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Dresses are the ultimate in one-stop dressing.

Tug it on.

Zip it up.

Bolt for the door.

Look for cotton, jersey and knit fabrics in a palette of colors. Try a traditional shift shape, or have some fun with ballooning fabrics and side pockets.

Pick a neckline to suit the event. Halters and playful spaghetti straps are perfect for garden parties or outdoor concerts, boatnecks and strapless designs will help you breeze through more formal events.

The heat is burning your skin, melting your make-up and frizzing your hair.

But don't let it steal your style.

Flower Power

Full skirts and flowers are no longer the exclusive domain of bridesmaids and debutantes. This season's re-invented floral patterns are more Marc Jacobs than Laura Ashley. Full skirts fit nicely with the fashion industry's ongoing obsession with volume.

Donna Ricco New York strapless dress, $164, Paparazzi; Calvin Klein gladiator flats, $69.99, Sole 44

Tropical Tease

The colors are hot, but this little number will keep you cool through Labor Day. A mixed palette of hues and stripes lend a retro air to this modern dress.

Yumi Kim striped floral dress, $135.15, Sole 44; Calvin Klein cork sandals, $86, Sole 44

Sumer Silk

In a fabric fix? No need to limit yourself. Silk and jersey swim playfully across this asymmetrical dress. Artfully placed buttons and gathered fabrics add a little something extra to this mellow, sunset pink dress.

MK2K silk dress, $265, Jack Cecil; Calvin Klein platform sandals, $99, Sole 44

Splendor In The Grass

Soft, simple sundresses get our vote for best go-to outfit. They'll take you to the movies, to the grocery store, to lunch -- pretty much anywhere the season demands. Delicate shoulder ties give this dress the whimsical feel of childhoods spent wandering through wildflower fields and sipping cherry soda.

Blue Plate sundress, $56, Jack Cecil

Cotton Cool

Light cotton frocks are a stand-by for a reason -- they look (and feel) good. The latest updates on the classic look come in pastel colors with extra yards of billowing fabric.

French Connection Queenie's Castle Dress, $119, Sole 44

Special thanks: Paparazzi, 2443 Battleground Ave.; Jack Cecil, 307H Pisgah Church Road; Sole 44, 117 E. February One Place; Directions USA Modeling Agency and Brooke Rowan

Contact Katie Reetz at 691-5091 or kreetz@news-record.com