This ensemble was inspired by the fab black and white tunics I saw at AllSaints a few weeks ago, like the Flora Mortis T-shirt, Decadence top and Emi Fressia dress. It’s also a look that works for some of my clients — hard edge with a touch of feminine softness. The hard edge is achieved by incorporating an almost all black look from head to toe with some leather, hardware and chunky shoes. The softness is achieved by incorporating unstructured tunics in soft drapey fabrics like silk and combed cotton blends, touches of white, and in some cases a more daintier and prettier shoe. 

Here are the components of the outfit formula: 

Bottoms: Think black leather or pleather jeggings or pants. Mixed media options are also good. Skinny ponte pants with zipper detailing are another way to go. Or stick to black skinny jeans. 

Tops: You’re after relatively unstructured tunics or short dresses to wear untucked over the slim-fit black bottoms. Keep the fabrics soft, drapey and pretty to contrast against the harshness of the rest of the outfit. The soft fabric of the top provides further textural interest. Choose solid black, or black and white patterns. 

Topper: A topper is not essential, but a black moto jacket in leather or pleather is the first option. Non-leather black motos in cotton or ponte knit are a more comfortable option with a little less edge. A cropped black tuxedo jacket could also work, as could a dark blue denim jacket or mixed media black and blue denim jacket. 

Footwear: Black shoes are key to keeping the look all black or almost all black. Chunky sandals, booties, cut-out booties, Birkenstocks or peep-toe booties are fab for an extra hard edge, especially if they have some hardware. Think black pumps, wedge sandals, mules or gladiators for daintier shoe options. 

Accessories: You’re after a black clutch, satchel, bowling bag or upscale backpack. Personally, I like the idea of hardware on the bag to break up the monotony of an all black ensemble. Black patent is another way to introduce textural interest. Finish off the outfit with jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired. 

I wouldn’t wear these outfits because they feel too black and hard edged for this leg of my style journey. But I’d happily wear the tops and black moto with white skinny jeans and white or metallic shoes to further soften the look to suit my current style sensibilities.

As a devoted fan of the forever versatile button-down, I enjoyed reading Lauren Laverne’s take on why it’s worth investing in a decent shirt.

Jess Cartner-Morley over at The Guardian has tips on how the wear the white shirt that thinks it’s a T.

I also had fun browsing these shirt roundups and inspiration posts:

• Harper’s Bazaar’s How to Wear Spring’s New Shirt.
• Who What Wear shows us how designers styled the shirt on Spring runways.
• The Telegraph has selected ten 100% cotton shirts for us.
• Glamour picked seven blue button-downs for work and weekend.
• Street style photos of shirts with an androgynous touch over at Front Row.

Fab Links from Our Members

JillG points us to this interesting post on the Vivienne Files about calculating optimal wardrobe size.

Shoes really do have an expiration date. Laurinda was surprised to learn that injection-molded polyurethane soles — as comfortable as they are — only have an expected lifetime of 4-5 years.

This article about the deadliest fashion trends throughout history makes Isabel feel so grateful for 2014.

While Vildy doesn’t agree with all of Danielle Meder’s points, she enjoyed reading her post on silhouettes and signals that compares the current top heavy silhouette with the slouchier ’70s style bottom heavy silhouette.

Angie enjoyed browsing through six pages of avant-garde designers at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Deb would love to visit the London Garden Museum. They are currently having an exhibition about Fashion & Gardens and how seasonal cycles affect both.

T-Magazine discusses the feminine side of men’s fashion. Vicki adds that she wouldn’t mind wearing a few of these designs herself.

Anna thought this was an interesting analysis of Atlantic-Pacific’s Blair Eadie’s success.

As a Mum of a teenage girl, Ummlila found this article on ugly selfies fascinating. For her daughter, she says, “it’s all about owning your look whether beautiful (which she is) or not (she can make some horrifying faces when she wants to)”.

Diane recommends checking out Catherine’s tips for taking outfit photos with a point-and-shoot camera.

Jules would like to share this article on who is designing and manufacturing the large volumes of fast fashion garments in the US.

Here is the outfit that inspired last week’s flared jeans ensemble. I wore it out to dinner a few weeks ago on a dry and sunny Seattle Spring day. The flared jeans have a casual bohemian ‘70s vibe, which is not my usual style preference. So making them work with my style descriptor — modern, crisp, dressy, bold and simple  — is key. 

It’s a very simple outfit. Jeans, untucked pullover, pumps, coat and clutch. No belt, tucked top, layers or jewellery, unless you count my green specs. Not only is the outfit combination simple, but the individual items are simple because the silhouettes lack bells and whistles. The lines on the garments are clean which makes the luxurious fabric and craftsmanship of the pieces stand out even more. This is where I’m at on this leg of my style journey. I’m choosing even simpler designs so that the quality and clean lines of the pieces that I wear make a stronger statement. 

I often suggest adding a wild card to your shopping list, just for fun. An item that is atypical for your style persona but speaks to you in some way. These new J Brand Love Story Jeans are my wild card for the season, and add a new denim silhouette to my jeans capsule. I’m an ‘80s tapered leg jeans gal who favours straight legs and boyfriend jeans over all other styles. Although I love wearing dressy bootcut and wider trousers, I do not like wearing bootcut jeans. I tried the newer baby bootcut styles that were less wide at the hems, but didn’t like the break line over low heels. Then, on an absolute whim, I tried jeans with a more dramatic flare and instantly fell in love. It helps that Greg loves them too. 

