Put down your flute of champagne and get off the plush G5's seat. You have arrived, and it is time to get off the plane. Carefully walk down the silver steps with your Fendi Spybag over one shoulder and your Louis Vuitton duffle over the shoulder of the tanned island boy in front of you.
Summer breezes rustle the palm fronds on the white sand beach as you look up from your book. The hammock sways slowly, as sunshine dapples your face through the leaves. Discard your Pucci scarf, Chanel sunglasses, and Chloé platforms to dive into the clear aqua water. Orange fish skitter out of sight as you turn to float on your back, gazing at your shiny hot pink toes.
So maybe I am the only one for which this is a dream, and everyone else really is lying on a tropical beach (with a suitcase full of designer clothes).
If, however, you are not on the beach and are instead toiling away in a summer job, internship or class, you may need more than a hot pink book and a bikini to get through the season. What does one wear to a stuffy office when it's 90 degrees and humid outside, and your wardrobe consists of mini skirts and denim? The answer to this fashion conundrum is not so simple on a student budget, but here are a few options:
1. City shorts are the perfect compromise between business pants and khaki shorts. In pinstripes or twill and paired with a nice blouse or blazer, they're the definition of business casual and the perfect suit substitute. Besides, they're way cooler (literally and figuratively) than pants.
2. Knee-length skirts are not particularly interesting, but a necessity. Bright florals might be a bit much for a corporate atmosphere, but light colored stripes, patterns, or black and white flowers are more classic.
3. Bronze sandals are very in right now and, luckily, with a sophisticated outfit, they're suitable for work. You might not be able to get away with flip-flops, but pretty sandals are definitely better than trekking around in pointy heels and are still acceptable.
4. Summer-weight pants, in fabrics like linen or seersucker, are much more comfortable than jeans or khaki in the heat. If they fit right and you pair them with cute shoes, they will look professional.
But what if one day you run out of business clothes and have to toss on some dirty jeans and a polo? Never fear. We're not in the job market quite yet, and remember: At other colleges, people actually do wear sweats to class. Your employers should remember you are a student, and if you're an intern, chances are they're not even paying you, so do what you want.
If you are at the beach, let me enlighten you to the tao of choosing the perfect beach read. Although not technically in my department, I assure you I know my way around fluorescent tomes. For my four female readers, these guidelines are nearly flawless as long as you use them with a dose of common sense.
For starters, the proper insubstantial yet entertaining vacation literature does not have to have a hot pink or lime green cover, but it certainly helps. One important aspect of the protagonist is her career -- she must either work at a fashion magazine, in PR or be a voracious shopper. If she is instead a slobby equestrienne in need of a makeover or a secretly beautiful farmhand beneath all the mud, I assure you it will all be far too Cinderella and not entertaining enough.
As for the blurb on the back, it should not reveal that she loses a boyfriend and/or her job only to find a way to evolve and, through a keen eye for fashion, upgrade them both. This is supposed to be a secret that is only revealed after you read at least fifty pages.
Last but certainly not least, nowhere in the book should there be any mention of hardcore drugs, eating disorders or any other mental unrest besides a bad break up or losing a pair of Manolos. Beach reads, after all, should never cover deep issues. Relish in the vapidity and having the time to replace Dante's "Inferno" with "The Devil Wears Prada."
Enjoy the sun, shopping outside C-ville and lack of hardcore homework. And don't take it too seriously -- it's summer, after all.
Alex can be reached at jospin@cavalierdaily.com.
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