Book Lovers Day

Blouse/Necklace: Forever 21 (here and here); Skirt: Banana Republic (old); Shoes: Steve Madden (old); Belt: Target (came with another skirt)

I’ve been a total bookworm for as long as I remember.  My mom has vivid memories of spending hours upon hours at the library when I was a kid (she still has some of those books memorized, bless her), and I was always the kid who had a book propped up at the dinner table.  One of my biggest sources for jealousy toward my little sister was she would be reading away at books while on family road trips while I would read for 10 minutes, get horribly motion sick, have to sleep for an hour, and then would read for another 10 minutes.  Few things thrill me more than seeing my kids learn to love books, too.

Needless to say, when Kayla asked if I wanted to put together a literary-inspired outfit for Babble in honor of National Book Lovers Day, I was so in.

My outfit is inspired by the indomitable Anne Shirley, better known as
Anne of Green Gables.  I discovered Anne late in the game – my best friend in college was shocked when I hadn’t read them my freshman year.  So I got right on that and fell right in love.

I adore Anne for her spunk, depth of
feeling, and ability to know and adopt kindred spirits.  I mean, her passion!  Her language!  Nat has a little friend just a few days younger than him and they’ve always sort of butted heads, perhaps because of their closeness in age.  I was more than a little pleased when her mom recently suggested that perhaps they’re like Anne and Gilbert.

I took a cue
from the lace, puffed sleeves, and silky fabric of her beloved dress
given her by Matthew to create a modern-day occasion outfit.  And while I
don’t have red hair, what kind of Anne-outfit would this be without
some pigtail braids?

(Other contenders included Kit from The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Hermione, and Nancy Drew – done by Grace! – who I pretty much wanted to be growing up. Still have a collection of about 300 of those back home.)