Thank you ALL very much for the comments and feedback, ladies! I'm glad so many of you liked the nude shoe with the black jeans, that's one of my staples for cool weather in spring/summer. Also REALLY glad you guys didn't think the bright yellow/orange/sparkles was too crazy I'll wear my new blouse with confidence after such great YLF approval ^^
Kelly, I didn't even notice the pattern mix in #1! Animal prints truly are neutrals ^^ Is your new blouse a bow blouse too? I think that's what throwing me a bit with this one; a normal v-neck or split-neck would feel just fine.
Sarah, meee tooo! I think I can say with good confidence that adjacent pairings are my favorites, the closer the hues the better!
Julie and Deborah, you don't think this dress is too long for jeans? I'm coming around to the the dress-over-jeans look, but mainly have tried with shorter dresses. If you don't think it's too long I'll give it a try with normal jeans (these are my Kevlar lined riding jeans, hehe).
Amy, *giggle* thanks! I need 2 boost buttons for that ^^
Suburbiana, thank you! I enjoy coming up with those twists that make outfits "me", though it certainly took some time to get to the point where I can do it consistently. I think it's a mix of the items you choose for yourself and the way you accessorize them, but of course personality plays a big part