If I had to pick a uniform that I was forced to wear every day, this would be it. I mean, it has all the essentials that I consider key to my fashion routine: an oversized bow-tie, my Mary-Jane heels and a chestnut brown vegan leather skirt. I felt like Blair Waldorf straight out of a Gossip Girl episode, especially with the location we shot these pictures at. You know how Blair and her friends hung out on the museum steps before school? It kind of felt like that for a few minutes. The Cincinnati Art Museum has the most gorgeous and grand front entrance, and I took full advantage for these pictures.

These pictures were obviously taken before our Midwest winter kicked into full gear. I’ll fully admit that I wouldn’t be able to tackle bare legs in our current cold temperatures.

This outfit is comprised completely of some of my favorite staples. It goes without saying that I wear these shoes in almost every blog post. I’m super hard on shoes, and am both surprised and relieved that these Mary-Jane’s have held up for a few years now. I wish I would have bought another pair, because these might be my favorite shoes that I own. I’m selective of what shoes I buy, and have yet to find a pair that will live up to these. This blazer and skirt are other pieces I’ve had for a long time now. The blazer dates all the way back to early college!

Now that I’m getting older, I really appreciate the simple staples I have in my wardrobe. Really, those are the pieces you can mix and match the most, and there are so many outfits you can create from the basics. I’m interested to see how my style evolves this year, but I’m sure I’ll be using these feminine pieces as inspiration.

Ann Taylor Bow Blouse (similar) | Brown Leather Skirt (similar) | Vince Camuto Mary-Jane Pumps (similar) | Urban Outfitters Blazer (similar) | Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis