Picnic at the Park | Picnic Pretties Mood Board

Thank you, dear reader, for being here for the final installment of the Picnic Pretties Mood Board series. See the entire mood board that inspired this series here. I saved this outfit for last for two reasons. The first being that it is my favorite picnic themed outfit and it's always the right way to go to save the best for last. The second is because both of these items were purchased last winter to be holiday outfits. Versatility of clothing is so important to me and the second I had these in my hand I knew I was going to be doing a picnic themed blog post with them to illustrate how context can transform your clothing.

In one season plaid evokes thoughts of warmth and comfort. It makes one think of cuddling up to ward off the cold. But in the summer it creates an image of kicking back on a picnic blanket with the sun shining down and the smell of grass filling up the senses. Plaid becomes lazy days, snacking on sandwiches, and reading in the shade. And similarly, the way the print on this Hell Bunny skirt is designed, it can either remind one of winter critters and the iconic green and red of Christmas or it can draw out feelings of floral blooms and birds in the blue sky. The print walks the line between the polar ends of winter and summer by touching on both and combining them seamlessly.

All it takes is a few details to shift the context of these pieces completely. In this post you can see how a cardigan, tights, and boots takes this dress all the way to the height of the holiday season. But, by adding the strawberry jam brooch, baring my arms, and switching to sandals, this dress becomes perfect for summer.

And as summer is winding down and the excitement for fall is starting to creep in, it is time for me to close this chapter of the season. There are a few more weeks to enjoy the sun and warmth, but, truthfully, my heart is never in it when October is right around the corner. I just want to stuff summer under the bed and forget about it until next year.

Tell me how you feel at the end of summer. Pumped for fall? Terribly sad and rushed to cram as much summer fun in as possible? Let me know in the comments!

Shirt (dress worn as a top): Aricity (similar top) | Skirt: Modcloth (exact) | Shoes: Modcloth | Brooch: Erstwilder