September 4, 2020
Just in the last few days, I’ve been out a bit, and it seemed that ALL of the beautifully-dressed women I saw were wearing black shirts or tops of some sort!
I’m going to notice these things, of course. And this is such a great way to get dressed – especially for those of us who are top-heavy, or who prefer to downplay the top half of our bodies. Everybody can picture wearing a ton of different things with a simple pair of black pants, or black skirt. I need to remember that the opposite is equally possible!
Of course, my favorite winter outfit in a black cashmere turtleneck and faded jeans…
Let’s look!
Black tunic tank – Lands’ End; mask – Lands’ End; necklace – Sonoma Goods; pants – L.L.Bean; ballet flats – Vionic
A black top doesn’t have to be a simple tee shirt – this top has a subtle Swiss dot pattern woven in:
Swiss dot flutter sleeve top – J.Crew; onyx earrings – Judith Ripka; crossbody bag – GiGi New York; plaid linen shorts – Reformation; sandals – Cloud
If your skirt is a very busy print, a simple top might be the best option:
Mask – Express; tank top – Lands’ End; leather & onyx bracelet – Simon Carter; skirt – Urban Outfitters; espadrilles – Madewell
You don’t HAVE to match your top to your skirt…
earrings – Amazon Collection; tee shirt – L.L.Bean; mask – Karina Grimaldi; skirt – J.Crew; sandals – Madewell
And if you like florals, your shoes and your mask don’t have to match either! Who is going to come up to you and ask you if they are the same?
Earrings – 1928 Jewelry; ¾ sleeve tee – L.L.Bean; mask – Express; denim skirt – Old Navy; canvas sneakers – Keds
This last outfit is faked – I didn’t actually see anybody wearing this! But this is a “planning for cool weather” idea – any really jazzy pants with a black background lend themselves perfect to a simple cashmere sweater. Add a bracelet, scarf and low boots/tall loafers, and you’re all set:
Cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; scarf – Ann Demeulemeester; bracelet – Lizzie Fortunato; pants – Scotch & Soda; shoes – Naturalizer
Give that I own a stack of black sweaters, this is something I need to keep in mind! Does anybody have a printed or patterned winter skirt, or pair of pants? I’m thinking…
love,
Janice
p.s. SEVEN YEARS AGO (back when I was working in an office full-time) I was plotting out my dream work wardrobe for autumn…
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Two years ago, I bought four cheap black V-neck t-shirts. I wear one almost every day, and scramble to find something to wear that I will like as well the other three days before laundry day. They are starting to show a little wear, I’m noticing, and I probably need a size larger for the next couple of months. (Thanks for that, Covid.) I wear a black cardigan over the tee on cool days. For winter, I can switch to turtlenecks, I’m thinking, although I’m not sure about wearing a black one almost every day like I do with the tee-shirts.
For bottoms: skirts, pants, skorts in beige or black when I need a little more sophistication, and bright colors or prints for everyday. I’m broad-shouldered and this formula works really well for me. And YES, I have a warm maxi skirt, straight and a little stretchy, with a geometric Aztec-type print on it. I wear it a LOT.
What’s interesting is that I instinctively kept going back to dressing this way even when I was mis-analyzed as an Autumn (recently corrected to Winter).
A little reining in on the Covid eating, a turn to cooler weather and a good dose of poring over the more Winter-colored Vivienne files, and I think I could have a really lovely fall closet.
I love the concept of this post, and would REALLY love a wardrobe built on it.
I use navy t shirts in the same way. Bottoms are a little trickier, but I wear mostly jeans so it works. Very easy to choose what to wear!
I’d like to see a wardrobe, too.
I love the jewellery and coordinating masks. It must have taken you ages to find the masks.
I bought a couple of packets of decorative reusable masks at the supermarket yesterday with my groceries! Three in black and olive for my husband and a pack of five in shades of blue and pink. The two plain blue, I gave to my son. My daughter took a peachy-pink leopard print mask which left me with blue and pink floral and blue polka dot.
These are much better than the surgical style masks which have apparently got plastic in them. People drop those like litter without thinking that they are technically clinical waste.
The only dark colours I usually wear on my top half are dark teal, purple and burgundy. I have yet to find masks in those colours. I rarely wear navy on my top half unless it is softened by white or pale grey.
Last year, I experimented and discovered that I can wear black/white or grey/white patterns such as houndstooth or snakeprint.
I have several grey floral masks but snake or grey leopard print would look good.
We see SO MANY masks just dropped on the street… it’s maddening! There are lots of masks about and more available every day. I suspect that by Thanksgiving, we’ll be able to get anything in the world that we want in a mask!
hugs,
Janice
Masks are already appearing in shops as matching items with clothes.
In this months Fashion magazine for Hello, they are featuring face-covering veils and satin gloves for cocktail and party wear. Perhaps we are due a return to more elegant and socially distant dressing.
Veils are probably not much use for preventing Covid exposure but they might make people think twice before social kissing.
