I have always been the girl who wore a lot of black and then accessorized with a splash of color. Black looks slimming, it matches anything, can be dressed up or down, and is super easy to accessorize. So for the longest time, my closet was predominately packed with black essentials, and I squeezed a few colorful cardigans in to brighten things up. This fall I decided to shake things up.
I purchased a few bright pieces including a hot pink skirt, a turquoise dress, a yellow dress, an electric blue pencil skirt, and a flowy robin’s egg blue dress/skirt convertible thing. My next job was to find the highest number of possible outfits using these new pieces and pairing them with tops and accessories I already owned.
I found one of my favorite combinations was the hot pink skirt, a white blouse, and an emerald green cardigan. The color combination reminded me of watermelon, and that outfit has quickly become a favorite. Another unexpected combination was inspired by a friend’s summer wedding colors: robin’s egg blue and bright red. I took the flowy blue dress and paired it with a red cardigan and red heels. That combination was certainly new to me, and I loved it. The electric blue pencil skirt works well with black or white tops, and I’m sure I could wear something daring with it, but the electric blue is already quite bright, so I tend to stick to more neutral tones when pairing it.
The point is that in order to make my wardrobe work harder for me, without having to buy a completely new wardrobe, I have learned to open my mind to new color combinations. How well wearing a loose shirt over a simple, demure black sheath dress works also surprises me. I have certainly opened my mind to countless new wardrobe possibilities.
Making the transition into a fall and winter wardrobe doesn’t have to require pulling out the debit card. Mixing and matching new combinations in surprising colors while also layering has certainly done the trick for my seemingly tired attire. If inserting bold colors doesn’t sound like what I want to wear for the day, I just jazz up one of my one hundred black dresses or skirts with an animal print belt or a pair of purple shoes. Sure, color is fun, but sometimes a simple black dress is called for. Regardless of how I’m feeling on any given day, it’s nice to know I have multiple options waiting for me each morning as I rush to get ready.