Rock and Roll

Sometimes, I just want to feel tough. Don't-mess-with-me tough. Usually, when I do, I reach for a vintage military inspired look: laced boots, fatigues-inspired jackets. Sometime, however, I prefer to draw from the style vocabulary of classic, badass rock: jeans, leather, studs.

Sheer black blouse: Ann Taylor Loft

Jeans: Ann Taylor Loft "Curvy Boot"

Belt: Gap, thrifted, remixed

Socks: Sock Dreams, "O Chevrons"

Shoes: John Fluevog, "Summertime: Sunshine," remixed

Woven leather cuff: Urban Outfitters, remixed

Black headband: Sephora, remixed

Key necklace: Key from antique store

Of course I put my own twist on it: a sheer blouse with smocking details and lacy OTK socks.

I like these jeans much better cuffed to capri length than unrolled: I have better-fitting full-length jeans aplenty, plus I'm not terribly into bootcut jeans right now. I may cut them down to mid-calf length: then I could wear them like this or cuffed further into Bermuda shorts.

After last week's Black-Out, it feels refreshing and calming to wear this dark, neutral-heavy combination. I love black and brown together, and until recently felt very uncomfortable in bright colors, especially in combination. Eschewing black, a fashion baseline for me, really helped me refocus on its strength and simultaneous connotations of power and loss. I was feeling very distanced from the black items in my closet. Now, after a week of forcing myself to work with everything else, I can contemplate the dark half of my closet with clear eyes again.

What are the unsung workhorses of your closet? Have you ever identified - or had trouble identifying - with a certain color or style?