For those of you just joining us, to quickly recap, I was recently asked to be a part of Time Warner Center’s first ever fashion blogger campaign called Fashion Blogger Forecast. The challenge at hand was to style looks inspired by Time Warner Center Experiences, so I chose to create outfits for a picnic in Columbus Circle with treats from Bouchon Bakery, followed by drinks at A Voce. You can check out the first post from Monday, here.

***Also stay tuned a little later today for a link to my very own webisode documenting my fun day at Time Warner Center, as well as an opportunity to win a signature piece from one of my looks!***

For my first experience, which was to have a picnic at Columbus Circle, I headed to Bouchon Bakery to pick out treats for “A” and I to share that afternoon. There were so many things to choose from, but I finally opted for a traditional slice of quiche Lorraine, a butter lettuce salad with blue cheese and a couple of twice-baked ham and cheese croissants. For dessert I went a little nuts and loaded up on pain au chocolate, multiple macaroons and a cinnamon roll the size of my head. Good stuff. I couldn’t wait to share all my goodies and my new outfit with “A”.

I grabbed my Bouchon bags and made my way outside to find us a spot for our picnic.

But before I ran out to meet “A” I had to swing into Eileen Fisher to pick up a last minute touch for my outfit…a striped scarf!

Outfit Details: J.Crew Panama Hat / RayBan Aviators / Eileen Fisher Scarf in Linen Ticking / J.Crew Shirt (mine was on sale, but here is a something similar) Banana Republic Sleeveless Trench / Cole Haan Air Delfina Back Zip Wedges / Divine Rights of Denim (c/o) / H&M Bag

So, let’s talk about my outfit for a second. To be honest, when I think of picnics, I think of plaid, gingham and checkered prints. And where better than to find a shirt like that? J.Crew. As I walked in, I was delighted to see that they had a wall full of exactly what I was looking for. I picked out a light pink checked button down because I wanted the overall look to have a light-hearted, springtime feel to it.

Next mission was to find a hat. I turned and looked at the other wall behind me, and was pleased as punch to see a hat wall! I immediately went over and selected a traditional Panama hat to accessorize my look. Gotta keep that sun off your face. I knew that I wanted the rest of the outfit to be fairly simple, as in easy-to-take-off layers (my sleeveless trench is the perfect seasonal piece) and comfy, worn in jeans.

So what else did I need? Shoes! Because the whole outfit was fairly muted, I knew that I had to add a pop of color to liven it up. So, what better than a bright Kelly Green pair of Cole Haan wedges to do the trick! I had recently painted my toenails a bubblegum pink, which looked super cute in my green espadrilles, and reminded me of sliced watermelon. Very in sync with my picnic theme I must say.

Trend Tip: Whether it’s a subdued pastel checkered print or a bold vibrant floral pattern, my forecast for spring is that patterns are going to abundant throughout the upcoming season.

“A” showed up looking adorable in his checked shirt (yes, we sort of matched) and we happily munched away on our treats. After relaxing for a bit, it was time to head back inside and finish styling my second outfit for the evening.

Second challenge at hand? Style an outfit fit for fancy date drinks at A Voce…

I knew I wanted to create a different feel for my evening attire, something more romantic and feminine. Seeing that the weather was supposed to get a bit chilly later on, I swung into Wolford for some of the silkiest tights I’ve ever felt in my life. For my overall look, I stayed basic on the bottom—opted for black tights, heels and skirt—but knew I wanted some contrast on top.

My next stop was United Colors of Benetton where I spotted a tan polka dotted blouse with a pretty neckline. I knew that it would pair well with my cognac-colored bag I picked up at J.Crew, so now all I needed was a cheeky accessory to spice up the whole look. I remember seeing a skinny leopard print belt at J.Crew in my earlier shopping trip and went back to snag it.

United Colors of Benetton Blouse / J.Crew Belt and Bag / Zara Skirt / Wolford Tights / Steve Madden Pumps

Remember how I mentioned that I think patterns are going to be huge for spring? Well, I think that another trend is pattern mixing. This can be tricky; but if done right, can look amazing. As much as I love a bold pattern-mixed outfit, I knew I wanted to stay classic that evening, so I simply slipped on the animal print belt for some subtle pattern play. It still felt fun and playful, yet still chic and demure for my date night with “A”.

Trend Tip: Pattern mixing has been floating around the blogosphere as well as strutting down the runways, but don’t let the idea of trying to match opposite patterns scare you. Start out small like I did and add in small doses of this trend to get comfortable. You might find that you like what you see!

We had a lovely time at A Voce where we sipped champagne and chatted about our fun-filled day (and all the sweets we had consumed) at Time Warner Center. The Shops at Columbus Circle really is a hub for all your needs, whether you’re grocery shopping at Whole Foods, want to have drinks at Stone Rose or shop for clothing, makeup or housewares at the multitude of stores that are offered. It is definitely a special place to visit and I highly recommend you swing in the next time you are in the area!

The lovely Ali who helped me schlep all my stuff around all day!

Thank you to everyone at Time Warner Center who made this project possible! It was an absolute blast! xoxo