Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Ana:

Wow! What a great invite! First decide if you're a pants or skirt/dress girl. That's your first decision and will help dictate the further direction of your outfit. If you go with pants, decide whether you're going to go really casual, such as distressed jeans or capri pants, or a bit dressier, in a pair of nicer pants in black or another color. If you're going with a skirt, you have some choices to make as well. Some current hot skirt looks are those in distressed denim or the peasant-y styles with tiers or a cute ruffle at the bottom. There are some fun dresses out now, too, in fun prints that are flirty and feminine, and they'd be a great choice for a party.

The hottest tops right now are peasant-y tops. A pretty top that has gathers or embroidery will go well with either pants or a skirt. Top the whole outfit off with a great pair of sandals, of course.

Once of the best ways to find a great outfit when you don't have a clue what you're looking for is to just go to the mall and wander around, seeing what hits you. Try on what strikes you as cool or pretty, and see what works for you. You can tell what's new and hot in the stores because it will be on the mannequins and at the front of the store, so you can't really make a mistake. You will start to notice that most of the stores are featuring the same sorts of styles in their windows, and you'll develop a sense of what's really"in."The more you browse, window shop and try on what appeals to you, the better idea you will have about what your party outfit should be. An afternoon of shopping should take care of your dilemma!

Sincerely, Fashion Girl