From top left to right:
James Perse tank belted dress | ON SALE NOW AT NORDSTROM!!!, wearing
Shaina Mote tie dress | 20% off at The Dreslyn today, wearing
Splendid tank maxi dress | available in navy at Shopbop, wearing, wearing, wearing, wearing, wearing, wearing, wearing
OAK t-shirt dress | sold out, wearing, wearing, wearing, wearing
Everlane long sleeve dress | wearing
James Perse 3/4 sleeve viscose dress | sold out, wearing, wearing
James Perse guaze shirt dress | sold out, wearing, wearing
James Perse sleeveless maxi dress | sold out, wearing, wearing, wearing, wearing
(all but the Everlane dress and the Viscose JP dress are made in the US, those two are made in China)
While reading (more like perusing, really, it’s hard to “read”) Women In Clothes, I was inspired to create a “collection” picture of all my black dresses. Mostly to see exactly how many I have still in my closet, but also, I wanted to explore a little of their differences. Because, you know, THEY ARE ALL COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
At this point, I have only eight black dresses left in my wardrobe; not counting several black dresses I wear exclusively at home, or as beach/swimsuit coverups. Still, nine black dresses may seem like a lot, but it’s not. Because
- They are all different: Even though at first glance, my Splendid tank dress and James Perse maxi dress seem very similar, the JP dress is heavier weight, and with a higher neck, so I reserve that for cooler weather.
- I wear them all the time – black dresses are the only dresses I have with the exception of  my navy heathered All Saints dress and my cobalt blue ACNE dress
- A black dress is a foundation for so many other things.
Do I need all these black dresses? Well…yes and no. I love clothing, we know that. I like to play around and try new things. I like to wear different styles and silhouettes. Having nine different black dresses allows me to do that, each one serves a different purpose and is appropriate for different occasions.
Would I be able to survive with only one black dress? Probably, although I can feel a panic attack coming on just thinking about it! How could I choose between fitted or drapey? Short or long?
Luckily I don’t have to. I’m not trying to have a 10 piece wardrobe, or 30, or some other arbitrary number. I have built a smaller wardrobe that is manageable for me, that suits my lifestyle, and is full of things I love, wear, and appreciate. This is what is right for me.
How many black dresses do you own? Do you have multiple dresses in another color?
I currently own two black dresses.
The first is from Talbots and I’ve had it for three years. It’s a knit fabric, short-sleeve, surplice neckline (faux wrap) style that comes just below my knees and has a self-tie. I initially bought the dress in a beautiful shade of green, then waited for a sale to pick up versions in black and navy, as well as a red/white/navy/turquoise stripe. These are great dresses to wear to work and church. They are spring-summer dresses only.
The second black dress is a knit maxi from Anthropologie, which I bought about four years ago. Though it’s a knit, the style is a bit dressy and it dips low in the front, so I only wind up wearing it to evening events in the summer. This is not a dress to wear to work or church.
Earlier this week I ordered a black silk shirtdress from Banana Republic during a 40% off promotion. It’s supposed to arrive next week. I think it could be a very useful piece in my wardrobe.
I love this post! I actually put black dresses on my “do not buy” list this summer because I realized I have too many (for me), especially considering that I have a large and varied wardrobe so I like for my black dresses to mostly be “throw on and go” types that don’t require too much thinking or fussing. If I counted correctly I think I have 6 solid black dresses (9 if you count an old one I can only wear as a swim cover-up, an old Calvin Klein work dress that I keep for “business” occasions, and a black knee-length tank dress from American Apparel that I would only wear as a layering piece). I then have many more patterned dresses that are predominantly black, and several black skirts.
1. Eileen Fisher jersey dress–this one is boat-neck, sleeveless, knee-length
2. Madewell Vista Shirt dress, knee-length
3. Garnet Hill v-neck, sleeveless, empire-waist jersey dress, knee-length
4. Madewell silk dress, with pleat detail down center of bust, sleeveless, knee-length
5. Madewell jacquard short-sleeve dress with slight bell-skirt
6. Karen Kane maxi jersey dress, sleeveless, v-neck
I have been looking at that same BR silk shirtdress I think–would you report back if you liked it or not? 🙂
I have five black dresses which I find to be too many lol. Two are probably going to vacate my closet pretty soon but they are definitely all different styles and serve different occasions.
