leather.The Kutie wedge with denim strips is a favorite.

Reviewers on Zappos and Piperlime give the shoes a hearty thumbs up, but caution that they run small, so you may want to order a half size up.

Splendid shoes are available at Zappos, Piperlime, Nordstrom and more.

Don’t you hate when you go to put on a pair of your favorite earrings and you can’t find the back? That’s not a problem with these Alex and Ani endless hoops. The hoops circle back on themselves, you don’t need a back. And if you don’t need a back, it can’t get lost. Genius, right?

The Alex and Ani hoops are available in a range of metals with different style beads, including turquoise and graphite. They’rea available on Alexandand.com.

It’s the rare occasion that I’m surrounded by vintage clothing and don’t feel the need to dig for treasures. Anyone who shops vintage knows that a certain amount of patience, energy, and curiosity is required to find even one piece perfect for you when you’re confronted by tons of options, all distinct, all special, and all antique. Normally, I love this game. But one Sunday afternoon, summer of 2011, I was at one of the biggest vintage clothing sales in town, and I didn’t feel like shopping. I sat on a bar stool close to the dressing room and watched my friends try on piece after piece, doing that vintage shopping dance of finding something great, trying it on, realizing it doesn’t fit, or the fabric’s weird, then trying again, until…eureka!! You have found the perfect cocktail dress, high-waisted jean, or rock tee.

As I sat wondering where my shopping mojo had gone, my eye kept wandering to a headless mannequin just across the room, sporting the loudest neon 80′s bikini top I had ever seen. The shop owner advised me that it was the only top she had left, and that it wasn’t being sold with a bottom. An idea sparked. All I had to do was find a few cheap, plain bikini bottoms and that one top, with its rainbow of candy colors, could outfit a week of sunbathing, at least. The mannequin was left topless, and an obsession with vintage swimsuits was born.

Aside from the versatility of a single bikini top, vintage suits, particularly from the 50s and 60s, tend to be a bit more modest than contemporary ones, which leaves so much room to wear them as full outfits. For those uncomfortable with the idea of wearing what amounts to a second hand swimsuit, we’ve got some ideas on how to indulge in the delicious quirks of the vintage suit without the…discomfort. Learn How to Take Vintage Swimsuits Beyond the Pool!

I’ve been using Tide Pods for about two months now. Every time I use them, I like them a little bit more. First off, I love that they take up zero room in my linen closet. The fishbowl size container has 57 single-use pods, yet is smaller than the average size bottle of laundry detergent. I also like that when I lug my laundry to the basement of my apartment building where the machines are located, I don’t have to carry along a big bottle. I can simply take down one or two pods and I’m set. Finally, the scent is light. I’m not a big scent person, but I appreciate the delicate scent of Ocean Mist version that I have.

Read on for tips from a laundress extraordinaire.

Today is National Sunglasses Day. What? You say you haven’t invested in a new pair this summer? Those who wear prescription sunglasses will want to check out Glassesusa.com, a discount retailer for designer sunglasses and regular glasses. Even if you have 20/20 vision, you’ll want to check out my piece on the best sunglasses for your face shape featuring tips from Meira B. Levison, a fashion stylist for the site.

Now let’s all put on our shades to celebrate the day and the sunshine!