Sessun's preview of summer has me longing for sunny days and bare legs. Their colors, pattern-mixing, and little headscarves are so spot-on.

Nina of Family Affairs recently surprised me with this dress. It's the sort of piece I would never choose for myself because of the length and sheerness, but I'm so thrilled to receive it because it feels wonderful on. Not so much just the feel of nicely made clothes against the skin, but the way clothes help you embody a certain character--I feel quite elegant and ladylike in this dress...even if I'm still wandering down by the water instead of drinking tea in a sidewalk cafe or something.

Oh my, January has just flown by and I have a feeling February will go as quickly. It's a short month but a very busy one for me...I get rather exhausted just thinking about. I love opportunities and traveling and such, but I'm a rather low-key person and all those things I enjoy wear me out immensely. Still, I can't say no...

Due to the name of my blog, I'm quite a sucker for horse print clothes. I don't really collect anything besides clothes right now (I move too much to tote knick-knacks around), so my horses are limited to things I can wear lately. This is a custom dress from Lalouka and it has become one of my favorites no matter the season.

Scathingly Brilliant is a delightful blog by Kate that looks as if it should be edible; even her hair reminds me of cotton candy! I enjoy her creative posts and whimsical fashion sense, so I asked her a few questions about a dream party that could only take place in her imagination.
What type of party is it?
A slumber party!
Who's invited?
Carl Sagan, Edward Gorey and his cats, Kurt Vonnegut, Mulder and Scully (from The X-Files), Clarissa Darling (from Clarissa Explains it All), Hayley Mills, Robert Redford circa 1969, Woody Allen, Will Arnett and Amy Poehler, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Julie Christie, Tigger, Ned and Chuck (from Pushing Daisies), my family, my best friends, my cats and Michael Scott from The Office. I know Michael Scott has ruined a lot of parties, but he promised he'd behave for mine if I let him do a stand-up routine.
Where does it take place?
In a 12th century castle in Ireland.
What are you serving?
Pizza, popcorn, lots of slumber party snacks and sparkling grapefruit juice. And Ned baked a bunch of pies in every variety imaginable. The apple was especially delicious!
Who would get to sit next to you?
My cats on one side, in little kitty booster seats, and Mulder on the other. We can talk about alien conspiracies while Carl Sagan gives us a disapproving look from across the table.
What is everyone wearing?
Since it's a sleepover, everyone is wearing pajamas!
Is there a special play list or entertainment?
The Pogues stopped by for a short live performance, and then we spent the rest of the night playing board games and watching classic black and white films being projected on one of the giant castle walls. Oh, and Michael Scott got to do his little stand-up performance, too!
Are there any party favors?
Everyone got a mix-tape of songs from the party and lots of little do-dads like the ones that you'd get in goody bags when you were little… candy necklaces, Lisa Frank stickers, bubbles and slinky toys!
What are the hot topics of the evening?
Our favorite books, astronomy (Carl Sagan led an impromptu star-gazing session on the castle lawn!) and movies. And lots of gushing about our pets.
Who is the most likely to get drunk and dance on the table?
Nobody danced on the table, but Tigger bounced on it!
Who is the last to leave?
After all of the guests are gone, I surprise my family by telling them that I bought the castle and we never have to leave! …. A girl can dream, right? :)

There's something quite classic about a plaid dress and a (faux) leather jacket; it's an oft-repeated combination but as with many popular things, there's a reason for it. It's such an easy combination and nearly always looks good--a tougher jacket is the perfect counter-balance to a preppy or more classic plaid. That sort of balance is how I like things. I don't want to interpret vintage pieces too literally or style a frilly dress in a very saccharine manner, although I still haven't managed to look completely edgy yet...maybe one day.

In my quest to wear more separates I do believe this skirt will be invaluable. Camel was all the rage last year and I wasn't crazy about it then, but I do love it in this flippy skirt...although I would probably like this exact skirt shape and length in every color under the sun. I took these pictures over on Fort Monroe; sometimes when I leave my house and run into people every place I'd like to be alone in the paths near my neighborhood, I hop in my car and drive to Fort Monroe. It's always pleasantly deserted there especially on brisk days like this one was.

This old abandoned train is a nice escape from windy days. Perhaps I'm really a vampire, but when we have repeatedly bright and windy days here in Virginia, I long for the overcast weather of Washington. Still, I know I'm in the minority and cast me back into that setting for long enough and I'll ask for blue skies again. Perhaps it isn't one being more preferable to the other but a balance we need. A little bit a sun, a little bit of snow, fall, spring, mix and repeat...

orla kiely resort 2012

We've had some miserably cold days, so this outfit really included a coat and gloves, but I temporarily shed those layers for the pictures. I get tired of wearing them, let alone photographing them, but it was quite nice to bundle back up once these were snapped. I often forget how the clearest days are the coldest, but I'm trying not to let my hatred of chill weather keep me indoors too much. The beach is just as lovely in the winter as the summer and pleasantly deserted.

I recently received a few tee shirts from my sponsor Idylle and this one is my favorite. It reminds me of one Bliss worn in Whip It, but mostly I love the symmetry and simple color palette; the design keeps the tee from being too casual. It's a piece you can just throw on with jeans and a comfy cardigan, but you can also dress up a bit with a flared skirt and bib necklace. I've definitely been working on wearing more separates instead of just defaulting to a dress.

One of my favorite pieces to wear this fall/winter has been this fairisle sweater from ASOS. The colors were so seasonally appropriate for fall and the fit is perfectly relaxed and cozy. Here are a few ways I've worn it so far.

I adore Gat Rimon's fall/winter collection. The clean lines are so nice and polished sweetly with glam bangles and elbow length gloves; it's perfectly ladylike and minimalist.