Embracing Orange

Top: Gap; Skirt: H&M (similar); Shoes: BCBG via TJ Maxx; Necklace: Hillcrest Aids Foundation; Bracelet: Massai Beaded Bracelet 

If I had my way and an unlimited budget for dry-cleaning and lint-rollers, I'd wear black everywhere and to everything. It's super flattering on the body and looks good with everything (handbags, heels, belts, etc.). You can go hog-wild with accessorizing black and it makes everything else burst with color. This just doesn't happen with colors like orange, or yellow, or brown. They simply don't lend themselves well to being mixed. But I don't look great in black. It doesn't make me look rosier cheeked, or tanner. It doesn't make my eyes pop, or my hair pop for that matter and it collects every single piece of fur my cat leaves on me in the morning. Thanks, Archer! And so I'm trying to drift away from only buying navy blue, black, and grey, and into the realm of brights, basing all of this off of my mom's eternal wisdom about dressing.

My mom says that I have a perfect length for skirts and dresses (it happens to be the length of the black pleated skirt from the Loft) because they make my legs look thin and minimizes my thighs.  She says that just because it's in style, doesn't mean it should be in style for you. This was in specific reference to the mini bubble-dress trend. Not flattering on my thighs, but I sure wanted one in yellow badly for my envisioned dream-prom. And she also reminds me that I also have colors and I do not have colors. Pale pinks and yellows are not my colors. Reds, oranges, and purples, however, are.

My mom is wise and I am betting your mom is wise too. When my mom told me not to wear green, crystal embellished halter tops and navy espadrilles to school, I am guessing she knew what she was talking about. When she cautioned me against scrunched up jeans and graphic tees that said things like "MODEL" on them in black felt, I am guessing she really knew what she was talking about. I think we could all benefit from taking a bit more fashion advice from our moms, classy ladies that they are, because really... that distressed jean mini skirt with the "My Eyes Are Up There" Hollister tee was, well, a mistake.

Enter the Target giveaway from The Fat and Skinny on Fashion here. Linking up with WIWW, Random Wednesday, and Keeping it Casual.