Summer shirtwaist chic

What a fine summer look!  Let's examine the elements this lovely woman has assembled:  First, the shirtwaist - the perfect summer dress (have I said that once or twice before?), in rather pale colours that work so beautifully with her hair, which I absolutely adore.  Talk about a divine colour and length!  I would kill to be this kind of  blond. 

Then there's the bag:  A handbag, my personal fav,  and a lovely bit of vintage, I think.  And she showcases those fantastic gams with  very au courant sandals.  Sublime colour with just that little piece of yellow or bone (I can't quite tell from the photo) that ties nicely into the dress.  All in all, masterful. 

I've no doubt she is perfectly cool and comfortable given the a/c au naturel that goes hand-in-hand with an a-line  - the breeze circulates nicely.  Would she look quite as special in shorts and a t-shirt?  Decidedly not.  Why women continue to believe (or fool themselves) into thinking that shorts are actually cooler than a skirt or dress continues to astound me.  And I'd be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of females over the age of 25 who can get away with wearing shorts off the tennis court.

A warm thanks to regular reader Penelope for sending this through to me.  She spotted madame in The Guardian's summer dress roundup.  The Guardian is doing some great work in real style for real people, including contributions from one of my favourite bloggers, Grey Fox.