I actually find that most of my dresses are prints and I think I need to start adding in more solid colors.
you may remember, i put black dresses on my “do not buy” list also…see how well that worked?? haha! i thought about trying not to add any more, but if i can get my hands on a couple of JP ones during their sale, i won’t be able to stop myself…and they’d be different enough that i’d feel okay adding them to my collection 😉
nice selection of black dresses!!
nice maddie! i love a good faux wrap style dress – on others – i’ve tried so many times to find one that i like on me, but i think i’ve determined that i don’t tie waists on dresses for me. which is strange, because i like to define my waist, just with an overall fitted/defined style i guess.
let us know how the BR shirt dress works out! sounds interesting…
ha! but you rock a print though!! 🙂
I’ll have to count when I get home! I’m wearing a black knit maxi at work right now (JJill, 2 yrs old) and I know I bought two Eileen Fisher black dresses this summer – a short sleeve knee length drape neck, and a knee length long sleeve bateau neck silk knit – I cannot wait to wear that this winter. I’d say fall, but in NC – I won’t want to wear long sleeves until November 😉 I think I have a short knit JJill dress, and I have a couple patterned dresses in black & white as well. I wear dresses (and sometimes skirts) almost every day to work from May – early October, so I don’t mind that my closet is dress-heavy – it’s what works for me. And that’s all that matters, right?
I was loving that rib knit splendid dress until you said racerback. Incredibly hard to find a racerback bra in DDD……All the ones I’ve found have been foam, and when you’re DDD, really, do you want more padding? I don’t.
absolutely that’s all that matters!! Whatever works….
ah, yes, racerback is a pain sometimes. i don’t even like having to worry about wearing a different bra LOL
how was your reunion weekend? were you happy with your sartorial choices??
Oh, what a great collection! Black dresses are all I want to wear right now. I am turning into Rachel Zoe or a member of the American Horror Story coven (I also wear only maxi). I don’t have enough black dresses though (four, I think). But I even wear my black skirts with black tops, so that the outfit is practically a dress.
I especially love the OAK dress on you. Such a great shape. I’m thinking of replicating it out of some black cotton or linen jersey. It might be more difficult to make than it looks, though.
Ah well you know I just realized that I ordered a black Eileen Fisher dress just this morning, but in my defense I was thinking of this as a printed dress. 😉
http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/eileen-fisher-petites-textured-stripe-shift-dress?ID=1364193&CategoryID=1004144&LinkType=#fn=spp%3D7%26ppp%3D96%26sp%3D2%26rid%3D%26spc%3D213
So I guess I black dresses being on my do not buy list are really just to put them in the category of “think really, really hard about this” and if it is a very unique black dress or really adds something to my wardrobe, then, maybe, I can get it. 🙂
oh!!!! yes, try to replicate it!!! you’d have some buyers here if you can do it and make more!! 😉
it’s actually almost like a caftan, like a rectangle with holes cut out for the arms, but with more details than that. it is a bit slimmer at the bottom and with a pleat at the neckline, but other than that, it really is a pretty basic style.
i LOVE black maxi dresses…love love love. if only i was taller so they looked a little better on me, but whatever!
Fun post! I have two black dresses– one that is a short-sleeve, knee length jersey dress that has a faux drape in the front that I love. It never wrinkles and is perfect for travel (can easily be dressed up or down). The other is a winter knit dress from Banana Republic that I got at the end of last season and never wore. I’m planning on wearing it with boots and tights this year.
LOVE that dress!!! but yeah, it’s black! 😉
you know, there are no “rules” here – and i think that’s a good approach – even if something is on your “do not buy” list, it doesn’t have to be final. just being more conscious about why and what you’re buying is a very good start !
Reunion was a blast, though I caught a stomach bug (and no, it’s not just a hangover as it’s lasted 4 days 😉 The black Eileen Fisher dress was perfect – nice fit with what my other classmates were wearing (but OMG the 5th years were hardly clothed – geez I’m old) On Friday, I looked cute in the skinny pants/long cardigane but it was too hot – I should have worn a dress instead of pants. Live and learn! But the dressiness was appropriate….
Ohhh, those dresses look fantastic!! I felt immediately that I need to get more black dresses, then remembered I have learnt that I feel most comfortable in jeans (rock chick styles????). I would like to expand my looks and think there might just be a black dress out there for me though!
