black + white

A classic. But surprisingly difficult to pull off. Black and white ensembles dangerously conjure Cruella DeVille and her dalmatian coats, and unfortunately, there just aren't enough of us who can pull off her fabulous two-tone cowlick. There's something early nineties, or alternatively, default-lazy about pairing blacks and whites that has made me kinda resistant.... that is, until now. You see, I've been working a lot these days, which means that lazy dressing is kind of my specialty. I have a uniform of office-appropriate black dresses with ever-so-slight variations. The hope is that the little shifts in sleeve length and nuances in collar detail throw off the co-workers ("She looks generally the same, and yet somehow different...").

To add some white to my boring black surrender to the Establishment, I found a pretty white stone necklace at one of those Korean accessories emporiums while shopping on Melrose last weekend. They've become my new favorite thing. They're just the right kind of weight and length- long enough to dangle right above the navel, heavy enough to feel substantive but not so much that it feels like a fashion albatross.

I think the key to wearing white accessories well is to look for solid, well-made, and simple items. Think anti-bridal. Anything too ornate rings wedding bells. Also try to avoid synthetics- wearing plastics and nylons in white emphasizes the cheapness of those materials, while opting for natural fibers like cotton and silk emphasizes the pure, organic quality of such fabrics.

Paired with a simple white cotton T (Club Monaco) and a black cotton/linen tank dress (Theory):



With another one of my little black dresses (Theory):



Here's a casual black and white combination, taking advantage of the stripes trend, which I have to say, I love. It's so loud and nautical!



French Connection cap-sleeve top, American Apparel three-button tights, and Corso Como ballasox flats (these comfy flats come w/ a little pouch, perfect for on-the-go shoe emergencies)

And of course, the keffiyeh (from Somewhere in Afghanistan):



I know this guy can be unfashionably political and/or off-puttingly hipster, but I got mine as a gift from a very sweet friend, and it's actually been the perfect accessory for fall office ensembles. As an aside, I'm also told it's generally worn by American soldiers as a practical defense against the heat and sand, so I'm thinking it's pretty patriotic, too. See also, "ethnic."