The Black Widow Goes to Work

 
I don’t think of black as funereal or grim.
 
There are days when unrelieved black is a cozy blanket to wrap oneself in. Combining black pieces of different fabrics and textures — remember, variations in the shade of black don’t matter when you do this — makes for easy outfit construction.

 
 
 
 
Here, I put on four black garments — et voila! — found myself wearing an outfit of some depth.
My colleagues and I did agree that I looked like a Sicilian widow . . . or a witch

Witchy mules
 
 
 
As you can probably guess from the background and my shoes, these photos were taken in October — but I didn’t have a chance to post them before going on vacation.
 
Now the loafer mules are put away.

 
 
So what exactly do we have here?
 
From the inside out:

  • a black blouse in cotton gauze;
  • a pintucked black silk camisole;
  • black wool capris;
  • and a “four-season stretch” blazer from JCrew, new this fall.

 
“Four Season” may be a euphemism for “highly unnatural.” This jacket is made of a heavy polyester crepe/viscose/elastane blend, which I don’t think could actually be worn in the late spring or summer.
 
I do, however, think I could spill a soda all over this jacket with impunity.

To relieve the unrelieved black, a few pearls

 
 
 
I bought this blazer a little big so that I could wear it over a sweater on the weekend (casual wear) as well as during the week. It’s nicely shaped and the pleats in back add a little extra interest.
Extra interest!

Layers; even the necklace is layered, but one of the loops has slipped inside my collar
 
After years of wearing three and four button jackets, I have decided that I like the look of a single button jacket — under certain circumstances. Here, the single button (along with certain darts and seams) provides definition for my waist and allows the many layers under the jacket to show.

 
 
Rounding things out, my lidded bag. I look like a postman and a witch.
Capacious: holder of two pairs of glasses, sunglasses, wallet, tissues, tiny makeup bag, turkey baster, WD-40, rain pants, and a Phillips-head screwdriver

 
Blazer: JCrew Mayfair Blazer in Four-season Stretch; Blouse: Vanessa Bruno: Camisole: JCrew; Pants: JCrew Campbell Capris; Shoes: Rebecca Minkoff; Bag: Coach Rider Bag (on sale); Neckace: David Yurman

9 thoughts on “The Black Widow Goes to Work”

  1. Just a great looking grouping of clothes that work together beautifully . You definitely spark my interest in putting together better combinations that have interest and workability.

    Reply
  2. Your all black would be my all navy, and I’ll definitely try to re-create the ‘spirit’ of the outfit with my own clothes.
    Just one question: Did you purchase this blazer in a petite size or in the so called classic size? I’m asking because on you the blazer seems to have a much better fit that on the model at JCrew. There the fit looks a bit strange, the pleating in the back seems to sit higher than the natural waist. Being quite small myself (1.60 m),I’d be very grateful for a tip here.

    Reply
    • I bought the 4R (or “classic”?) — I think because the petite size was out of stock. I like the way it fits even though it is a little big on me. Perhaps I should have tried a 2R or 4P, but I figured that I could wear it with a sweater underneath very comfortably and I wanted to use this blazer for work and weekends. I have also worn it with the same camisole and pants but a white shirt (instead of black) and a huge navy blue, knitted brooch — which I will have to feature soon because it needs to be seen to be believed!

      Reply
  3. I ordered that jacket a couple weeks ago. Or a week ago. I am still waiting for delivery. I hope I like it. It looks great on you! I actually thought, “The Directrice might wear a jacket like this.”

    Turns out I was correct.

    Reply

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