The "Perfect for a First Date" kind of sundress....or the "Perfect for Frolicking Through a Field Full of Flowers" kind of sundress...
1) "Serenity" dress, Billabong via swell.com, $44.50
2) Floral print dress with lace back, Forever21, $17.80
3) White eyelet corset dress, Victoria's Secret, $69.50
4) "Sin sin" dress, Billabong via swell.com, $ 39.99

Last winter's tribal motifs find their way into summer via bold color and strappy dresses. 

1) "Sahara" dress, Element via swell.com, $39.99

2) Banded bottom tank dress, Victoria's Secret, $49.50

3) Geo fade "Starlight" dress, Volcom via swell.com, $44.99

4) Vibrant tribal dress, Forever21, $19.80

This season's take on spring/summer floral? Tropical prints! My favorite iterations of the bright and bold print, sundress style: 

1) Mixed print dress, Victoria's Secret, $69.50 

2) Watercolor flowers dress, Forever 21, $13.86 (on sale, I was bit taken aback when the price didn't end in 80 cents :-)

3) Tropical print halter dress, ASOS, $45.45

4) Tube dress with hi-low hem, Billabong via swell.com, $34.00

First up: The sundress. What you reach for when you want to look cute, but don't have the time/ inclination to put together an actual ensemble. It never ceases to amaze me how impressed people are when all you've done is throw a dress over your head...easier even than pulling on jeans and a tee shirt! Each post contains a different style, so you can easily find the dress that best fits your personality. Today's theme? Stripes! 

Stripes are everywhere right now, so these are some of the easiest options to find--especially at the best prices. Another sad aspect of tried and true pieces is that they're harder to find at cheaper (typically more trend-focused) price points, and they rarely go on sale; the trade-off is that you'll wear them for years. So when something that will never truly be dated, like stripes, suddenly becomes en vogue, it's time to stock up! 

1) Chevron stripe dress , Forever 21, $22.80

2) Sunset stripe tube dress, Target, $20.00

3) Abstract stripe dress, Love 21, $27.80

4) Orange and blue stripe dress (Go Gators!), Forever 21, $19.90

*Lavender medallion tube dress on header, Victoria's Secret, $59.50

Trends come and trends go, but certain things will always be Summer Essentials, the items you turn to whenever the temperature rises. However, I've found that pieces that are perennially in style can often be the most difficult to find, leading to those frustrating shopping experiences where you can find everything under the sun...except the rather basic item you're looking for. With that in mind, I've started a Summer Essentials series in an effort to help you avoid the "Where are all the ______?!" shopping blues. Each post is full of pieces that will get you through this summer...and the next...and the next...