Mostly Black

Black dress with bow, H&M. Denim jacket, crewcuts. Madrid hat, Nasty Gal. Leather knee high boots, dv Dolce Vita (similar). Tights, Missoni for Target (similar). Vintage Dooney & Bourke purse.

     My mother and I have a running joke that she is Morticia and I'm Wednesday Addams. This was after I dressed up as Wednesday for Halloween, compiling the costume out of things in my closet. She later told me that there is a picture of her with a vase of "flowers" with their blooms cut off- just the stems- that was taken of her when she was younger and playing like she was Morticia. Whenever my family does something well, kooky, we have a habit of humming the Addams family theme under our breath.

      Anyways, part of the reason why I'm particularly inclined to like Wednesday is my affinity for black. Black reminds me of Johnny Cash more than anything, though, so I'm just fine with it being the dominant neutral in my wardrobe. My mom has softened up a bit and prefers brown, but I'm not sure I'll ever make the shift. I actually wrote a column about my love of black for my school paper, should you want to read even more about the obsession.

     I know this outfit isn't entirely black, but I usually reach for a black item as my base. I usually mix the shade with denim or a cream colored neutral item to soften it a wee bit, but when I'm wearing all black I feel like I can easily take my day in stride.

Chasing a Ghost

Dahlia UK dress, bought secondhand from Rebecca of The Clothes Horse. Spiked headband, local store in Savannah (similar here). Chelsea boots, TBA via Modcloth (similar here). Camden satchel, Madewell.

     I felt appropriately haunting on Friday the 13th. As soon as I woke up, I knew I wanted my all black ensemble to contrast heavily with my pale skin. Rather than feeling plagued by anything, I was in my element. A day that is dedicated to the spooky, other than Halloween, felt like a bonus. After all, my favorite Emoji on the iPhone is the little ghost that is sticking his tongue out. 

      While I would have loved to sit under a ladder and pet a black cat just to really get the full effect of the 13th, the day passed without superstition taking any tolls. I will admit to having a bit of bad luck when taking these pictures, but I was fortunate enough to get a helping hand from an old friend. Although Patrick and I broke up a few months ago, we have remained in good graces and taking pictures was such a big part of our relationship that it was nice to do it at least one more time for these shots.

     I'm digging myself out of being haunted by things that simply don't matter. Posting hasn't slowed down because of emotional distress, but rather because I have thrown myself into my role as leader on both the cross country team and the school newspaper. But I want anyone that reads this post to have hope. Hold your head high above those ghosts that are darkening your heart. If you need to, cry with this song from The Head and the Heart as your soundtrack. Hopefully after that, you can get up, dust off any cobwebs from your soul, and find something new to chase that only brings you joy.

Backless in Black

Black low-back bodysuit, American Apparel   Black pique cotton circle skirt, American Apparel  Dooney & Bourke Happy Bag. Low-heeled sandals, TJ Maxx.

     Black. It hasn't always been my neutral of choice, but I'm finding myself lost in the perfect darkness of the absence of all color. Although I keep my tone on my blog rather positive, my humor and personality both have their fair share of darkness around the edges. Few shades have ever been dwelled upon for so long. While black represents both elegance and mourning, rebellion and urban camouflage, to me the feeling of wearing an all black ensemble is nearly indescribable. 

     As the section of my wardrobe dedicated to the dark shade expands, I'm finding myself more comfortable with the idea of all black outfits. Typically, I will break it up with a different neutral shade or a pattern, or in this case a pair of coral shoes, but the statement that a striking black ensemble makes is matched by few other things. As much as I appreciate black and white imagery, a greyscale wardrobe is a natural extension of that aesthetic. 

     What is your favorite color (or lack there of) to wear?