little black dress...four ways

I've always loved shopping, checking out the latest fashions and trying on the newest looks. But to be honest, for a very long time, I definitely did not feel like I "got it" when it came to style. It often felt like I was wearing clothes that didn't necessarily fit me (in the physical or emotional sense), and as if those occasions when I did like the way I looked and felt in my clothes was more of a lucky fluke than a conscious choice.

Until recently. Somehow, in the past few years, all those articles I've read - the "how to dress for your body type" and the "ten things every woman should have in her closet" and the "what's your style?" pieces that play a key role in women's magazines - finally (finally!) sank in and clicked. Having a couple of friends whom I consider amazingly stylish has also certainly helped. And I still muddle through sometimes, as my sense of style continues developing and evolving. But I love feeling more confident in the fashion choices I make...feeling like my closet is full of pieces I can and want to wear...feeling like I'm wearing clothes that are not only appropriate to the occasion but also representative of me.

As all of this has been going on, one thing I've learned is that I like mixing and matching...having clothes that can serve different purposes. Because as much as I enjoy shopping for new clothes, I enjoy creating new looks from pieces I already own, even more. It's a fun little challenge to figure out how I can mix old and new together for something different.

Perfect example: my little black dress, which I found two years ago at the Gap outlet in Myrtle Beach. One of the most worthwhile discount investments I've made! It has become my go-to dress for nicer occasions. I've worn it with a cotton cardigan and painted Dr. Scholl's sandals to see "The Lion King"...worn it plain with black heeled sandals for a fraternity dinner...worn it with a dotted scarf and amazing red heels for my friend's rehearsal dinner...

...and most recently, I wore it last weekend to my friend's wedding reception with a glass pendant necklace I picked up at a local crafts festival, a silk cardigan I purchased a couple of summers ago and my newly-acquired fabulous black heels.

...and while I've been more pleased with some of the results than others - realizing that a plain black dress not only can but should be accessorized a bit - what makes me the happiest is having created multiple looks from one dress by being thoughtful and particular in the choices I made about each part of the outfit - from the fundamentals (the dress itself) to the details (such as the jewelry and the shoes). Having that sense of accomplishment is - in a word - fantastic.

Where I am: Lebanon, OH
What I'm reading: When God Winks at You by SQuire Russell

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