"...seeing that the world won't crumble."

Gingham shirt: Old Navy, $19 (I couldn't stand to wait for it to go on sale - silly me)

Earrings (on collar): thrifted, $1

Necklace: Wal-Mart, $8

Jeans: Levis brand, $6 (secondhand)

Socks: gift

Shoes: Payless, $15

This outfit has a lot going on, so let's start from the bottom and work our way up.

Your eyes are not deceiving you; the colors on your monitor aren't broken. I am wearing one silver shoe and one black shoe.

Amidst all the fashion analysis for this year's Golden Globes Awards, you may have read an unfriendly comment or two in regards to Helena Bonham Carter's ensemble. Her hair was messy, her dress was kooky, and her shoes - though the exact same style - were mismatched (one was red, the other was green).

If I were going to the Golden Globes, this is pretty much the last thing I would wear. I can't imagine feeling confident or comfortable in such a getup. HOWEVER, the brilliant thing is that I didn't have to feel confident or comfortable -- Helena Bonham Carter did. And by jove, I think she really enjoyed how she looked. Here's what she said (from an interview with People magazine):

... fashion is all about having fun. I think fashion has been hijacked by the fashion industry creating rules on what one should wear and I feel like breaking the mold and seeing that the world won’t crumble ... Why not wear mismatching shoes? Who says we can’t? I was just having fun.

PREACH, sister! Look, people are entitled to their opinions. I have my opinion about how Helena Bonham Carter was dressed that night, and my opinion is, "I don't like that." What I do like is her spirit of fun and her willingness to wear what she likes, understanding full well that the rest of us might not "get it." One thing's for sure: if I were going to a prestigious award show where I'd been nominated, I'd want to wear whatever the heck I felt like. Kudos to Helena Bonham Carter for doing just that.

So anyhow, in honor of a little whimsy and a little coloring-outside-the-lines, I wore my funkiest socks and some mismatched flats today. Did I like the combination? Nope, not really. But the world won't crumble.

Working up from the shoes/socks, we have the pants. I pulled these Levis out of my closet today and realized that they might just be perfect for the whole "boyfriend jeans" trend. (Psst: I feel a little silly using that phrase, since these are my jeans, not my boyfriend's ... I don't even have a boyfriend ... unless you count my husband, since he's my eternal boyfriend whom I share all my money with. But anyway, that's the accepted phrase, so I'll use it.) I've admired boyfriend jeans on others, but haven't ever tried it for myself. They're supposed to be rolled-up like I've done here, right? I feel like that's how I always see them worn. So how come they look so good on other people and look like farming/fishing gear on me?

You know?

Maybe I was just being too ambitious, trying to pull off a new-to-me trend and making my "BE YOURSELF!!!" statement with the footwear, all in the same day. But anyway, how should I have done this differently? Sneakers and no socks? Heels with a pretty printed top? How do you wear boyfriend jeans?

And finally, the only part of the look that I was really pleased with, except I feel a little weird about having the top button fastened (my mom taught me that that button was only for boys when they were wearing neckties). I've seen a few bloggers wear their shirts and necklaces this way, with the necklace under the collar, and I can honestly say that I never would have thought of this on my own; it was something I had to see in order to believe it could look good. I'm not sure why, but I added these earrings to the collar as well. Why not, right?

(I can breathe a little easier with the top button undone.)