SHOPTALK : Keep It Simple for a No-Sweat Style : Rayon is the fabric to breeze through sweltering days. But avoid see-through so you won’t have to add layers.

Rayon dresses make great warm-weather wear. They can be casual, comfortable and incredibly cool on even the hottest Southern California day. These dresses are being collected by women who used to wear only shorts or jeans for casual wear.

So how do you guarantee that you won’t look too frumpy or too sweet? Here are a few guideline: Avoid large floral prints; flowers are fine, but keep them tiny. Also, make sure that the sleeves aren’t puffy and, by all means, stay away from shoulder pads. As you shop, repeat “simple, simple, simple” as if it were your mantra.

Now, before we hit the stores, a few words on the fabric itself. Like cotton, wool and silk, not all rayon is created equal, so pay attention to the weight of the fabric. Hold the dress up to the light. If you can see through it, put it back. Wearing unitards or bodysuits make the dress too warm for most spring or summer and can turn a trip to the ladies’ room into a real nightmare.

We cruised The Oaks mall, Marshalls and Ross Dress for Less to see what was available. Great dresses and great deals were found in just about every store.

Bullock’s had dresses from Shelli Segal for Laundry for between $69 and $178. These dresses have a great shape and could begin as a special occasion dress, and live happily ever after going to the movies and the market.

Nearby were dresses by Olive for $128. We loved the simple button-down, sleeveless style in the smart colors of rust, plum, tan and black. We’ll check back to see if they get marked down.

Surprisingly, one of the best priced dresses was at Bullock’s. A long navy floral dress (tiny flowers!) by Jennifer Moore Jeans Wear was only $36. Carole Little Sport had a smashing and reasonably priced dress in a green batik print for $68.

Bullock’s answer to the Gap is Impulse, a label it produces and designs. These dresses are knock-off versions of dresses priced twice as high.

The junior department was a sea of inexpensive rayon dresses that could daunt even the most seasoned shopper. One line to check out was Ecote. At $59, these have a lot of style for the money.

The good old Gap had a nice-looking rayon dress in a small print of tan or gray-green. It also had a neat-looking wrap dress. Both were priced at $68.

We really liked the long rayon crinkle skirts in white or tan and white plaid at Express. Topped with a white T-shirt, they’re just as breezy as a dress. They’re currently 20% off $49.

Marshalls had a pretty impressive selection. We especially liked a dress by Plaza South for $39, marked down from $80. It had faded patches of fabric in soft muted colors. We also saw a long dress by Ultra Pink for $29.99, from $64. Dresses by Ultimate were nice-looking and simply designed in pretty good fabric. They were a real bargain at $24.99, marked down from $48.

As far as dresses, Ross was a disappointment. We consoled ourselves with a long skirt by Leon Max. At half their original $96, these skirts were the thick, soft and durable rayon we love.

Details

* WHAT: Marshalls.

* WHERE: 225 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks.

* ETC.: Call 496-7770.

* WHAT: Ross Dress for Less.

* WHERE: 396 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks.

* ETC.: Call 496-3363.