I think I have two or three? I think having multiple black dresses is a-ok. Each dress has a different “job”, let’s say .. and so multiples are justified 🙂
Monica.
I got one black dress – for holiday parties. Which, if I had it my way – it would have been navy blue, but alas, it doesn’t come in navy blue.
I have a weird mix of summer shift dresses that are more casual, but I don’t really have any dresses that would be work appropriate unless I worked for Vineyard Vines or Lilly Pulitzer.
I would like to add in at least a few non-summery looking, simple dresses that could go from office to dinner out, but I get stuck at that point.
Right now, I don’t work in an office & all offices I have ever worked at prior – I wore scrubs. That’s why all my dresses are weekend casual stuff.
I did however order the linen short-sleeve top from Everlane today. That looks mighty up my alley!
Sidenote: Any insight or first-hand knowledge about the vintage totes made by either Whipping Post or ChicSparrow? Really digging the WP version.
oh, cool! hope you like the everlane linen tee, i like it even though the sleeves are a bit longer than i prefer. perfect for rolling though 😉
i don’t know anything about those totes, but i think someone here has a WP one? she might have commented on my madewell vs. made in the US leather tote post…
oh, you could find a good “rock chic” black dress i think…but there’s something to be said to sticking with what you’re comfortable with – don’t stray too far 🙂
Haha! I had to giggle when I saw the sleeves on the email from Everlane! That’s what initially sold me on the shirt, but I really like the cut of the shirt – looks perfect for my needs.
I love the AHS Coven reference? But do you have a wide-brimmed black hat to wear with your maxi dress?
I think we’re about the same height, Grechen, I’m 5’2″. I’ve always worn almost exclusively maxi skirts and dresses (started as issues with my legs and slowly became a personal style staple that I love) and I always thought I looked great in maxi, regardless of the “rules.”
Anyway, I have to tell you that I did go ahead and tried to replicate the dress quickly last night. I didn’t have any good knit fabric so I just used some regular woven linen. Navy, unfortunately, not black. I love how the dress turned out! It does have rather longer sleeves. I copied the top part from a blouse I had and traced the sleeves a little longer only because I’m afraid a bit of the floppiness/wideness of a short sleeve. Making the sleeves longer I could taper them down toward the end, so they are fitting better. I even narrowed the bottom of the dress a little to give it that interesting shape, but I avoided the pleat on the shoulder (I don’t know how to do that to look good.
It was a very simple project that I was thinking of doing anyway and I’m really happy with the result. It looks like one of those oversized Japanese linen designs. I would encourage anyone to try it, if they have a top with a dolman-type sleeve (where the sleeve is part of the bodice, not sewn to it) which can be used to copy the top part for the dress.
Amazing! I am always in awe of people with sewing skills! I can (barely) sew a straight line – forget measuring 😉 And that’s WITH having taken home ec in middle school and sort of learning basics along the way, and having a sewing machine….Some day! I guess I started gardening and then canning and am postponing learning to sew until later…. Actually, my husband is a better seamstress than I am, and last month I’d found directions for making a caftan and told him he needed to help me make one this summer. So we’ll see 😉
I love it!!! “Grechen’s life in black dresses.” They really are all different. I can totally understand why you love all of them.
I love them, too, but I only have three: A Wilt midi tank dress, a Karen Kane sheath, and a Karen Kane long-sleeved jersey Aline dress. One of them is going to go, and it’s not the Wilt midi tank. That’s my favorite!
I’m realizing that I really need something that’s more ME…a little bit Avant-Garde, free-form and fun. Black Crane, Nili Lotan, Eileen Fisher….it’s got the be drapey.
Cute! But yeah, pretty much black.
Brilliant, Lori! I can’t tell you how many times I look at pieces on Pinterest or Instagram and think, “I could make that SO easy!” The only trouble is, my old “New Home” machine is past refurbishing and I’ve got to find a new one, knowing that nothing will compare with the heft of my oldie but goodie! (I took tailoring in college during a brief stint as a Fashion Merchandising major. The best part of that mistake!) 🙂
Check out Free People for a boho/hippie Rock Chick look!
I’m building a minimal wardrobe and currently taking project 333. I have included 3 dresses and the 2 are black because they can give me so many options to style. One is of interesting minimal pattern and I plan to sew multiples in different colors.