baby's in black

I differ from many other Texan gals, in that I wear a lot of black always (in a nongothic way, of course) and I have quite fair skin. In a sea of incredibly tanned, toned, and brightly dressed Southern belles, I stick out like a pasty sea urchin. You won't see a lot of gals in my neck of the woods wearing a primarily black outfit in the middle of June, when it's a lucky day when the temperature doesn't hit the three-digit mark. But, ah yes, I am quite the rebel. 

This was the outfit while going out last night. The black boyfriend-style blazer is by The Gap - I adore it's brass buttons and the slightly masculine pattern of the coat's interior, making rolling up the sleeves a fashion statement in itself. I'm not sure how I would describe the pattern of this top (sort of snakeskin-y) or really the color of it (sort of goldish-yellow-green) but it's by Sparkle & Fade - a great brand full of colorful, trendy, and perhaps most importantly comfy clothes - and I got it from Urban Outfitters. My bag - a big fringe creation by Rachel Zoe - is a great olive shade and worked well enough with the color of my top without being too matchy-matchy. Plus, I'm on a fringe binge so I wasn't going to not use the bag, regardless of whether it worked with my outfit or not. (See again: I am a fashion rebel, people!)

The leggings are high-waisted black American Apparel leggings in that fantastic shiny material. I'm beyond obsessed with them; I have several pairs. The material makes the leggings look a little dressier and more fun than regular cotton leggings, and they are mayjahh-ly opaque (which is a major plus for me) and makes your legs look thinner. 

These black Joie knee-high boots (currently only available in chocolate brown) first captured my attention because they are styled so similarly after the equestrian boots I wore when I rode horses competitively ... except these boots have never given me blisters, nor have they been subject to horse manure. 

I kept my jewelry completely gold - with big (but thin) hoop earrings, my beloved rose gold Cartier love bracelet, and bangle designed by b-side by Ken & Dana as part of their Rights Collection. The particular bracelet I am wearing features the numbers of the court case of Romer v. Evans - 517 US 620 1996 - a case that protects against discrimination based on sexual orientation. See, style can have a conscience.