I can't emphasize enough the importance of a good striped shirt. Back in my years as a preppy high school twig, I used to be an A&F girl right down to my under garments... tragic, I know.  Point is, I owned a number of those wide-striped polos (the ones with the tiny embroidered  patch on the left breast).  I wore them just about everyday for just about any occasion and thought it was okay.  It wasn't.

It's been a long while since I entered that perfume-smothered establishment, and my pink stripes well, some girl probably picked it up at a thrift store and is calling it "vintage" A&F by now... maybe not.  Anyway, these days the ideal stripe shirt usually consists of black (or a dark blue) and white, not because it's groundbreaking or anything, but because it's the easiest way to dress up my simple separates.  Case in point, this outfit.

P.S.  Today's the last day for H&M's 50 States of Fashion contest so make sure to enter your look or vote your favorite look!