Black and Brown & Black and Navy

***These are this past weekend's outfits, and I did not get my photo-posting tutorial until Sunday night. Susequent outfit posts should have shots, taken each evening by my indulgent husband***

Two traditionally derided color combos that I happen to like. So long as there is texture contrast and your navy, especially, isn't too too dark (so that in harsh office light it just looks like you pulled on the wrong pants), it looks very sophisticated. I also like black with dark fir green, or black plum - the "blackened" colors provide some interest (I'm not much for all black outfits), as well as looking better if you want a noir aesthetic than having un-matching blacks - because black does not automatically go with black.

Saturday, Jan. 5

• Long sleeved, scoop neck black cotton T, ages ago from the Gap;
• Matte black tights, old from Gracile (I think they were sold at The Limited, a store I have not been into - does it even still exist? - for about a decade! At least they apparently sold high quality tights);
• Black cotton high waist, knee-length pencil skirt form American Apparel, with the waist folded over to shorten the skirt;
• Low-calf, dark brown, suede, flat boots with a molded rubber sole and side zips, from Fish Kids, a shop on Comm Ave in Brookline, MA that sells European kids clothes and shoes at ridiculous prices for small people who will outgrow them in 6 months or less, but perfect for small people who are going to stay that way;
• Espresso-brown, crocheted, wool and angora sweater styled like a Victorian bed jacket, waist length, with cropped wide bell sleeves, and fastening with a tea-dyed silk ribbon threaded through the neckline. It was a Hanukkah gift from my sister this year;
• Vintage screw-back gold earrings, could be any decade from 1890's to 1940's, given to me with a jumble of old jewelry by a cousin from Toronto when we travelled to Hungary together on a sort of family-reunion trip six years ago. They are dangling ovals with bead-border, inscribed in scrolling script with the initials "BS", but I don't know what ancestor they originally belonged to.

Sunday, Jan. 6

• Matte black lame American Apparel leggings - I love these, but as Wende B and so many others pointed out, they have a staying-up problem. I realize if the waist was tighter you might not be able to get them on, but I am seriously considering wearing mine with suspenders! AA recently came out with the lame leggings in a high waist style that looks like it will stay up much better, but, alas, not until after I had worn and washed mine and so couldn't exchange them;
• Sweatshirt-grey, bateau neck, raw-edged, cotton jumper by 12th St. Cynthia Vincent, with a slight empire waist but a straight skirt so avoids pregnancy look. I bought this last spring on the 80% sale rack at new-ish Boulder store Besos. It is one of those shops that is unable to inspire me to pay full (and high) price for it's very nice but not earth-shatteringly imaginative clothes, but which always has great sales offerings;
• Pale peachy-pink T, Luella for Target;
• Navy blue zip hoodie by amazing Berlin line Hazelnut, whose line is sold in the US through great indie design site, http://www.starsandinfintedarkness.com/. The front pockets are formed by panels that run up the front, form epaulets over the shoulders and continue into a large hood. It has a mandarin collar, and an oversized dark pewter zip;
• Black stretch leather ankle boots from Nine West about five years ago. They have a rounded almond toe and a sculpted mini-platform wedge. Because the stretch leather (which actually hits low calf) is so fitted to the leg, they look contiguous with the black lame leggings;
• Brooch of low grade silver with dusky blue enamel, of an Indian dancer with scroll work frame, part of a set (including a necklace and earrings) belonging to the original GlamaRuth, and made for the tourist trade, worn at the center neckline of the jumper.