Beth T, I have a purple mask. There was a teal one too. Unfortunately they are only available locally in Bulgaria. I am sure you can find too.
I love your look back and noticed that you had included a pink jumper…..
My patterned winter skirt is a dense Liberty floral print in a warm fabric that I bought as a skirt length at least 30 years ago. I just like it so much as it has all my favourite colours in it. However, I stopped wearing as I couldnt find the right coloured tops to go with it. Last year I discovered it again – its timeless and now vintage.
The predominant colour is mauve-pink. I wear it with a dark teal cowl neck jumper. If I want a light neutral undernearth, I choose an ivory polo neck. Black boots on my feet.
As a woman of Nordic coloring I am not “supposed” to wear black. One of my favorite outfits is a black cashmere sweater (Goodwill), vintage black/white enamel necklace (estate sale), jeans and booties. Feel like a million bucks (for a few bucks) every time I wear it.
Lily, I am guessing that having Nordic coloring means you are cool toned. It is said that black only really flatters cool toned people.
Of course my favorites here are the ones with prints. I LOVE the floral Keds and mask one…I can tell with close examination that the prints are not identical, but they are so so right together. I am surprised that black works so well with the orange print, but I personally find it hard to overcome the black-and-orange Halloween association…I would prefer a different color there, probably pink.
I love printed skirts year-round, and most of mine work fine in the colder seasons with appropriate tights and boots. Pants are typically not warm enough for me in the winter to wear at my office…but if I continue to work from home this year, I probably will have pants in the mix more than usual, including a couple of printed pairs that I am looking forward to experimenting with.
I do like black tops/sweaters in winter, especially with a printed skirt…I usually wear them with a scarf in a lighter color/print and/or a white pearl necklace to make the contrast with my pale face and hair a little less stark. I think my most common work outfit formula in winter is solid pullover sweater, solid quilted vest, scarf, printed skirt, tights, boots. I am especially pleased when I have a printed scarf and printed skirt combination that coordinates nicely. I could definitely do a double floral in a scarf/skirt when I have a nice solid top as a background, but I generally find it easier to mix one “busy” print (e.g., floral) and one “simple” print (e.g., stripes, polka dots, checks) than 2 busy prints.
Give me all the patterns! And all of the black tops!!
One of my standard combinations in summer as well as winter is a print/patterned skirt and solid top, with cardigan or jacket. Tights in cool weather. So easy! My patterned winter skirts are glen plaid, paisley, tartan wool, floral satin. A black top is my most frequent pairing with these. I love mixing in a patterned scarf. – nancyo
In an effort to make getting dressed as simple as possible, I stick to both black tops and bottoms. My summer uniform includes the LLBean v-neck tee you feature. I have lots of them. (Too many to count.) And like Julie, I add a black cardigan when it’s cool. And when it’s cooler yet, I also throw on a lightweight black scarf around my neck. Boring yes, but quite easy. :-)
Yes! In the last week this is my uniform! I have various black tops of different shapes that I have paired with my cool leopard skirt, black and white zebra leggings, rust skinnies, white shorts and denim bermuda shorts. It just seemed like the right thing for late summer evenings.
Yes, yes, yes my absolute favourites. I have 3 but only because M&S are not selling them anymore and I can’t find non cotton ones anywhere else. Every time I get dressed I wonder why I buy any other colour than black and white.
I, of course, also have black jackets (2) cardigan, jumper, trousers, shoes, bag, coat, scarf and gloves.
I don’t, by the way, wear them altogether.
Oh, I could wear a LOT of black at one time. A LOT… It’s so easy, and I feel SO comfortable…
hugs,
Janice
My friend’s daughter is a corsetiere. She’s turned to making masks during Covid times, and they’re fabulous, besides being inexpensive. Her fabrics change monthly – right now she has featured fall florals, Halloween, and some totally inappropriate fabrics. If you’d like to check them out, her site is https://jessicacrutchfield.square.site
My newest masks are a Japanese floral in purple and blue on white – and a green jelly fish pattern.
Even though I have known for a long time that my coloring is warm (a Spring) and black is not the most flattering color for me to wear, there was a period of time that found me wearing it quite a bit. Black trousers, skirts, and tops in various incarnations for the different seasons were part of my everyday wardrobe. It was always easy to make outfits with prints that had the slightest bit of black in them and a solid black top with printed skirt was one of my favorite easy outfit formulas. I tend to like the longer flowy print skirts in autumn and winter, worn with tall boots, but I choose the skirts that are more mermaid or trumpet shaped, so that they are slimmer through the waist and hips and then flare out toward the bottom. This thick-waisted rectangle shape of mine doesn’t need extra fabric bulk around the midsection.
As one of those top heavy women you mentioned,Janice, my wardrobe has for many years been dominated by black tops. However as I’ve gotten older my complexion will not tolerate black near my face. In cooler weather a fabulous scarf is an easy fix but in summer it is harder. I love the look of a white top but it is challenging to find white that is opaque and it does accentuate the top heaviness! I have found the answer to be an all over print (not stripes, no no definitely not stripes)which somehow works as camouflage.
