Chicer Than Sneakers

When in doubt, buy black or white.

The surest way to look mature, professional, chic, and confident is by dressing in neutral tones. Forget that neon pink dress-- neon is the quickest way to look like a twelve-year-old. Go for a more subtle approach, and then add a statement piece at the end if you want to play with a brighter color.

In the summer, it's important to keep your clothing light, easy, and free. When it's hot and sunny, these are some things you need:

Comfy sandals. Pick a pair that is breathable, simple, and easy to slip on and off. No need to complicate your summer with fancy footwear! Just be sure to find sandals with good arch support to keep your feet feeling good through all of your outdoor (and indoor!) adventures. Last year, I bought a pair of Clarks sandals for walking around Europe, and they are still my go-to shoes when it is warm outside.

An easy-to-move-in dress. Nothing keeps you cool in the summer heat like a dress does. Go long or go short, but keep to thinner fabrics, lighter colors, and looser silhouettes for maximum comfort. And make sure you can run and jump in it before buying!

Snazzy sunglasses. Keep the sun out of your eyes, and do it in style! Sunglasses are an easy way to put a personal stamp on an outfit. Round rim, cat eye, aviator...the shape and color of sunglasses can set a girl apart in a crowd. Go unique and fearless with your sunglasses! This season, I bought my sunnies from Ross at a price of five dollars.

Capri jeans. Why stuff your legs into long pants when you don't have to? Easy to match, jean capris can make an outfit with a soft tee shirt, a sweater for chillier June days, a loose blouse, or another top! I generally go for a lighter wash in the brighter months, but any color will do!

What are your summer essentials? Tell us in the comments!

Do you feel your closet becoming cluttered? Do you find you have more clothing than you wear? A sure-fire way to feel refreshed and unburdened is to clean out your wardrobe!

Earlier this summer, I went through my bureau and closet and donated approximately 50% of their contents to charity organizations like Goodwill and Salvation Army. The majority of what I got rid of was clothing that, although still looking cute and stylish, was not worn very often-- due to the evolution of my personal tastes since I'd bought an article, the texture of an item's fabric, etc. For example, in the past year, I've moved away from brightly colored tops, making my ninth grade wardrobe buys no longer relevant: those pieces were the first to go.

All I can say is, giving things away never felt so good. After I finished gutting my closet and stuffed the pile of discards into a bag, the feeling of space and freedom and confidence was wonderful. Minimalism is definitely the way to go for a healthy frame of mind; I completely understand the draw of "less is more."

Now it's your turn to deep-clean and re-organize your wardrobe. Not sure where to start? Here are a few simple questions to get you started:

1. Hold up the first piece in your closet/dresser drawer. Is it damaged (stained, ripped, etc.)? If the answer is yes, and you don't want to/can't fix it, put it in the trash pile. If not, move to question 2.

2. Does the article still fit your style? Is the color/pattern/shape still something you like to wear? If yes, move on. If no, it should go to the donate/sell pile.

3. Is the material comfortable? Don't waste closet space on clothing you don't enjoy wearing. If you're not going to wear it, don't keep it. It doesn't matter if it was expensive, a gift, or the "it" article of the season. Please yourself. Don't force yourself to wear something that will irritate and distract you from the activities of your day, and don't let clothes sit in the back of your closet that could be worn and loved by someone else. Life is too short to be spent in an outfit you don't love.

4. Does it fit? Yes: move on to number 5. No: donate/sell.

5. Have you worn this in the past year? If no, it's unlikely you'll wear it in the next year.

6. Can you make an outfit with this article? Think of two outfits which could use this piece. If you cannot, place the piece on probation, and donate/sell it after a month or so if it goes unworn during the probationary period.

7. Will you wear this item in the upcoming season? If it's a sundress and winter is approaching, the answer is probably no. If yes: put it into the keep pile and return it to your wardrobe. Congratulations, the piece has passed the test! If not, store it away and get it back out for the proper time of year.

Pro Tip: Try to avoid keeping things based on nostalgia alone. If you're keeping a t-shirt because it went with you to Paris, remember: YOU went to Paris, too. Don't hold onto useless things for artificial reasons.

I hope you find a closet detox to be as liberating as I did. Share your experiences with us in the comments below!