Three hot looks for summer
By Lindsey Michael Miller

The summer season is here, and some new and old fashion trends are coming onto the scene. For this article, I'm going to focus on two specific looks for the summer-the Modern British Prep look (Banana Republic, Express for Men), and the Pseudo Rock Star "Worn-In" look (American Eagle, The Gap, Old Navy).

Banana Republic
For those who consider themselves on the higher end of "poshness," both Banana Republic and Express for Men have a nice selection. Personally, I would go with Banana Republic's linen line-the linen pants with drawstring, the long-sleeve linen button-up and the long-sleeve linen pullover. These clothes are light and leave plenty of breathing room, while at the same time keep the "dress up" look that Banana does so well.

Express for Men

Express for Men also has some nice linen clothes, like their linen popover, but what really stands out on their summer line are the canvas pintuck shirt and an assortment of solid-color short-sleeve stretch shirts. With both Banana Republic and Express for Men, you will pay more, but the trade off is higher quality clothes.

American Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle has some nice mid-range stuff for those who like the beach look. Personally, I like their assortment of flip-flops, which include vintage, surfer, nylon and leather. Their strength in their summer look is their shorts line. They have some sweet board shorts-like the surf wax board shorts-and pull off the "already broken in" look well with their cord skate shorts and frayed cargo shorts. If you're looking for polos, the Santa Monica and sunrise polos are both good choices.

The Gap
This is the one store whose summer line is unimpressive. The Gap has decided to run an all denim line called "The 1969 Collection." Not only is denim horrible for summer heat, but also they've taken a pseudo-southwestern look to their jeans and (long-sleeve!) button-up shirts. Their shorts look terrible, being either too short or just plain ugly. Their only redeeming looks are the short-sleeve poplin and their line of flip-flops-leather slides, leather thongs and two different designs for canvas thongs as well.

Old Navy
Old Navy is the best place to go for price. They have a great summer collection with most items under $20. The selection that sets them apart from the other stores is their athletic gear. They are featuring an assortment of nylon convertibles (zip-offs), and side-stripe athletic pants. Along with American Eagle, they have some nice board shorts, tropical print and side-stripe. Their linen button-front shirts (short-sleeve) and range of polos are great inexpensive finds as well.

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