Q: I’m moving to a new city where walking is the preferred method of transportation. I live in heels but I don’t want to walk a mile in them. There is also the summer heat to take into consideration. So my question is this, how do I pair shorts with flats without looking frumpy?

A: Great question. When the temperature rises the thought of slipping on a pair of jeans and heels makes me absolutely crazy. It’s simply not going to happen. I’ve actually amassed quite a collection of cute shorts and flats that are far from frumpy. The secret is in the combination. Let me show you the way …

Combination #1: Short-shorts and sandals

When wearing super-short shorts you want to show as much leg as possible to give the illusion of mile long legs. The best way to do this is with strappy flat sandals.

Rag & Bone shorts // Rag & Bone sandals

Combination #2: Tailored shorts and smoking slippers

A smoking slipper is a great alternative to a boring pair of flats.  I love pairing them with a chic pair of tailored shorts for a dressier look.

Valentino twill shorts // Christian Louboutin slippers

Combination #3: High-waist shorts and wedges

Okay, so wedges aren’t technically flats but they are comfortable and certainly easy to walk in – so there you go. Wear them with high-waisted shorts for a retro-inspired look.

Tucker shorts // Stella McCartney wedges

Combination #4: Loose fitting shorts with ballet flats

A loose fitting pair of shorts is great for a girl with fuller thighs because it gives the illusion of having slimmer legs (we love that). Style this girly silhouette with a cute pair of ballet flats for a extra-cute vibe.

Moschino ruffled shorts // Lanvin yellow ballet flats

Lauren Messiah, is a Los Angeles based stylist and the creator of LaurenMessiah.com, a blog about designer deals, the hottest trends, and Lauren’s life as a fashion stylist.Lauren styles some of Hollywood’s most successful women in entertainment, celebrities, fashion editorials, and national ad campaigns. Lauren has been featured in Marie Claire, Vogue Italia, Grazia, WWD, OK! Magazine and Health Magazine.

Skip mundane flip-flops this summer and try an upgraded warm weather shoe staple, like a pair of ultra chic and sophisticated espadrilles. Comfy and stylish, these cotton and canvas slip-ons feature rope-like soles that not only make for interesting detailing, but also fantastic durability. While espadrilles can be fashioned as wedges as well, we’ve rounded up 10 flat styles that will get your through your fun-filled Memorial Day weekend plans and beyond. Kick-off the summer with your favorite colorful pair!

1. B Brian Atwood Beaded Flat Espadrille, available at Neiman Marcus for $295
2. Chloé Leather & Canvas Lace-Up Espadrilles, available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $395
3. Desigual Doncel, available at Desigual for $49
4. Lika Mimika Coulour-Blocked Suede Espadrilles, available at Farfetch.com for $153.76
5. Tory Burch “Catalina” Orange Striped Canvas Espadrille, available at Shirise.com for $115
6. Loeffler Randall Odile-WR Espadrille, available at Amazon.com for $195
7. Jimmy Choo Galion Suede Espadrille Flat, available at  Neiman Marcus for $495
8. Soludos Traditional Embroidery Espadrilles, available at Shopbop.com for $45
9. Juicy Couture Gigi Espadrille Flat, available at Juicy Couture for $198
10. Marc by Marc Jacobs Metallic Slip On Espadrilles, available at Shopbop.com for $198

THE PARTY: Intermix’s 20th Anniversary and Bowery Store Opening

THE PLACE: The New Museum in NYC

THE DEETS: No trend was left unexplored Tuesday night as Intermix, the purveyor of all that is chic, current, and cool, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a stylish soiree at the New Museum. Guests took elevators to the museum’s rooftop to take in the stunning skyline and a performance by Solange, who was clad in a Diane von Furstenberg lipstick print ensemble for the occasion. The crowd–like the retailer’s  itself–was all about the mix. There were the celebrity fans like Emma Roberts and Marissa Tomei and New York fixtures like Annabelle Dexter Jones, and Kelly Bensimon, but the guests who partied hardest were designers like Rage & Bone’s David Neville, Veronica Miele Beard, Ronny Kobo, and Jay Godfrey, who all owe a bit of their own success to Intermix. By night’s end the bar had run out of Pampelonne’s Rosé Lime, but that didn’t stop loyalists from grabbing one last bespoke Belvedere cocktail and heading out to the balcony for a toast and tête–à–tête.

Editor’s Note: To get a taste of this experience, take an afternoon to visit the New Museum before doing some shopping at Intermix’s new boutique at 332 Bowery.

We’re used to seeing Victoria Beckham in swoon-worthy heels and elegant dresses. Sneakers? Not so much. We now have proof that the fashionable mommy invests time and effort into her fitness, all thanks to a well placed Tweet the singer turned designer sent out. [Huffington Post]

Martha Stewart‘s been nothing short of vocal lately, touting her love for online dating. Now she’s jumping into the world of fashion, and expressing her appreciation for Vince! She said, “”I love Vince [leggings.] These are fantastic. I wear them all the time because, actually, they fit me. I don’t have to even try them on in the store. I know that if I buy my size, I will get a fit.” [Fashionologie]

Suzy Menkes is a powerful and constant name in the fashion industry, and it looks like she’s getting a snazzy new title to go along with her stylish intelligence. The fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune was just named the international fashion editor of the International New York Times. It will be a new version of the IHT, coming later this year. [WWD]

It’s no secret that everyone is obesssed with Pinterest. How obsessed though? According to a study, Chanel—a brand that’s not even on Pinterest—accrues 400 pins and 3,600 repins a day from users, followed by Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo.  [Mashable]

