Day 7 :: black and white part trois - the patterned dress

It seems it's either feast or famine these days.

Yesterday's outfit was a challenge but today's is like shooting fish in a barrel.  All I had to do was type in "white dress black blazer" and a plethora of choices came up, ready for Collage-ing.

Me without glasses.  I think I like it. 

I toyed with the idea of wearing a cardigan but the fabric of the dress is really stiff and a soft cardi just didn't lay right over it. I also toyed with the idea of my Jessica Simpson stilettos because the length of this dress made me feel like I needed to elongate my leg, but opted for the boot because I knew I was going to do a lot of walking today. 

As far as accessories, I kept things simple because I find that the color contrast of black and white loses its power with too much stuff.  See yesterday's outfit for an example.  I'm not saying it was bad, just not my fave.  I think all the bling I wore, coupled with the striped top, diminished the oomph of the look. Plus, I felt fussy all day.  So today, I chose a statement necklace that complements rather than contrasts.  The headband was a freebie from a recent Modcloth purchase and is my only nod to going beyond simplicity.

As the week progresses and I continue to create outfits, I'm realizing that I like having to follow a particular theme.  It simplifies things and provides order and cohesion to my wardrobe.  Maybe it's the English major in me or perhaps it's my closet OCD coming out.  Whatever the case, I think I'm going to follow suit for the next few weeks and I already have a couple of ideas for themes.  I'm always open to suggestions, though, so if you have any ideas, I'd be happy to entertain them.  Perhaps challenge me with something to see if my closet can take it?

:: Just the facts, ma'am ::

Dress - I.N.C. via eBay

Blazer - New York and Co.

Boots - Cathy Jean

Necklace - Francesca's Collections

Headband - Modcloth