The sundress has it usefulness, of course: pretty, polished, practical. Dare we add -- predictable? But there are days when covering up is in order. As a tried-and-true alternative to the ubiquitous summer frock, how about the summer tunic? So Babe Paley, so Jackie O, so boho-rich-girl chic.

It's a perennial classic, constantly popping in and out of style, ever since the Greeks and Romans started sporting them way, way, waaaay back in the day. It crops up in cultures around the world, in different incarnations, from the North African djellaba to the Indian kurta to the English smock.

The tunic really had its moment a couple of seasons back, when Tory Burch co-opted the '70s and made it the must-have item for summer. But never mind the vagaries of fashion's ins and outs: The tunic remains a go-to staple in any grown woman's wardrobe.

As Halston once observed, the tunic makes even the most non-X-rayesque among us look good.

This season, you can find a myriad of variations on a theme: Floral and fluttery, ornate and beaded, and bold and bright. Toss them over a bathing suit for a quick coverup, or don them with jeans and earrings, and you're good to go. (Added incentive: Grab one now, and you're likely to find one on sale.) Plus, it has a marvellous way of hiding those blasted bumps and bulges.