Move Over Christian Grey...This is the Summer for Women

While basking in the sun in Long Beach, Long Island this week, I turn to the next page of my slightly mangled copy of "Fifty Shades of Grey." I have been carrying this book around with me with me all summer. I have read it openly on the subway on my commute to work at 8 o'clock in the morning, or sitting in Central Park with a family with small children around; and as I approach another situation where Anastasia is "discovering herself," a thought comes pouring over me, "this really IS the summer for women."

We can have Christian Grey whenever, wherever and nobody can look down on us or frown upon our judgment. We can sit in a two hour movie and watch "Magic Mike" dance himself into our hearts and leave us fantasizing about it for the next two months of the warm, steamy summer. We can wear hi-top wedge sneakers with our Ann Taylor dress to work, and we can still enjoy drinking a cold glass of pinot grigio on ladies night with our girlfriends. We can have it all this summer and here are just a few ways (within art and fashion) to get in on this staple trend of the "powerful feline."

Art:

In New York, there is never a shortage of art. Everyday, we are exposed to culture written on the walls or dressed on someone's body. This summer, take advantage of the Met's exhibit of "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations," on view until August 19, 2012. I had the pleasure of viewing the exhibit during the first month of its opening, and it took my breath away.

The similarity between these two women and their artistic, and unique talent of making fashion something powerful and fun is something to truly think about. Both of these women are powerhouses. They take a step beyond making fashion for the consumer or for the retailers, but making it for the footprint it will leave in the culture of fashion itself. Both designers prove that fashion is not meant to be about being serious, but taking a step in a direction that goes unexpected. Its about surprising others and putting yourself in a place you never thought you could find yourself in.

Take part in viewing this exhibit, it might inspire you to try new things, and follow what is uniquely designed inside each and every one of us.

Fashion:
Trending now on the streets in New York, I see a variety of differences between the way one woman dresses to another. However, one trend lies beneath it all; the powerful feline.

I would like to think that we, as women, all wake up in the morning and dress to impress, but sometimes we run late and hit the snooze just a few too many times (I do it just about every morning Monday through Friday). Fashion today is making it easier for us to look powerful with less of the effort. Whether you are sporting hightop sneakers with your LBD, or a studded ensemble to be noticed at the board meeting, we are the ones who are taking the spotlight this summer.

Here are a few of the fashion trends I suggest that can make you feel effortlessly POWERFUL.

Hi-Top Wedge Sneakers- I spotted this image on Rebecca Minkoff's blog earlier this week and was instantly inspired to try this look out before the summer is over. This woman looks powerful, but not too serious. She is playful with her fashion sense and looks as though she can make just about anything work. For her look, I recommend browsing through http://www.asos.com for a great assortment that won't burn an unnecessary hole in your wallet.

Collared Shirts with Studded Hardware- I think this trend will stay for fall. Nothing will look better than a gold studded collar laying neatly over your new burgundy peacoat. These men's wear inspired silhouettes add instant power and edginess that all of us are looking for these days. Browse through http://www.zara.com/us for a great look at their collection. Every week more of this trend seems to be popping up in their designs. Here are a few of my favorites:

To put an end to this Sophisticated Sunday, I want to wish you all the summer of YOU. Whether you are hanging with friends in South Hampton, or enjoying your favorite book on the couch with the AC on full blast; remember to take a moment to embrace that of which is the true meaning of summer. New beginnings, new adventures, and a new sense of self. All which are powerful, and ever-so-possible. This is our time.