Friend Friday: Summer fashion trends you can wear now

For today’s Fashion Beauty Friend Friday, we’re talking about summer fashion trends for 2012 and what we’re loving for the upcoming season.

Of the many fashion trends for Spring 2012–from tribal prints and florals to neons and ‘20s influences–there are a few that translate particularly well into wearable trends for summer.

Here are my favorite summer fashion trends you can wear right now.

Shorts.

They’re a summer perennial, of course. The biggest trends in shorts for Summer 2012? Tailored (see Fashionrising’s run-down) and shorty short (see: Gap, Net-a-Porter, Madewell).

I’ve always had a drawerful of bermuda-length, or “walking” shorts, so I’m glad to see those are considered trendy this summer. We don’t all have legs that need to be mostly bare, do we? Plus you can wear them as short pants if it’s appropriate at your workplace and mix them into your summer working mom outfits.

Truly short shorts, on the other hand, are for the more daring. I confess I waver on this point. In the spirit of celebrating my assets, I do like my legs. Shorts that hit just below the widest part of my thigh are perfectly flattering. Yet somehow it feels odd to be so uncovered when I’m north of 40.

Whatever the length, a big part of the trend for shorts this summer is color. Which leads me to the next trend …

Neon and brights.

Color, color, color. It is probably the biggest trend of them all this spring/summer, from Madewell to J. Crew to the Gap (and any other brand you can think of). Take it one step further and you have color-blocking.

Neon as accessories continues to be big, too: think flirty little sundresses enlivened with a skinny neon belt.

Summer whites.

Like shorts, white for summer is a perennial that’s back in a big way this year, especially in the form of denim. Want to be completely of-the-moment? Short, white denim shorts.

Of course, white pants and shorts and skirts aren’t always practical when you’re a mom, unless you want to carry a bleach pen in your back pocket. But that doesn’t mean you have to rule out the trend completely.

There’s nothing fresher than a white cotton top, and mine have survived the toddler years (mostly) unscathed so I promise that it’s possible.

Still skeptical? What about a white straw hat or canvas kicks? It’ll look especially fresh with those bright shorts and tees of yours, sassy mom.

[This post is part of Modly Chic’s Fashion Beauty Friend Fridays.]

Your turn

• These are my picks for Summer 2012 trends. What are yours?
• She wears short shorts: yes or no? Discuss.

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Other working mom style advice you might like:

1. Friend Fridays: Trend aware vs. trend follower
2. Friend Fridays: Let’s pack for our summer vacation
3. Blame Missoni: Trends, fads and the “in” crowd
4. Friend Fridays: Trends and inspiration for spring 2012