This week, a reader asked me to help her find a way to jazz up her basic black sheath.  I’ve discussed before the best way to layer a blouse under a dress so that you don’t look like a school marm, but I thought the advice bears repeating.

Polyvore Set Found Here.

Here I’ve layered a printed blouse underneath a basic black sheath (and who doesn’t have one of those?).  To jazz it up, I’ve added a neutral belt in a coordinating color and a neutral shoe with some interesting accents.  The blouse is so bold, I don’t want the shoes or belt to distract.

I also chose a simple drop earring with green accent and a plum colored tote.  And this bag is huge.  You could probably pack groceries home in this bag, but I love how the color spices up the outfit.