Luxe Or Less: Burberry Prorsum Resort 2009

June is a fickle month indeed here in the Pacific northwest. Just as it seems like summer's here, a cold front sweeping down from the Arctic or weather systems coming inland can scare summer away for days at a time, leaving us shivering in cold and rain. And then even when it is nice enough outside to bust out the skirts and sandals, over-air-conditioned offices will make you regret your sartorial choice before you even finish your morning coffee. What's a Vancouver girl to do?!?

One way to look summery and ladylike while remaining warm is to wear a cardigan or lightweight coat over a shift dress, and to cinch the whole thing just a little bit above the natural waistline. Burberry Prorsum's Resort 2009 collection featured this look prominently, with cardigans and coats of different lengths and textures, and black socks worn with strappy black platform sandals. I like how they used a skinny belt rather than a chunky one to keep things a little more ladylike, a little less bohemian. For a resort collection, the clothes were surprisingly heavy and in shades of gray rather than bold jolts of colour, making this the perfect look to transition into fall.






Luckily for those of us who don't have the dough to dress in head-to-toe Burberry, this look is pretty easy to re-create with more affordable pieces. Behold, the Luxe For Less version below (thanks to the magic of Polyvore).

Gray cardigan from American Apparel, $38
White shift dress from Old Navy, $19.99
Yellow skinny belt from J Crew
Black bangle from Claire's, $6.50
Black bead multi-strand necklace from Target, $12.99
Black strappy sandal by Dolce Vita, from Bluefly
Patterned angora socks from Urban Outfitters