This is a test.

But it is also a blog.  (Duh.)  It is my goal, with three months of college left (eee!) to do something worthwhile with my time.  You now suggest that a blog is not that. 
I beg to differ.

For those of you who don't know, Chicago can get pretty dreary in the winter. And winter can get pretty long (October to April, anyone?). So in an attempt to alleviate the Seasonal Affective Disorder brought on by my fourth seems-like-it-will-never-end winter, my intention is to put forth images of pretty things that make me happy, with the intention of making others happy. Pretty good, no?

While we're on the topic of what is and is not worthwhile, it behooves me to mention some, er, obsessions from which I find myself suffering these days.  Stripes, y'all.  Specifically, the horizontal variety. 

They are my love.  And not just any old stripes, no, but the variety which makes one think of all things summery and sailboat-y.  Not the most original obsession, but certainly my most passionate, at the moment. I am particularly obsessed with the above cardigan, having just purchased it in anticipation of spring -- a questionable decision, since, after living here for three winters, I know that spring does not arrive any time in the vicinity of mid-February. But I couldn't resist! Look how beautifully casual it is! And I am always a sucker for a three-quarter length sleeve.

So invest in stripes, y'all. Go to J. Crew right now and have them send you something that makes you feel like you own a sailboat.  Preferably involving navy. And to those naysayers who say stripes are not for the challenged of weight, I am not a small girl, and they always draw compliments on me. Word.

I'm ninety-five percent sure using the above image violates copyright, but no one's reading this yet anyway, right?

And also,



You know you love it.