slow beginnings

It never fails that when spring arrives, as excited as I am, it takes a while for me to get out of the tights and layers mindset and into the light, spring mode. Too often are the mornings where I find myself in hazy blur staring blankly into my closet not even knowing where to begin and find myself pulling outfits like this one together. This afternoon, as I sat with my uniform lunch of fig salad and lemon meringue tart (no crust, please) at my desk, I thought of a few outfit ideas that I can't wait to see play out, only if the weather agrees that is ...

blouse: Ralph Lauren; skirt: H&M; sandals: Nine West; scarf as a belt: Tous; nails: Essie 'pink parka'

bonjour le printemps !

We were extremely lucky to celebrate the first official weekend of spring with perfect Parisian sunshine. Both Saturday and Sunday we tried to spend as much time as possible outside - wandering from uncharted corners to familiar territory, sitting on the banks of the Seine and watching the Bateaux Mouches buzz by and sitting on café terraces with our faces in the sun at cocktail hour. A girl can only hope it lasts !!

top: Old Navy; jeans and bag: Forever XXI; shoes: Nine West; glasses: YSL

au revoir tights and boots , bonjour le printemps!!

top three

one: chambray blouse: Forever XXI; skirt (a/w 2011): Zara; mary janes: Nine West

two: silk blouse: H&M; pants: Forever XXI; pumps: Gap

three: blouse, skirt and blazer: Forever XXI; pumps: Gap

Every once in a while, or a little too often, I'll buy something and it stays in my closet indefinitely. This week, I decided to bring some of those things out to play - notably, a brocade skirt (from last winter's sale season), a black structured silk blouse and a pair of bowed pumps that made a double debut on Thursday and Friday.

Happy weekend to all !

Spring Fling

These pictures are a few days old - more than a week to be exact, but I wanted to save them for the first day of spring because of their extreme brightness. I can't wait to bring these sorbet colors out over the next few months to create new spring favorites and feel as bright as the sun shines.

I took these in Amsterdam last week, where the weather was exceptionally warm. Like the first time I went to Amsterdam last fall, I was completely enthralled with the city and how different it is from anywhere I've ever been before.

blouse: Ralph Lauren; pants and belt: Forever XXI; cardigan: GAS; ballet slippers: H&M; necklace: Galleries Lafayette; sunglasses: Ray Ban

pretty days

I love the first signs of spring - sunglasses coming out of their cases, boots moving to the back of the closet, colorful clothes making its way into the light again ..

We had our first official taste of it this weekend and enjoyed it thoroughly. Sunday morning we left Paris under relatively grey skies (it was also before the sun was completely up...) and arrived in Brussels under perfect blue, cloudless sunshine. For the first time since the autumn, my coat felt a little too heavy. Lunch on the terrace confirmed it, spring is almost here !!

jeans and jacket: Forever XXI; tee: Old Navy; flats: Zara; nails: Essie 'pink parka'

fancy flats

As much as I like wearing heels, I've come to terms with the fact that they aren't very practical for traveling, long-distance walking or weekend-ing. With this in mind, I'm expanding my flats collection so they are just as fun as their higher heel-ed closet companions. Here are just a few of my favorites at the moment...

from left to right: beaded flats gifted from Dubai; silver pattern flats: Zara; pink satin ballet flats: H&M; gold oxfords: Forever XXI

pretty little things

To celebrate the day, I decided to put together some of my favorite things in one single outfit: frilly pink lace, glitter, pink fingernails and ever so slight waves in my hair. What am I celebrating? Knowing exactly when I'll be flying off for the summer, ticket confirmation and all! Now all I have to do is tick the days off my calendar, choose a handful of colorful, fun and exciting bikinis and choose the destination of our mini get-away within the vacation. Oh, and if a weekend or two come along to make the time go by faster, I'll take that that too!

dress: H&M; belt: Forever XXI; cardigan: GAS; nails: Essie 'mod squad'; mary janes: Nine West; watch: Michael Kors