When I worked for J. Crew, my favorite part was seeing new shipment boxes being wheeled in the back room, spitting out the bright colors of the new season. Usually within three days, the contents are styled, fitted, and pinned to the mannequins and filed into the catalog, reflecting the brand’s favorite color inspirations of the season. Because of the company’s love affair with colorful lifestyles, we were always encouraged as sales assistants to experiment and be creative with color combinations in our outfits. To this day, I am always on the lookout for inspirational color combinations—from paintings, floral arrangements, fashion, other bloggers, and even weather— and Pinterest has been a great tool. My current favorites include the royal purple accents in a recent Anthropologie catalog, the soft juxtaposition of pastels and darks in an image unearthed through Pinterest, the fluorescent and rich pinks and oranges in a painting by Isca Greenfield-Sanders (h/t to Tory Burch), a seafoam green beading on a cloudy gray from a blogger’s outfit (via Glitter Guide).

Anthropologie January 2012: Having worked in retail since high school, I’ve seen companies trip up during the January-March slump, both style-wise and fiscally…but not for Anthropologie, whose spring preview is perfect. Anxiously awaiting my birthday 15% to snag some coveted pieces.

There are your black-tie, red-carpet dresses which, although unique and often beautiful, sometimes appear as if one misstep will collapse the entire glass-like structure. Then there is a dress like a meteor shower that stuns you with its simplistic beauty. And because it is composed of such unassumingly elegant details, the impression it makes depends solely on the wearer herself.

Suggestion: Pair with minimal makeup and jewelry save for a simple pair of earrings and sea-foam heels.

Loving the new day-to-day outfit series by Anthropologie.