I switched to navy tops. It looks better with my silver hair. Still makes my fat rolls less obvious.
Exactly! Turning gray changes ones appearance and style. Strange that one can see the fat rolls so much better when wearing light-colored shirts. After wearing only black for 5 years (menopause, heat waves, changing the shirt three times a day. Black was really the only practical solution), I ventured out of the “black hole” and got professional fashion advice (I’m some kind of summer, apparently… The comparison of wearing something black on the left and something blue on the right side of my face was very surprising, because blue is so much friendlier, and now, for starters, I’ve been changing my tops from black to blue (Navi, dark blue, heavens, I have not two shirts in the same blue). Thanks to Covid, hahaha, I had to buy everything one size larger anyway. By the way, scarves are too warm for me (still, unfortunately), I discovered statement necklaces in my favorite colors for me.
I think I will have to look into navy! I don’t actually have navy in my closet and I’m not sure why…
Absolutely my favorite outfit, I could wear a black turtleneck sweater and faded jeans every single day of winter and be a happy camper. It’s only in the warmer months that I crave a ton of color. Probably because I practically live in white jeans or shorts as soon as it’s practical to wear them.
As I get older and my hair turns grey and my skin fades, black just looks so harsh and makes me look haggard. I think I’ll join the other ladies in switching to navy. Too bad that no two navy blues are the same!
I like the look of black tops in principle, and black is also a color that looks good on me (coloring-wise, I’m Clear Spring)…yet, I almost always end up picking a white or light color top and am thinking about rotating black tops out, with exception of one tee, a couple of cardigans (jersey and cashmere) and my black silk blend turtleneck. Somehow, in spring and summer black feels just wrong, and since I live in north, our dark seasons are so dark that I feel the need to fight it with some light color…and light bottoms are obviously not an option.
The first outfit could be right out of my closet, though, and it’s really lovely. Obviously, I should remember that with right accessories (that I already own), black tops can be part of some seriously beautiful outfits.
The denim skirt and outfit is my fav! The floral sneakers and mask are amazingly close patterns. My daughter was obsessed with Rifle Paper patterns a few years ago, and I managed to snag a pair of the first Keds sneakers for her. She was thrilled, and it is amazing how floral sneakers can go with so many outfits. Normally I don’t do florals, but this time…..the black ones are whispering to me.
I have a pile of black tees I cycle through 9 months of the year, and I buy black cotton pullovers I wear to death in the winter. I might wear color on the bottom, or more likely (because jeans) in a cardigan. I care not one bit about my “season” and whether I am too warm or too low contrast for black—it’s just too easy a system to give up.
You can find masks of every possible color and pattern at Etsy. Every mask I have bought from their shop has been good quality and fit.
I’m pear-shaped, so I usually try to reserve black for pants and skirts, but every now and then I like pairing black tops with dark bottoms, mostly brown (I know, that’s supposed to be against some fashion rule, but I like how it feels so who cares?), denim or black again, especially when I want to look/feel “tough”.
In this instances I try to pick tops that don’t make my shoulders seem even smaller when compared to my hips.
That Swiss dot top is so beautiful! If I hadn’t decided I’m on a shopping fast (with the exception of thrifting when I need something) I would be extremely tempted.
Love this post! My “uniform” is a dark tee and cropped pants with a pretty necklace, usually one that I made. During The In Times, Bermuda shorts have replaced the crops. No need to run the air conditioning unnecessarily. My favorite tees are from Universal Standard and J Jill. I highly recommend the “Perfect” pants and shorts from Talbots.
EShakti has reasonably priced masks, including a large assortment of solid colors, and my supervisor says they are her favorites. I’m also planning to try Caraa.
Hi Janice, I love how you challenge our thinking. I’ve actually bought my first skirt in a long time, a white denim skirt and have been wearing it all summer, and loving it , thanks to YOU!
Now I want to branch out to a fall skirt, thinking a denim skirt or a casual cord or tweed skirt . Very casual as I am retired. Can you do a post on ways to wear it and talk about selecting tights, coloured tights. I’m moving to navy and Charcoal grey for fall and away from black. What tights should I look for? Navy? Charcoal? Patterned? Help!!!!
Thanks
I will see what I can suggest – thanks for asking, and for being here with us! I’m very grateful…
hugs,
Janice
Love this post. I wear black tops a lot because of my thick midsection. Navy works too. I have cool coloring (winter) and I’m transitioning to gray hair. In the fall I like to wear black tops with cinnamon color EF pants and black/white lightweight tweed pants. For the holidays I wear red plaid pants and black watch pants with a black top. And I love jeans with a black top, so classic.
Black tops and tees are the perfect backdrop for jewellery or scarves. (Notice jeweller’s display trays are usually black velvet?) For awhile, I tried navy but there are too many sad, halfway navies out there. As long as I wear lipstick, don’t feel washed-out. I re-up my black cotton tees because (though sometimes deliberately sold as “washed black”), I like my black unfaded.