As you embark on the annual ritual of banishing your woolens and assessing your warm-weather wardrobe, you may find that it lacks a certain, well, excitement. The remedy: a few strategically chosen new pieces such as the ones shown on these pages. While they range from pants and skirts to dresses, they have in common one strong theme from the spring runways: shine. Yes, even for day.

It takes confidence to pull off such eye-catching looks. Which means that the woman wearing them may well be the most powerful person in the room.