Texstyle's musings here about the preponderance of dark outfits on the forum these days (and elsewhere, too) reminded me of a subject I've been wanting to raise, because I could use some help and styling suggestions.

So. In winter, like most of us in the north, I always end up wearing darker colours more often. Partly it's what's available, partly it's what's practical in a rainy, snowy, slushy climate, and partly it seems to harmonize more with the environment and quality of light.

I do continue to wear colour in winter - particularly reds and berries -- and increasingly, I see the value of adding light (winter white, light taupe, light silver grey, etc.) wherever I can. Not only does it help to lift my mood (along with the injections of colour) but it also looks good on me, with my fair colouring. An all-black or even all-ink outfit can be pretty harsh and draining.

But here's my issue. I find it really, really hard to get lighter colours on the bottom. And that would be ideal for bookending.

Okay...so I have my Petty booties. Check. I also have light taupe Report booties but those are really for warmer temperatures -- I don't wear them in the winter.

I do think a pair of light taupe or grey booties would be a good addition. But the risk with those is that I sacrifice leg lengthening priorities -- because pretty much all my bottoms are dark in winter.

I've been hunting and hunting and hunting for light taupe jeans, or light grey. I haven't had much luck. (Suggestions welcome.)

Trousers could also work, but realistically I would not wear them as much. One reason I WILL wear my white jeans (even in winter) is they can go into the wash.

I also have on my shopping list a more FADED pair of blue jeans. Currently the ones I own are mostly on the darker side, except for my slouchy distressed skinnies, and they are starting to show their age after 4 hard years' wear.

I would love, love, love to wear more skirts and dresses in the winter. But I always end up wearing the ones that are dark -- because I need warm hose, and those are opaque, and it's tough to find hose in colours other than navy, black, grey -- and even when I do, it doesn't look good on my stubby legs. Especially with booties.

I was much enamoured of some of Vix's looks with tall taupe boots. So leg lengthening and beautiful on her. And on me, they'd have the added advantage of bookending. Bingo!

But the heels on those particular boots were too high for me and so was the shaft height, alas (I never tried them on in person but just looking at the measurements it was pretty clear). Meanwhile, most taupe boots available are very casual looking. I would want something "in between" I think. And I am very, very hard to fit in a tall boot.

Do any of you fair haired women struggle with this the way I am struggling? What solutions have you adopted? I would love to hear and see how you have solved this and brought cohesion to your own outfits!