Friends & Associates Spring 2013 | Pictures

Come warm weather, everyone needs a carefree uniform to slip on. Baseball tees, boxy shifts, tennis skirts — they're the stuff of summertime wardrobe dreams. And if they come in fabrics like watery silk or can't-look-away gingham checks, then all the better.

That's the premise, anyway, behind Matthew Edelstein's label Friends & Associates, and it's a premise that works. For these are jaunty separates and airy silhouettes that not only scream playtime — bike rides, picnics, boating — but they're also grown-up enough that they'll fit right in on a city rooftop with a cocktail in hand. One wide-cut t-shirt dress in vibrant Little Orphan Annie red, for example, is actually made of buttery silk, while a black and white plaid skirt is made all the more kicky thanks to the cheery addition of godet pleats.

Though this latest collection won't be available until April (just in time for fireflies and capture the flag), the debut Resort 2013 collection is available to shop now on the brand's website. An exclusive look at the full Spring 2013 collection — priced $129-$415 — right here.

Photos: Hugh Lippe courtesy of Friends & Associates