Cherry Blossoms

Today, to celebrate the arrival of Spring, I mixed two great patterns - the striped shirt and the floral skirt. The sweater, clearly a winter staple, works great with the so very Spring skirt, I think. This skirt has been one of my favorites and has shifted through my style fads from third year of college when I wore it around my hips with a black tank top over a white t-shirt, my locket, a gold headband, black leggings and black ballet flats.

So, I think the skirt has really adjusted well to the change in hemlines, the new climate, and the idea that black and white don't need to be layered to match the skirt, they can of course be striped. For those of you hesitant to mix patterns, I suggest either the stripe and the floral or the stripe and the polka dot. Start small - a shirt and a scarf or a shirt and a cardigan.

I kept the rest of the look simple, pairing it with grey tights and black boots and black and white accessories, only. My necklace, the silver chain tie, is one of my favorite pieces. I was doing work at a coffee shop one day when I complimented the woman next to me on the jewelry she was making, and she offered to custom make me a piece of my choosing for only twenty dollars. I have her email, so email me if you're interested.

Also, this post needs to give a special thanks to Erin, who once again photographed me so artistically. More importantly, though, she gave me a bag of unwanted or unneeded clothes and accessories over the weekend, including (among other things you'll see in later posts): This striped sweater, which is pretty much essential, and I can't believe I didn't own it, these earrings that might have been made specifically for this outfit, and, most unbelievably, this sunglasses.

I can't tell you how much I love these sunglasses. Ever since I saw Erin wear them to a morning showing of Breakfast at Tiffany's, I knew they were the just the Holly Golightly thing that I needed. Expect to be seeing a lot more of them (especially if the weather holds!).

Skirt: Gabes, originally Urban Outfitters

Shirt: Gifted, Erin

Necklace: Custom-made by woman at Our Town Cafe

Boots: Kohl's

Tights: Walmart

Earrings: Gifted, Erin

Sunglasses: Gifted, Erin

And don't forget to get your weekly dose of Blair Waldorf, if you haven't already done so.

xoxo Anna Rae