When I find a formula that works – and by ‘works’ I mean comfy and easy with juuuust enough style to check that box – I tend to stick to it. Even better (worse?), I’ll iterate on it. Which is how I end in sneakers, jeans, and a leather jacket most of the time.
In my defense….sometimes my sneakers are blue. I KNOW. #lifeontheedge
My latest sartorial furrow (thesaurus: rut) involves a little black dress, the Most Expected of the Expected Wardrobe Pieces, and yet: it works (see earlier definition).
I maintain that my twist on this classic is worth mentioning because ONE, there are some seriously interesting LBD-meets-a-tshirt dresses out there (and as everyone knows, they are one of the best kinds of dresses, second only to Those With Pockets) and TWO I’ve been wearing mine with sneakers and comfort sandals and they STILL manage to maintain some level of chic.
Obviously one could dress them up with high heels and look amazing, but WHERE’S THE CHALLENGE IN THAT, PEOPLE??
Lastly, black is so good at camouflage, that I’ve been a little more daring in the dress department than I’d usually be.
Here are my two current favorites (spoiler alert: if you follow me on IG, @shanachristine, you will not be surprised)….as well as a little roundup of my favorite little black day dresses right now.
The One That I Wear To The Farmers’ Market
Outfit Details
dress: Abercrombie Cutout Midi Dress (size XS for reference)
shoes: Nike LunarGlide 8
sunglasses: Warby Parker ‘Ormsby’
backpack: Rebecca Minkoff Medium Julian Backpack in Khaki
Raines (older): t-shirt | pants (similar) | sneakers
Pax (younger): t-shirt is sold out! sob. | jacket | pants | sneakers
The Almost Bodycon One (Thank Goodness For Strategic Ruching)
Outfit Details
dress – Leith Ruched Body-Con Tank Dress
sandals – Eileen Fisher Sport Platform Sandals in ‘Wheat’
bag – Rebecca Minkoff Medium Julian Backpack in Khaki
bracelet – Chan Luu Wrap Bracelet
Incidentally, that last set of photos were the reason I started seeking out spray tans in Philly, haha. (Baked is my fav, if you’re interested.) I did add a warm filter to prevent blinding anyone with my white legs. #myeyes #MYEYES
Shop My Fav Everyday (Yet Interesting) Black Dresses
Ok – to make it on the below list, these dresses had to be either a tshirt material, cotton, or linen. None of that polyester because SUMMER, MAN. Also, they either had to have some sort of interesting detail, a personal love affair, or just a seriously spot-on fit.
xo,
S
Great post and cute dress! I’m always hesitant to buy from A&F after the sexist comments their CEO has made about the types of women he wants wearing the clothing. But, to be honest, I haven’t followed along closely enough to know if he has publicly updated his thinking. Is it safe to buy from A&F again? I don’t want to support brands that degrade women and reduce them to the size and attractiveness of their bodies.
80sDeminLover: Here is what I found: “. . . . it was (Mike) Jeffries’ same controversial business philosophies that also created a drastic decline in both sales and brand value in the 21st century (For A&F), and which eventually led to the ousting of Jeffries from his position as Chairman of the Board, and his rather sudden “retirement” in 2014. Hope this helps.
Hooray! This is helpful! Thanks so much 🙂
My current favorite is the Old Navy t-shirt dress with the V neck. Fits me really well (busty, narrow hips, no waist, pooch), hitting the curves enough to look good, but not sticky-sweaty clingy. Thick enough to wear whatever undies I want without worrying about VPL or lumps. If only there were a sleeveless equivalent! Oh, and it is under twenty bucks. Only wish it came in more colors!