Birthday presents

This outfit post was made possible by lovely birthday presents from fellow blogger Erin and my parents.

Erin sent me this beautiful necklace in the mail for my birthday (wrapped, of course, in amazing paper with a velvet bow), and it seems to compliment every outfit I assemble.
Knowing that I needed new shoes, my mom gave me a modified version of free reign over Zappos after I concluded that it would take a few more months of research before I could commit to the record player I want. Christmas present, here you come. But back to the shoes -- I love these Oxfords! They're so delightfully two-toned. My brother called them bowling shoes all weekend, but I think they're perfectly preppy.
And now the outfit -- I wore this to dinner during the first night of the annual family road trip to a Pitt Panther away game. This year we were in Syracuse, and I wanted my outfit to match my collegiate location. Since I was really excited to wear both the shoes and the necklace, I wanted to keep the rest of the outfit simple and navy, because, to me, navy is the most studious of all colors. It is also part of both Syracuse and Pitt's school colors, so I could fit in without feeling like a traitor.
I wore these earrings because I felt the gold ball on top matched the necklace and who can't resist an extra little splash of color?

Necklace: Gifted, Erin

Earrings: Gifted, Cammy

Sweater: Thrifted, Value Village, originally Tommy Hilfiger

Skirt: AE

Shirt: Charlotte Russe

Socks: Gifted, Mom and Dad

Tights: Hue, Macy's

Shoes: Gifted, Mom and Dad, Zappo's, Bass

Thanks Julie for snapping these pics in the hotel lobby, and thanks again for my amazing birthday presents Erin and Mom (and Dad, even though I had to tell him when I was wearing the shoes that he bought them as a present for me). xoxo Anna Rae