What Not Not To Wear With This Bag (I love double negatives and Clinton Kelly)

Dear Winona,
Well, I just purchased this bag:


Yes, it's orange! I rarely wear anything orange, but somehow I was drawn to this bag. Do you have any suggestions on what color shoes, what color top, etc. would go well with this? Thanks!!

Signed,
Feeling Lost & Blue.. err, Orangey

First of all, adorable bag. Second of all, don't worry; there is no need to run out and purchase a whole new orange wardrobe to accommodate this adorable bag. If there's anything I learned from What Not To Wear (besides the fact that my Gaydar sucks--Clinton Kelly, professional shopper, lover of argyle, and exclaimer of "fabulous!", gay? Surely you jest!), it's that some surprisingly bright-colored accessories can function as neutrals in your wardrobe.

You know how you can throw on a black or white purse with basically any outfit and it works? Well, Stacy and Clinton taught me that this can be done with many other unexpected colors (red, maroon, dark green, etc.), and this beautiful orangey-brown is definitely one of them.

Whenever they're teaching a woman about this on the show, she always picks up the bright red purse they've recommended for her and shrieks, "A red purse! You've got to be kidding! This is absolutely outlandish!" and then Stacy shoves her and tells her to shut up and Clinton patiently explains how a bag like this can totally work as a neutral while the woman shakes her head in disbelief, then she goes back to her hotel room and records a teary video diary about how she doesn't need any fashion help and this is the worst experience of her life and she can't believe she has to go through this and I just want to reach into the TV and throttle her and scream "You are in New York with $5000, damnit! You really can't think of anything worse than that?? What about genocide?", but then at the end of the show she struts out from behind the curtain wearing a hot dress and carrying a red bag and proclaiming that her life is forever changed for the better and oh my gosh Clinton and Stacy were soooo right about the bag.

The point is: wear this purse with basically anything (well, except this--no one should wear that), and it will coordinate and look amazing. This a really great piece too because it will look just as fabulous in the summer with an outfit like this:


as it will in the winter with an outfit like this:


(Had to hit the argyle for Clinton).

Overall (whenever I say that now I picture my actual overalls and get a deviant shot of joy), excellent purchase, my dear. Wear your orangey-brown purse loud and proud.

Summer Outfit:
Laurel ruffle blouse, J. Crew, $78
Fire "Bre" shorts, Nordstrom $24
Havaianas "Top" sandal, Nordstrom, $15

Winter:
Reese Low-Rise Bootcut Jeans, Delias, $39.50
Hugo Boss Argyle Sweater, Nordstrom, $225
Schutz Boots, Zappos.com, $165