Color Theory

Reds, pinks, and oranges paired with black. That's my new theme for this fall/winter.
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When I was in high school, I didn't really understand how to wear more than two colors at once. I'd wear all black, plus one other color that would repeat in my accessories. Then I started to understand that you can wear lots of different colors and patterns (I think I realized that when I was taking an oil painting class my senior year at Hampshire). But wearing lots of clashing patterns has become hip recently, and it takes the fun out of it for me if I know that for all the time I take to choose which plaid cardigan to wear over which polka dot camisole, there are mannequins at Forever21 showing off the same look. That cheapens the style experience for me. I'm a snob like that.

After seeing Jack White and Wanda Jackson perform last year, (their whole band was wearing sexy 50s rockabilly silhouettes in black and deep neon pink and they truly blew my mind) I starting thinking back to when I used to be a monotone monochromatic chick... so then I started wearing only black and pink and researching vintage hair styles and riding shoe prices online. (In other words, it got real weird real fast.)

I've since come to the conclusion that wearing black plus one color is too costume-y (I like the theme a lot, but I can't go around styled like a extra who got lost looking for the set of Happy Days!) but black plus several colors in the same tonal range? A whole new awesome variation on that vintage theme.

Take this style epiphany, add in the fact that I'll be living out of a suitcase for the next seven months, and suddenly this clean, easy sensibility starts to look like the perfect wardrobe. Easy to mix and match all of my pieces, effortlessly chic, and I won't be overwhelmed by too many options.

And in case you hadn't already decided I was crazy for spending this much time considering my 'look' for the fall, I will leave you with this tidbit that I'm sure will convince you: I've dubbed my look 'Black Lace School Daze'. (Because it's classic school girl and librarian wardrobe staples (cardigans, tennis skirts, pencil skirts)  but cut from grown-up fabrics and worn with kick-ass boots.

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