August. The heat can be a killer. The humidity can too. The sun comes beating down. There seems to be no respite from it whatsoever. Even those at the beach or poolside can only find true comfort in the water. For many there's the respite of air conditioning in our homes and in our offices. But many of us still must face the heat whether we're running errands, to and from appointments and meetings or just need to be out and about. The heat can assault. Humidity can too and is often worse than the heat. It is during these relentless Dog Days of Summer that we need to dress as much for comfort as we do for style. We need clothes that are cool, lightweight, stylish and flattering. For office or perhaps dinner, nothing beats a little white dress for chic and casual sophistication. Flowy, gauzy dresses are great for outdoors and those who work in a more casual office setting, as are white jeans and white pants with a loose, yet fitted white top - paired off with a belt and pretty sandals for more casual or heels for a dressier look.

While black is always stylish and always chic and always sophisticated, it can be downright unbearable on a hot day. White has a crisp and fresh look to it always. And yes, everyone can wear white - when in doubt add color with accessories.

I may venture to say that this summer, white is the new black!

Warber Parker has asked me to help announce the launch of their latest collection, the Beacon Collection which was inspired by "impromptu, can’t duplicate- them all-nighters, when having no plans brings endless possibilities. To set the scene, we called on photographer Petra Collins, whose snaps of unsupervised thrills and sweetly private moments reveal a lot of smarts and humor. Petra joined us one June evening on a detour
through downtown Manhattan’s Doyers Street, an elbowshaped alleyway dotted with preserved neighborhood remnants and modern businesses. The collection name is a hat-tip to the morning star, which you can catch just after sunset or just before sunrise, depending on the time of year. We designed our Beacon Collection frames to make a similarly fine companion to late night dates, rooftop sunrises, and everything in between. There’s something just as unexpected about each new frame: they’re repeat contenders, no matter the hour."

For those of you unfamiliar with this fun, philanthropic and stylish brand their story is short, simple and very sweet. And you absolutely should get to know about who they are and why they came to be.

It all started with a very basic notion. "Glasses are too expensive. We were students when one of us lost his glasses on a backpacking trip. The cost of replacing them was so high that he spent the first semester of grad school without them, squinting and complaining. (We don’t recommend this.) The rest of us had similar experiences, and we were amazed at how hard it was to find a pair of great frames that didn’t leave our wallets bare. Where were the options?"

It turns out there was a simple explanation. The eyewear industry is dominated by a single company that has been able to keep prices artificially high while reaping huge profits from consumers who have no other options.

"We started Warby Parker to create an alternative...
... We believe that buying glasses should be easy and fun. It should leave you happy and good-looking, with money in your pocket.

We also believe that everyone has the right to see.
Almost one billion people worldwide lack access to glasses, which means that 15% of the world’s population cannot effectively learn or work. To help address this problem, Warby Parker partners with non-profits like VisionSpring to ensure that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need.

There’s nothing complicated about it. Good eyewear, good outcome."

Below, the in the Beacon Sunglasses you'll be brighter than the sun!

Nearsighted or farsighted with the Beacon eyeglass frames you'll be a sight for sore eyes!

Starting today, July 22, the Beacon Collection is available at www.WarbyParker.com/Beacon, in stores and

showrooms. For a greater selection of eyeglasses click here, and for a greater selection of sunglasses click here. You should also check out their wonderful blog.

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