Back in Black and Ponytails

I have been having a rough week for a variety of personal reasons, and I realize that is probably becoming clear through the amount of black I've been wearing and the fact that I keep giving up on my hair in the morning and throwing it into a ponytail. Still, I think I'm managing to do okay with my outfits in spite of that.

Yesterday's outfit starred a new emerald green top from New York and Company, and I mostly chose to surround it with black so that the vibrant color would have the attention all to itself. I adore jewel tones - that's what we use to refer to the really rich colors we associate with various gemstones, like sapphires, emeralds, rubies, etc. - and I think most women look amazing in at least one of the jewel tones. For me, because of the green tints in my hazel eyes, I look good in rich emerald greens like this one that draw attention to my eyes.

The shirt has a great twist of the fabric in the front, pulling nicely at the waist to create a good shape. A keyhole opening near the neckline keeps it from feeling too severely conservative while still maintaining modesty because it buttons at the top. Since it's a sleeveless top, I paired it with a cropped short-sleeved cardigan at school, which also hits at the perfect spot at the waist to establish the hourglass figure. I added a comfy pair of skinny black pants and my rolled slouchy boots,and jewelry was simple black and silver, keeping all the focus on the green top.

Get the look for yourself:
Shirt - New York and Company, available here.
Cardigan - Target; similar here.
Pants - Gap, available here.
Boots - Cathy Jean; similar here.
Necklace - Target, available here.
Ring - Old Navy; similar here.
__________________________________________________

Today's outfit, similar to yesterday's, featured a colored top from New York and Company surrounded by black, and if I'd realized that similarity earlier, I probably would have avoided the repetition. (Especially since I wore a ponytail on both days, too.)

Originally, I hadn't planned on the leggings, but it was chillier this morning than I had anticipated, and eventually I was very glad I chose not to go with the bare legs. Still, wearing the capri leggings instead of full leggings kept the outfit looking fun and fresh, rather than overly morose and heavy. I also paired them with flats rather than boots, also in the hopes of keeping the whole look a little lighter.

Looking at these pics, I am determined to wear something non-black tomorrow. Of course, I might wake up and send all of that straight to the toilet with an LBD ("little black dress") and another pair of black boots. That's the joyous mystery of this blog! Stay tuned to find out what I decide.

Get the look for yourself:
Shirt - New York and Company; similar here.
Skirt - Target; similar here.
Belt - Target; similar here.
Leggings - Target, available here.
Shoes - Payless; similar here.
Necklace and earrings - Target, available here.