How do you do red, white and blue?

I’m partial to dusty blues, with a nod to my Nordic ancestry. I give myself white-blouse immunity to buy any white shirt that really fits. (But I rarely find one.) And yes, there’s just something about red shoes...

But how could I fashionably don red, white and blue for the Fourth without looking just a little too, well, patriotic?

Shopwatch: Holly Stone

I’m in big trouble now... I just discovered a fabulous little shop a mere stone’s throw from the Old Port that's well worth a lunchtime trek.

Holly Stone is tucked on Pleasant Street just behind the John Ford statue on Gorham's Corner. The clothing inside is simple with a French edge – white shirts in many styles that will keep you crisp on hot summer days, long skirts with matchstick pleats that hug the hips, swing jackets, funky capris, the softest tees you’ll find around... Just right for the woman who wants a unique style and (dare we say it?) - comfort.

Sorry ladies, I just can’t stop peeking at your toes.

It’s pedicure season, and my feet seem to be frozen in front of the nail polish rack. Indecision has set in and I‘m looking down for inspiration.

Should I go classic with red or match my clothes with something more neutral – say a French pedicure? Or should I stick with the deep Mac purple I wore all winter? (It is, after all, the only bottle of nail polish I’ve ever actually drained. In my entire life.) Hot pink looks great, but I’m not sure I’m a hot pink kind of gal.

So do you suppose Hillary Clinton still wears headbands when she hangs around the house?

Remember Hillary of the headband years? So preppy - but it was hard to have a bad hair day.

On summery days like this, they do make some sense. (Either that or go short, but that's for another hot blog day...)

Don't you love the way you look in your new high heels? You're suddenly taller and slimmer, your derriere rides a little higher - Carrie and the girls would definitely approve.

Until you stop dead in your tracks.

No, it's not the sight of Mr. Wonderful. It's the damned bricks again.

I can't picture Grandma, all five feet of her (almost) in anything but that early ‘60s-era navy "shirtwaist" with the tiny white polka dots.

Maybe it's because that's all she wore when we visited. I pleaded so often for her to wear my "favorite dress" that she eventually didn't even bother with anything else.

If you're dotty about dots, you no doubt understand. I still feel a little thrill when I find that special polka dot something... Like those killer stacked-heel Bettye Muller slingback peep toes - black with white dots. Had to have them. My husband, bless him, even found me a black umbrella with brightly colored polka dots on a trip to Target last week. Love it.

I'll never forget the wistful look on the elderly woman's face as she
remembered her fashionable past as a young woman in New York City.

She'd stack bakelite bangles up each arm to the elbow as she readied for a night on the town, then finished her look with a sheer, long-sleeve blouse.
Her husband, she confided, always threatened to leave her home if she wouldn't remove a few.

Of course - stylish lady that she was - she never did.

OK ladies... Here’s something to ponder as you pack away your woolens: Our future is shades of black.

The June fashion mags, already trumpeting next season’s styles, say black is back. But this time it’s black with texture – glossy fabrics, laminated tweed, beading and ruffles to name a few.

If your closet already is brimming with black, updating your look for fall may be simple – just add a splash of bright jewel-toned accessories– red, vivid blues and neon brights like lime and fuchsia. (Remember the ‘80s? Sans shoulder pads, of course.) Colored tights will be an alternative for ladies who’d rather forget last winter’s leggings frenzy.