Lightly Frosted :: winter pastels + fringe booties

Here we are, it's mid January and I'm wearing a skirt. Yes it may be painful, yes it may look slightly ridiculous (only to you non-fashiony folks of course), and yes it may not be the most practical thing for me to wear at this time. BUT love conquers all and my love for skirts is a strong one, let me tell you. ...Especially paired with an outfit like this. Pleats, v-necks, fringe, the color PINK - I can't stop gushing about this look! And the greatest thing? I'm pretending like it's not winter by wearing spring colors, totally genius! 

Look at me twirl! Are you jealous yet? I'm having so much fun in my skirt (despite the chill) and you can too! If you're in the market for a skirt (don't let January bully you), the skirt-of-the-moment is a pleated number that, bonus, makes spinning extra fun. Look for an option that hits right above the knee for your most flattering fit. 

Before I go any further, let me just stop right here and acknowledge the adorable puppy in my possession. This is my family's dog, Cody! He's been featured in a post of mine before and there will definitely be more to come. He's no professional model (check out that painfully bored face right there), but he does make for the cutest accessory. 

A sweater that you truly love can be a rare thing. Sweaters have a tendency to shed too much, make us look too fat/bulky, pull too much, or be too itchy. So when you find a keeper, buy five! Not really...but kinda. I love this cream sweater of mine because A.) it doesn't do any of the above, and B.) it's a v-neck! I have a weakness for anything with a v-neck and in the form of a sweater it's even better! Plus, it's shorter in the front and longer in the back, which makes wearing it with skirts a cinch. 

I've truthfully never been a "fringe girl," but when my mom showed me these shoes something inside of me changed [Wow, that sounds like the beginning of a song in a bad musical...]. I love the fringe detailing on these booties because it makes twirling so much fun (there's a twirling theme here, can you tell?) and the fringe also adds so much uniqueness to the shoe. Don't get too excited though, I haven't completely transformed or anything - you won't find me with a fringe purse anytime soon (just not my personal style), but I have learned that most things are good in small doses. And in fashion, never say never ;) 

Ahh it's another beanie! Am I obsessed? Maybe. I honestly believe that ANYTHING can look great with the right beanie (although my mother would beg to differ).  

To make up for my bare neck, I've got some ear candy going on here. This is one of the few pairs of dangly earrings my poor lobes can stand. They're super light yet super impactful. And they're also pink, which I love!

To bring this whole look together and make it cohesive, I threw on my silver Michael Kors crossbody. Tying in with my silver shoes, this purse makes my color blocking scheme work - thank you purse!

My outfit has a theme of lightness and etherealness, which means I needed my makeup to echo that idea. I went with a muted smoky eye and chose a very delicate pink lipgloss by Smashbox. I applied my blush, Dandelion by Benefit, with a heavy hand because in winter you can get away with that - my skin is very fair so I'm all for an extra rosy cheek. 

Photos by Dan Harper 

[sweater: Ann Taylor // skirt: Ann Taylor // booties: Sam Edelman // hat: Ann Taylor (similar here) // purse: Michael Kors (super similar style here) // earrings: Anthropologie (old but I also like this pair) // amethyst bangle: David Yurman // thin bangle: Alex & Ani // eyeshadow: Urban Decay's Naked Smoky palette // lipgloss: 'Pout' by Smashbox // blush: Dandelion by Benefit]

I could wear this outfit to work, in fact I have. But where this look truly shines is at brunch. And yes, brunch is an event. Doesn't this just look like a stellar brunch outfit for a calm, winter weekend? And if there's one thing I've learned from living in New York it's that New Yorkers take their brunch SERIOUSLY. For real, brunching is pretty much a sport here. But it's all in good fun! 

This past weekend in fact my friends hosted a homemade brunch at their place and it was quite the event. From the omelette bar to cinnamon roll waffles, and of course endless mimosas (brunch is not brunch without mimosas), we all left their apartment swearing we'd never eat again! ...Well, until brunch NEXT weekend that is! Happy brunching everyone! 

 SHOP ::