I've relapsed to black.

No matter how hard I try, my closet is awash in dark clothing, shades of gray and maybe a little blue for good measure. Practical, yes – but far from lively.

1. Cotton Descours scarves from France, super to wrap around your neck - inside or out. At Betsy's, $45.

This fall's offerings haven’t made my quest for color any easier; black and gray are all the rage – one look at street fashion from London at Elle.com confirms the trend.

My stylish friend T. shared her cardinal rule for black: Always wear a splash of color. If a splash is all it takes to liven up my closet, I'm taking the dive.

I wandered downtown at lunch to check out the latest fall fashions. Yes, it was a sea of black. But that made it all the easier to spot bright accents that would pop against a dark background.

Forget the fuchsias and hot pinks of old - this season's brights are spicy and bold: mustard, hot peppers, persimmon...

It won't be hard to abandon the all-black look - a hat or bag will do the trick. One touch will do it... unless, of course, you sneak in a little Hanky Panky.

2. Leather shoppers for everything. At Spoil Me Rotten, $230.

3. Fancy tights from Look from London. At Spoil Me Rotten, $19.95 for feet, $24 without.

4. A little red clutch - perfect for the essentials. At Simply Chic,
$115.

5. You'll never get lost. Orange coat at Bliss, $520.

6 & 7. A mustard yellow hat and so-soft red arm warmers with thumbs. At Bliss, $26 and $32.

8. Reversible shell and resin necklaces. At Amaryllis, $26.95.

9. It's a cinch - a mustard-colored belt. At Chantal, $174.

10. Surprise. Hanky Panky thongs at Chantal, $16.

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