Has Fashion Week overstayed its welcome at Lincoln Center? Residents are mad that the park is closed off to regular use for such an extended part of the year – putting NYC and the parks department in a difficult position: appease the neighborhood or take advantage of the monetary gain. [Glam Chic]

Gwyneth Paltrow has officially kicked off another Goop-filled summer. The Iron Man actress, and People Magazine’s most beautiful woman, hosted a season launch party for her lifestyle newsletter in London this past Tuesday boasting flawless fashion. Donning a silk floral dress with sheer sleeves paired with a bondage inspired leather belt, Paltrow mixed soft and hard style elements effortlessly. Husband Chris Martin, pal Kate Hudson, and Tom Ford, the designer of her strappy heels for the evening, also attended the soiree in appropriately chic style. While Paltrow’s ensemble, which consisted of pieces from Prabal Gurung’s autumn/winter 2013 collection, is no practical purchase for the average fashionista, Asos’ feminine shirt-dress and BCBG’s hardcore double leather waist-cincher will achieve the same element-mixing look without breaking the bank. Finish the outfit off with a pair of multi-strap sandals, a black studded clutch, and stick-straight locks like Paltrow.

1. ASOS Shirt Dress in Scarf Print, available at Asos.com for $67.88
2. Clare Vivier Studded Flat Clutch, available at Shopbop.com for $196
3. Double Buckle Waist Belt, available at BCBG for $68
4. Women’s Mossimo® Perl Cage High Heel Sandals, available at Target for $23.99

As we all know, Karl Lagerfeld’s influence extends past fashion design and into photography. With that in mind, Fendi is taking advantage of his skills behind the lens for their newest exhibit.

Fendi is set to showcase Lagerfeld’s photography during Paris’ Couture Fashion Week in July, inside a series of domes along the Seine near the Pont Alexandre III Bridge, close to Fendi’s new Paris store. The exhibition will focus on Lagerfeld’s pictures of Rome’s historical fountains and the Trevi Fountain that Fendi is currently funding restoration for (as part of Fendi for Foundations plan).

The exhibition will run from July 4 to the 14^th and the pictures will be published in a 120-page book.

As if we needed another reason to take a trip to Paris.

Rebecca Minkoff knows the power of a t-shirt. Her big break came from her ‘I Love New York’ t-shirt, which earned spots on Jay Leno and the pages of US Weekly in 2001, so her newest idea is quite fitting. She partnered with Diet Coke and Taylor Swift to launch the annual Diet Coke Young Designer Challenge, giving one fan the opportunity of a lifetime to become the next great fashion designer. All by designing a t-shirt.

To be considered for the challenge, get to creating. Submit a t-shirt design through May 31 at DietCoke.com/DesignerChallenge for a chance to join the ranks of notable designers and have your work featured in Target this fall, score a $10,000 cash prize and a trip to meet Swift at one of her final stops on her RED Tour in Nashville, Tenn., this September.

Last year’s winner was Gustavo Alonso (his design pictured above with Minkoff). Best of luck to those who enter!

In fitting tribute to the love affair that bloomed between Elizabeth Taylor and Bulgari during and after the filming of Cleopatra, the Cannes red carpet for the 50th Anniversary viewing was dripping in gems. Most noticeably, however, was the majestic bling that Jessica Chastain was lucky enough to wear for the evening.

As we reported, Chastain was tapped to host the celebration and wear a piece previously owned by Taylor. For her evening, the star chose to accent her white Versace gown with a sapphire-and-diamond sautoir with a 65-carat center stone by Bulgari. Initially, Richard Burton gifted Taylor with the necklace for her 40th birthday, only one of many pieces from the design house in her collection. The necklace is one of eight pieces that Bulgari bought back from Taylor’s collection during the 2011 Christies auction.

“I feel so lucky to be wearing them. They looked so fabulous on her and she was a movie star from her head to her toes,” said Chastain. “That kind of glamorous star doesn’t exist anymore but their diamonds do.”

While the Cannes celebration was certainly a star studded—and gem studded—event, the anniversary continues. Cleopatra will be re-released in 200 theaters on May 22nd and on Blu-ray disk on May 28th, honoring Taylor’s moment as the Egyptian queen, the epic film, and the romance that resulted.

Today is British bombshell Naomi Campbell’s 43^rd birthday. The supermodel stormed onto the catwalk in the 1980s and left her mark on fashion’s heart.

She served as a muse to Azzedine Alaia and Versace—notably he featured her in his shows for two decades. In addition to being a fashion icon slash supermodel, she is a published author, actress, and businesswoman.

Most recently, she’s raising a new crop of hopeful supermodels on her new reality show, The Face.

Cheers to giving good face for 43 years!

Once in a while something lands in our inbox that sounds just too good to be true. This is one of those instances: shopping site Rue La La is giving members the opportunity to buy luxury goods like a Rolex or Hermes Birkin for, wait it, $5.

Five Dollars.

In celebration of its 5-year anniversary, the site is launching $5 Surprise Party boutiques. Here’s how this works: on Wednesday, May 29^th, Rue La La will post the deets on their Facebook page and you have to share the tab and then enter your email.

When the page reaches 5,555 shares, if you shared the page and your email address, you will receive an email invitation alerting you to the date and time of the boutique you’re invited to shop. A few days after the invitations are sent, the boutiques will be unlocked for 5 days (though at these prices, we doubt the items will last that long).

Each store will open at 5pm with hundreds of items in stock like an Hermes Birkin, a Rolex Men’s Datejust watch, a VIP suite at the Barclays Center and a Canyon Ranch Experience, all for $5!

This is crazy good. We haven’t been able to pick our jaw up of the keyboard, yet.