Summer 2012 Trend Watch: Eyelet Dresses

If there's one truly essential item on my summer wish list this year, it's the fabulous eyelet dress. Oh, how obsessed I am with its quiet elegance and its ability to appear at once grownup, prim and polished without looking TOO youthful. Though the pickings are absolutely impossible to weed through entirely (c'mon, I want 'em all!), there are a few that really stand out.

It's always safe to start with a LWD - that most wanted of summer dresses that keeps you looking and feeling cool in even the most sweltering heat. This Miss Me MM Couture Eyelet Dress ($103) feels fresh - a drawstring waist creates definition and the way the hem dips lower than the lining offers a peek of pretty eyelet.







Here's a great way to work this year's tangerine trend into your summer wardrobe! From Old Navy, this Eyelet Tube Dress ($34.94) is dressed up with flirty floral eyelets and a sweet little ruffled hemline. Love this for everything from balmy evening dinner dates to afternoon lunches with the ladies.

Seeking an office-appropriate option that remains true to eyelet's laid-back spirit, yet still offers the pulled together look you require? Try this Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent Eyelet Shirt Dress ($82.62). The collarless design is so modern, and the belt helps tie it all together. You'll look conservative, but never matronly.

Perfect for all of those outdoor soirees on your summer agenda, this Calvin Klein Jeans Sweetheart Dress ($89.50) is perfect with everything from low-profile wedge heels to snake-print flats. Or throw on a lightweight, cropped cardigan and sling on a crossbody bag for a phenomenal look no matter what the occasion.


Color, color, color! If you're not in white this summer, no doubt you'll be drenched in something bright and bold, like this Nanette Lepore Vamos Floral Eyelet Dress ($348). In cheerful sunflower, it's one of my favorites - uplifting, sunny and so in tune with what summer is all about!

An effortless shift dress is a must - it's the kind of thing you throw on when you're in a hurry and don't have much time to plan the perfect ensemble. This Lands' End Canvas Allover Eyelet Dress ($100) makes it so easy! In rich navy, it looks gorgeous with a little gold jewelry and simple, strappy sandals.

Stripes of eyelet lend this Aqua Knit Short Sleeve Dress ($98) such a refined look - and that's in spite of its over-the-knee length and cutesy pleated skirt. With sheer sleeves, a scoop back and a pull-on design, it's another grab-and-go type dress you'll wear all season long. And who can resist the gorgeous coral-orange hue?

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