Head To Toe Black and Style Hacks

I have actually been wearing a lot more colour and print these days, but sometimes head to toe black makes an appearance.  An all black look can seem plain and safe, but it can also be interesting and anything but boring.

As my wardrobe edit continues, I have found myself not just purging my closet, but reacquainting myself with it.  Older pieces can feel very fresh and new when mixed with a new addition to your wardrobe.  This little jacket is case in point.  I bought it probably 10 years ago from American Apparel.  I fell in love with the beautiful texture.  However, when I bought it it was actually a cropped pullover style top.  I wore it a couple of times and then it sat in my closet FOREVER!  Every time I went to put it on, I would think, “I wish this was a jacket”.  Soooo, that’s just what I did.  I went out and found the perfect gold zipper and had my mother-in-law transform this never being worn item into something fresh and new that works perfectly with so many outfits.

I’ve used the word once already, but texture is absolutely the key to wearing any monochrome outfit.  Texture gives visual interest and allows the eye to wonder from piece to piece.  I have all kinds of texture happening with this look.  A velvet burn out tee, a rosette ruffle jacket, denim pants with tie lace up detail, a felt hat, leather boots, and a studded leather cuff.

I want to leave you all with my own little shopping rule I have for myself.  When I am selecting new pieces for my wardrobe, I ask myself these three questions:

1. How many different outfits can I make from this one item?
2. Is it easy to launder?
3. Do I have something similar in my wardrobe already?

This truly saves me from over purchasing and allows me to make smarter choices, not overspend, not over consume, and to have a wardrobe I love and feel good in.  And sometimes you just need to rework something you already have to complete a look.

 

top: Velvet burn out tee c/o from Dex Clothing plus collection
pants: side lace up jeans c/o from Dex Clothing plus collection
jacket: old American Apparel hack
boots: old
hat: old
leather cuff: Brave Leather (old)