Until rather recently, I thought you could only wear brown clothing with brown accessories.
It’s like the rule, yeah? The fashion equivalent of wait 30 minutes after eating to swim. Don’t question it — it is straight from The Man’s Official Guide to Universe Living, or something equally important and official I am sure.
I have this crazy-distinct memory of shopping for a purse when I was about thirteen or fourteen years old. I wanted to spend less than $20 on the perfect bag for my just-starting-to-have-stuff-to-put-in-a-bag lifestyle. I needed a long strap so I wouldn’t be stuck holding it at shows, obbbvvvviously, and it had to be large enough to hold my brick of a cellphone, my red leather vintage wallet, my trusty Covergirl compact, and that lone Newport menthol I’d bummed off an older boy and carried in a Disney tape cassette case to be ultra tough and anti-establishment. Oh, and it couldn’t be ‘girlie.’ Duh. And it needed to match everything I owned because it would take forever to get another $20. Just a simple purse request for the Springfield, Ill., Target.
Hilariously enough, I never got caught up trying to find the right size or strap or attitude in that first purse purchase. The Springfield Target delivered and my options were plenty. Where I failed was in the color selection: Did I want it to be black, or did I want it to be brown? You couldn’t mix the colors — ahem, the aforementioned rule — and this was going to be the bag to end all bags. Which one do I pick?
I chickened out and went with denim… which was the stupidest decision, because then it blended into my jeans. Failure by fashion fear. Adult me would know better. Adult me would realize brown and black look amazing together. Adult me would know how to break the rules.
Currently wearing… Look Around Shift Dress c/o Tobi [HERE] | Earrings c/o Kendra Scott | Shoes, DSW | Necklace, Rack and Clutch | Rebecca Minkoff Crossbody Purse, Nordstrom Rack | Cat sungasses, Avalon Exchange | Cuff c/o Free People // More from Tobi… Heels, Bralettes, Shorts, Denim, Jackets, Tank Tops, Casual Dresses
Now if only I could go back to thinking $20 was a lot to spend on a purse.
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