More layering with dresses

Muggy spring weather and experiments in dress layering continue apace.

Turquoise dress :thrifted

Olive green rib-knit tank: thrifted, remixed

Gold-and-white woven belt: thrifted

White fishnets: depths of the drawer

Green shoes: John Fluevog, "Teapots: Darjeeling," remixed

Bronze flower necklace: thrifted

"Turquoise" earrings: mall accessory store (Claire's?)

Up until recently, I loathed turquoise, both the stone and the color. Last year, though, a jeweler friend gave me a fabulous pendant designed to hold a small sphere and a choice of stones to be put in it. Normally I'm a sucker for amethyst, carnelian, hematite, lapis... but in this mix, the one that called to me was an included, brown-streaked piece of turquoise.

I've been in love with the color ever since. 

Now, of course, Pantone has named a shade of turquoise the 2010 color of the year. I haven't figured out if I've developed fashion-related psychic powers, I'm developing into a savvy trendspotter, or it's a wacky coincidence. I'm leaning toward the latter.

My mania for turquoise extended to trying on this dress. Bubble hems are not a look I'd ever thought would flatter me - in fact, I swore up-down-and-sideways at one point that I'd never wear one. However, like every style I've ever sworn I would never in a million years wear, I found one example that I like, and now I'm viewing the entire concept in a whole new light.

While there's something to be said for having clearly defined stylistic boundaries, I'm enjoying that little revelation. I hear far too many women say "I would never wear..." or "I don't look good in..." or " is a bad one for me..." The more I spend playing with clothes, the more I realize that you should never say never about anything stylistically. I've seen full-figured women rock micro-minis, super-petite women look smashing in floor-length skirts, sallow-complexioned women be stunning in yellow - all things that conventional fashion wisdom says are impossible.

Yes, it may take a bit of planning and forethought: a woman who's 5'1" is going to have to work a bit harder to pull off a long skirt than one who's 5'10". A rosy-skinned redhead is going to have to be more selective in picking a shade of pink to wear than a pale-skinned brunette. However, if you really want to wear a style, there is a way to do it and look good.

Have you ever found yourself craving a style or color you'd previously scorned? What about fashion boundaries - do you have anything you simply won't wear? Why or why not?