Today's outfit is brought to you by the fact that I don't have any black tights. I didn't make not purchasing anything new during the month a requirement for this challenge when I started but I haven't felt a particular urge to add anything new yet so I'm going to try to make it to the end of the month without shopping. So I'm wearing blue grey tights here. They look pretty dark in the pictures but in real life they are the kind of blue grey color that could lead to lengthy arguments over whether your tights were grey, blue, or bluish grey or greyish blue.
My husband and I frequently have this type of argument over teal. For example:
"The lady in the blue sweater over there, see her?"
"Blue sweater?"
"With the jeans, holding the little dog?"
"With the dog? Short hair and glasses?"
"Yeah, in the blue sweater, by the door."
"You think that's a blue sweater? No wonder I couldn't see her. That looks green to me."
"Teal, whatever. You see her though?"
"Teal green. Yeah I see her. What about her?"
"Teal blue. I like her boots."
"Her boots? I didn't notice her boots. Where did she go?"
"Never mind she's gone now."
"I wouldn't have missed her if you'd told me she was wearing a green sweater."
Anyway, my tights are blue (or grey) depending on how you look at it. So I threw on the blue hat to make it look intentional. And added a necklace with a bit of blue in it. And I ended up pretty happy with the outfit, which was good because I wouldn't have had any time to change if I'd wanted to. Which leads me to wonder, why do I still get dressed this way? Why am I driven by necessity to trial and error moments before I'm due to head out the door?
Sure, I think the ultimate result of the missing black tights is an outfit that looks a teeny bit punchier than what I'd have ended up with if I'd had the black tights. I like the combination. I can see that it's a better outfit with the addition of a little color. If I'd had black tights I'd have put them on and called it a day without adding any accessories. It's a good thing that I didn't have any black tights; this is a better outfit without them. But what bugs me is that I did not know that. I don't want to keep endlessly going through this in the moment trial and error process. I want to know what works and have a fully stocked closet to work with. I want to have a supply of black tights on hand but still know that the blue (or grey) will be the better choice. I think I'm learning.
I understand and partly share your goal. On the other hand, I think it's nice to be surprised by my closet. Perhaps a closet that allows for a 80/20 mix of true and tested / spontaneous combinations would be ideal? I love the subtle blue in that lovely necklaxe, and the way both blues pick up your eyecolour.
ReplyDeleteMy style adventure of the day: Before Christmas I took three inherited gold rings to my local goldsmith. I never use yellow gold, and this jewelry had no particular emotional value to me. In exchange for the gold I selected two slender cuff bracelet in sterling silver - I love a big cuff, but as I am petite and have a rather delicate frame, they tend to overwhelm me - and today I spent the last of my gold exchange credit and optet for two slightly irregular, rather thick medium size silver hoops. I am so excited! I haven't used earrings in many years, partly to my short haircut (same reason I have a hard time with hats). Time to push those boundaries slightly! (I am no style wuss, I gladly wear both bold makeup and bright colours, but I have developet certain "do's" and "don't's" that I want to challenge.)
I like the 80/20 balance as something to strive for.
DeleteYour new jewelry acquisitions sound wonderful. Exchanging things that you wouldn't wear for things you will really enjoy is the best kind of upgrade.
Funny, I always think short hair and earrings are a natural combination, because they really show well, and I feel like I should wear earrings more often because I have short hair. For me earrings are tricky because of the larger holes in my ears. Most posts or wires don't work but it turns out that because of the big holes I can wear vintage clip-on earrings with minimal pain. I wish I could figure out a way to wear more earrings that dangle though.
So many different things to try! I'm excited for you challenging your personal do's and don'ts. Here's to sailing right past those arbitrary boundaries!
NecklaCe. Arrrrggggh.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention that I always were glasses. That might be the reason I'm ambivalent to wearing hats and earrings, I feel like there's just too much going on, the elements seem to be fighting for attention. But I liked the feeling of my new silver hoops yesterday! Fun fact: my S.O. asked if I wouldn't prefer / look better in a more edgy style than these rather standard hoops. They are quite thick and have a slightly twisted shape, but still. I might go back and buy an edgy pair I passed over, thinking that I should sort of ease into the water. Yay to having bold S.O.'s!
ReplyDeleteBlack stockings would be the expected element I like the unexpected stockings you describe. I also think you could have used your grey button up sweater draped over your shoulders and tied as a 'scarf' with this outfit as well. Maybe an option for colder rooms...
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