We did it! It’s official; class of 2012 is weeks away from graduating high school. All that hard work is about to be over…for now. We are about to step into the “real world.”
The morning of graduation is when it will hit us. We will be stepping into the arena as students and walking out as young adults; with four or more tough years ahead of us.

   On the bright side for those of you not taking summer classes you get to relax for the following three months. For those of you taking any summer classes then good for you, it’s always admirable to take such a challenge. I, on the other hand, will be working this summer so I won’t be stuck at home all summer. 

   Now you might be wondering what all that has to do with fashion. Well, it has a lot to do with it actually, because outfits are always involved wherever you are, and wherever you go. I know that not everyone likes looking up what the “latest trends” are but that’s why you have me.
 
   In my last column of my high school career I will be talking to you guys about this summer’ must haves.

   A big thing for summer is cropped tops. You probably have seen many girls wearing cropped tops at music festivals such as SXSW and Coachella. Along with that trend are the very bold hotpants. No matter if they are denim or print, low or high-waisted, hotpants are huge for this summer.

If you want to take a risk with both, try combining a cropped shirt with a pair of hotpants. Give it a go; summertime in Laredo can be dreadful so this fashion trend is perfect for summer. Now you don’t want to show off too much so carefully look at yourself in the mirror or ask anyone how you look before you step out. It’s a great trend but you need to know how to make it work depending on your body type. Still, don’t be afraid of trying the cropped top trend this summer. You might love it or absolutely hate it, but hey at least you gave it a try. 

   Something very stylish I’ve been seeing lately is black and white. This trend is classic and it tends to look more formal, but this summer things are heading for a different direction. Be playful and remember to have fun when dressing up and stick to being you. It’s always fun playing around with clothes. A great way of giving this trend a try is buying shirts with thick stripes in black and white. Now you’re adding personality to style. Pair it with some white shorts and add a pop of color with sandals or flats and even a headband. There you have it, a stylish summer look.

   Stripes and lace are everywhere this summer. You might have already seen it on shoes, handbags, headbands, you name it.  Lace has always been one of my favorite trends; it's so feminine and elegant plus you’ll get so much use out of it. Make sure you have a lace dress this summer; it is perfect for date night. Stripes are another trend I absolutely love. I’m a big fan; almost all of my shirts have stripes (I’m sure I’ve mentioned that before). Try mixing stripes, bold colors and prints. A look I use is pairing a cute striped shirt with army green color pants and cute snake skin print sandals. It’s different, but that’s what makes it fun. 

   If you have more of a boyish style then this trend is right up your ally: A huge trend this summer will be the long to just above the knee boyish “long shorts”. Now, if you are worried of looking like a “guy” then pair them with feminine tops. Also to look more feminine add flip flops or heels.

One last trend is NEON; yes you’ve read right, Neon is back and its going to be here for a while. Bright neon shirts, bags, shoes, belts, jewelry you’ll see it just about everywhere. You’ve seen it on runways and now this trend is hitting the streets and I absolutely love it. If you’re not too sure about how to wear neon colors try mixing with neutrals. There are also some key pieces like a blazer that make your outfit look fun.

Most importantly, now we don’t have to shop for our school dress code.YAY! So imagine all of the clothes we can buy without worrying if it’s dress code or not. If you’re not a big shopper take breaks when buying new clothes, shopping doesn’t have to be terrible. Happy shopping!