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With your toes skimming the sand, the pounding surf as your soundtrack and - best of all - no BlackBerry, there’s no better place to get lost in a book than the beach. Here are our picks for this summer’s best reads.

Read Over and Over Again
The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
The Brooklyn Follies, by Paul Auster
Summer Sisters, by Judy Blume

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Heart of...

You may think bangles are boring, but this year we’re seeing fun twists to the age-old wristlet that are putting it back on our radar.  Stack’em high like SJP at the 2010 Oscars, or stack’em low like Miley Cyrus – the more you mix and match, the more on trend you are! 

Splurge

Juicy Couture’s Modern Nostalgia Multi Chain Feather bracelet set ($140)

Lee Angel is a definite trend...

As the modern bra turns 100 this year, we’ve uncovered the newbies your boobies will love from amazing steals to must-have splurges.

The Sports Bra

Splurge: 3 Reasons Support Bra by Title nine. $45 US

Steal: Hanes Sport Full Figure Sports Bra $14 US

The Push-Up

Splurge: La Perla Sea-Shell Push-Up Bra $118 US

Steal: Victoria Secrets Miraculous Push-up bra $49.50-$54 US

Size-Wise

Plus Size: Bali’s...

A diamond is forever, but the setting styles are ever-changing. We check out the most popular trends currently taking on the Engagement Ring market:

Coloured Gems
Although diamonds do come in a few colours like this canary diamond, don’t be afraid to stray towards a different gem. Everything from pink sapphire to green amethyst is hot right now.

We Like: Carats Diamond Direct, $1130

Eternity Rings

Would you believe me if I told you the top Mandy is wearing was only $5?  Oh, and it's Pink Tartan.  That's right.  Mandy got it at a recent sample sale for $5 and we all hate her for it.  Agreed? 

She paired it with this lovely $15ish necklace from Forever 21 and a cute pair of shorts.  It's hard to believe that from the waist up only cost about $20...

We recently told you about this season's “must-have” colourful sunglasses which, admittedly, might not be for everyone.  Luckily, you can still play it safe with a few enduring trends that may be a more palatable investment:

The Classic: Aviators


Audrina Patridge sports an updated turn on the classic aviators that have been in style simply forever.

Splurge: Ray-Ban, $135
Steal: Steve...

Another day, another pose.  And so it begins with this lovely brown dress.  It's from Joeffer Caoc's fall 2010 collection, but it still looks awfully cute in the summer, wouldn't you agree?  I bought it as a sample and had it resized to fit me and I'm still pinching myself at the deal I got.  It's a wool cashmere blend but it's anything but stuffy.

Just when everyone thought the Maxi dress (AKA Maximum length dress) had seen sunnier days, it’s back and sexier than ever.   Bolder prints, more vibrant colors and daring cut outs are just a few of the ways this frock has transitioned into a Summer 2010 must–have.

Splurge: The Milly Printed silk-chiffon Maxi’s cut and print is pure perfection ($545, Net-A-Porter).  T-Bags also...

The hem lines for skirts have been getting higher for years, and this summer tops are following the same route. From casual to classy, celebrities have been showing off their midriffs by wearing cropped tops.

The cropped top made an appearance on the runways this year for designer Alexander Wang.

Evan Biddell finished with a flourish during the debut season of Project Runway Canada, taking top honours and instantly transferring his success to the Canadian design scene.  He shares his passion for design, his reaction to the comparisons with Alexander McQueen, and why Toronto needs a fashion intervention:

ChickAdvisor: Back when you were starting out, what motivated you to jump into the...