Fashion Police (Sort of)

In preparation for the all-terrible, all-shallow Job Hunt, I've been trying to spruce up my wardrobe. Even with the teaching job in the recent past, I still feel like my closet is mired in what I would choose to identify as "college casual". My biggest source of annoyance is the navy cloth hobo bag I'm using as my purse on a day-to-day basis. I was taught that you weren't supposed to mix black and navy, and invariably, when I come out to grab my purse, I've got black somewhere in my outfit. (I despise switching handbags to suit my outfit--too fussy!) And I started thinking, is this an outmoded fashion rule? And do other people ignore certain fashion rules that I've pretty much written off?

[Poll #1158279]

I don't understand the no-white-shoes-after-Labor-Day rule. Maybe it's because I'm a relaxed Californian who wears bright colors all year 'round, but why put away your snazzy white sandals just because summer's over?