3 zara jackets i need right this second...

Now that Zara has e-commerce in the US & free shipping, my wallet is in peril.
So what if I want to spend something like $450 on jackets?
Look how cool they are.
 Indeed, there is a brick-and-mortar Zara 3 avenues over, but clearly that's a lot farther away than my keyboard.

[Images via Zara.com; composed by me on picnik.com]

the case for the light blazer...

From white to light, peach to yellow, I am so into this light-hued blazer thing that I've been seeing everywhere, from stores like H&M to some of my favorite street style and personal style blogs, as seen above. I find it to be a perfect representation of a key transitional season piece: one that fills my trend and temperature needs. It has sort of a Miami Vice vibe to me, but in the chicest way, especially with the sleeves pushed up a la Late Afternoon. (All image credits go to the talented bloggers named above each of their respective photos.)

{via Fashionologie} thanks H&M, now i've got spring on the brain...

Though New York Fashion Week is just a mere few days away - causing closet-based anxiety throughout the city - I can't help but let my mind leap forward to, say, May, when the sun will be shining, flowers will be blooming, and I can retire my worn-to-the-bone black tights. Until this week, I've been doing a pretty spectacular job keeping my thoughts anchored in the exercise in experimental layering that is February. I really do enjoy spending my weeks seeing how many shirts and sweaters I can fit under a knee-length down jacket...

Well, that's all ruined now. In a mental break I would relate (on a completely non-serious level) to an alcoholic falling off the wagon, I let myself browse the airy, light, and mostly white H&M Spring 2011 Conscious Collection, slated to hit stores in April. Miami Vice blazer! Scalloped hems! Swingy dresses!

See what I mean? Torturous. Now, instead of dreaming up one more way I can style my black leggings into an outfit that doesn't look like everything else I've worn for the last two months, I'm picturing myself skipping through the grass in Central Park, donning those scalloped shorts and a silk cap-sleeve floral blouse with some espadrille wedges. So not productive. And how about that white blazer? Over a sundress? With a slouchy t-shirt and boyfriend jeans?

Le sigh. Before I completely lose my head in delusions of open-toed shoe weather, I'm going to go rub the sidewalk salt off my (if-i-have-to-wear-these-one-more-time-I-might-cry) black rubber wellingtons.

(Images via H&M via Fashionologie.)

tis the season... for sale shopping!

...And I'm looking to Madewell and J. Crew this time around. These brands (along with Gap, Banana, etc...) are especially notorious for their end-of-season deals, and this month is no exception. (Note above that on some of these items, the sale price isn't showing up (those jeans are $39.99!), so be sure to click through to the company's site.) Now is the perfect time to invest in transitional pieces that you can layer into your winter wardrobe right away, and wear long into the spring season as well. Think crisp blazers, easy silk blouses, and skirts, skirts, skirts. And by the way, how amazing would that Fireworks skirt look with the striped top and one of those blazers!? Say it with me now, just for good measure, pattern mixing forever!