Changing Tides of Fashion- Brown and Black Together?

Somewhere my sister is feeling an alarming disturbance in the fashion force because I’m the first to admit I’m not always “hip” to cool new styles. I’ve been known to bend the rules of fashion. I have no idea when or where white is appropriate, but I know it’s something to do with Labor Day. But one rule I’ve always known, followed, and cherished is brown and black are not to be worn together. From my early days of self-dressing I was taught brown and black are un-mixey things, like oil and water. Yet lately I’ve noticed rampant breaking of this cardinal rule. Not just women wearing brown and black articles of clothing together in the same ensemble, but such atrocities as brown and black boots, shirts, pants, headscarf thingamajigs, etc. I feel I must confess to the God of fashion, but I myself recently purchased one such eyesore. A pair of Kenneth Cole heels that are black with brown wood finished heels that have only found their way into my closet based on their reasonable price and my ability to walk in them.

So are the rules of fashion changing? Is this once forbidden pairing now an accepted trend? Do we do it because it is taboo? Can we find a way to blame this on Bush? Answer me ye who know better than I!