Suz, I am jumping in late here. Both your dress and your jacket are absolutely fab and perfect! I love the way you wear it in #5 with the sleeves turned up. Bravo on the dress transformation. It is simply stunning.

As for the both together, I have to say I am on the team hesitant. They do not look bad together, but knowing your petite figure, I think you would be even more stunning with this dress length and a more fitted, cropped jacket. the distance between the jacket's edge and dress hem would be greater and make appear your legs longer (and BTW your legs look fabulous like this but I know longer leg is a style you like, so this is why I mention it).

The dress on its own is very elegant and balanced because in great part from how fitted and delicate it is on top, with a high waist (pic #1). If you cover that part (pic #2) the jacket has to be fitted and waist defining, which it actually is, however the jacket's waist seem just a bit lower than the dress's (pic #3). In pic #2, your waist appears lower than in pic #1: maybe that is what bothers you?

This jacket is despite its black color is very feminine, with its fun flower like collar and to my point of view shines best when surrounded by ''strict'' or 'masculine' classics like you have done so wonderfully in pics #5-6.

This is my humble and maybe totally out-there analysis...

I really enjoyed reading your thoughts about color. I wonder if our skin color changes with age, I know in my case it has (darkened). I was always extremely pale but after 40 I have become more... yellow, shall I say. I am not yellow per say, but there is more of the yellow (or golden) undertone and therefore clothes and makeup respond to it differently.

Have you ever tried a different hair color, for fun? (Not that the present one isn't exquisite). But something with auburn and brown or very pale angel blond ?

Krish, so great to see you here! Thank you so much for your always intelligent thoughts. I agree with you so much on all of this! I think a shorter jacket would work better with the dress, too. Next time I will try it with some of the shorter ones I have.

I think our skin tone definitely changes with age and probably more than once. I am a bit darker than I used to be, too.

And yes, I was a redhead for a few years in my thirties and around when I turned 40! It was fun and it suited me, but it was too much upkeep for me. The red would fade out very quickly. So I went back to something more like my natural dirty blonde with some highlights. I think in the next few years I will go increasingly lighter blonde as I allow it to grow into grey.

I missed this the first time around, but had to chime in now: Suz, the tailored dress looks so gorgeous on you! A perfect fit! Love the jacket too!

Love that dress on you. Did you do the alterations or have it done? Great find on the jacket. It is beyond perfect in the jeans/boots outfit.

I wanted to repeat a link for you that I just posted for CobaltBlue:

http://www.thechicfashionista.com

I know you've probably already read it Suz, but do you think your main characteristic could be "clear" ? That would explain why you can take brighter colors and sharper contrast. I think Angie must be very clear, but perhaps she leans toward the warm while you lean towards the cool.

re: skin darkening. For years I was wore the lightest porcelein shade of foundation that was made! Obviously I am almost always a little tan now that we live in the desert, but I am amazed at the sallowness of my skin now. To call it "golden" would be very kind. Matching it with warm clothing colors is death for me! I guess it's a golden "overtone", not "undertone" like the warm seasons have.