I prefer the wide flare on these jeans because they drape so well over low heeled pointy toe pumps. The break line looks polished and the proportions more elegant to my eye. I like to wear flares at floor sweeping lengths, which to some might look too long. As Queen Pedantic About Pant Lengths I am non-negotiable about this length. The hems must almost skim the surface of the ground. To my eye, anything shorter is too short and anything longer is too long. 

I bought the sparkly ink blue Marc Jacobs pullover when we were on holiday in Las Vegas last year. It’s very delicate and sheer so I have to wear a tank underneath. I like the juxtaposition of the dressy sparkle with the faded denim. The fluid fit is on trend, while the welt provides structure. The snug fit on the thighs of the jeans provide further structure and balance out the width of the flare. I left the top untucked because that’s how I like it best. This does shorten my leg line, especially since the top is high contrast against the jeans. Wearing a tucked top with a belt would visually lengthen the leg line. But I’m going with just flattering enough and leaving it at that. 

Spring in Seattle is chilly, so a Spring coat makes sense. My shocking pink man coat works just as well in Spring as it does in Winter, and adds a bright bold touch to the outfit. I found that I like my flared jeans best with a short jacket like a moto, cropped tuxedo jacket and cropped boxy peacoat. Or with a long knee-length coat. The in-between classic blazer lengths don’t work quite as well with the lines of the flares, nor do they feel as modern when paired with this retro style of jean. 

I finished off the look with low-heeled white pumps and a clutch to emphasize the crisp and modern. High heels are not an option for me, so a two inch heel will have to do when wearing flares. Closed pointy toes are hands down the best pairing for flares to my eye because the peek of toe box is just right. It elongates the line of the jeans and looks pretty. The flares cover up most of the shoe so you need to love the pointy part of the shoes. I’m also wearing nude knee-highs to keep my legs warm. Specs, watch and wedding ring are all I need in the accessory department. I accidentally left off my wedding ring for this photo shoot, but of course wore it out to dinner with the outfit. 

The outfit looks nice in motion because the flared hems swing a little as I stride, as do the fronts of the man coat. The flared hems worn at this length have not hindered my ability to walk fast, which is an added bonus. That means I can wear these jeans on shopping days with clients. But they are reserved for dry days because soggy hems are awfully unpleasant.

Fluid fits have become completely mainstream. In fact it’s harder to find a top in a body con or tailored fit at the moment than one that is not defined at the waist. Wow. How fashion has changed. The majority of tops were formfitting as recently as three years ago, which made the cling factor particularly problematic. I’m thrilled that fashion has moved on and provided us with more wearable options. 

• Elie Tahari Kennedy Stretch Silk Top: A chic and subtle snake print. Gorgeous over a pencil skirt or pair of trousers for work. Or fun with jeans and a pair of heels. 
• Maje Egoiste Crop Sweater: I have my eye on this cropped sweater. Although it’s grey, which is not my best colour, it’s marbled with white which livens up the shade against my skin tone. Fab layered over a white button-down shirt. Pair with roomy trousers or jeans, or a skirt. Impeccable quality and runs small. 
• Halogen Short Sleeve Sweatshirt: The new shape short sleeve is coming through. This ‘80s flashback looked better on my clients than on the model. Casual and quite refreshing. It also looked good dressed up with a statement bib necklace, pencil skirt and heels. 
• Michael Kors Modern Eyelet Tunic (Plus): Causally chic and pretty with straight leg or bootcut jeans. Needs a cami. Read the rave reviews.
• Club Monaco Celeste Foil Print Sweater: It’s much shinier in person. Excellent over a white column of colour, and breezy in hot weather. 
• Club Monaco Evangeline Sweater: The fit and drape of this pullover is sublime. It’s quite tailored, yet very forgiving. The photo does not do it justice, but the hemline is asymmetric, curved and interesting. The neckline works well on a short and long neck because boat necks are magical that way. Beautiful quality and runs small.
• AllSaints Trente Shirt: For Team Buttoned Up. Excellent on a straighter body type. It’s one of the few tops at AllSaints that I would wear myself. Gorgeous quality and sleeve detail. Perfect over sleek black trousers.
• AllSaints Amarilli Flora Top: Beautiful paired over black or white bottoms. Modern and breezy. 
• AllSaints Flora Mortis T-Shirt: Here’s a similar concept in a jersey knit which is cheaper and easier to launder than silk. 
• AllSaints Decadence Top: The roomier diagonal sleeve is more conventionally flattering than a tight cap sleeve. Fun on its own or layered with a moto. 
• AllSaints Emi Fressia Dress: A short mixed media dress that works really well as a tunic. The V-neck is great on a  larger bust, short neck and broader shoulder. Luxurious fabric. Fun layered over a button-down shirt too. 
• Loft Stripe Tuxedo Softened Shirt: Extremely lightweight and soft. The tuxedo detailing provides added interest. 
• Loft Big Dot Softened Shirt: Also lightweight and soft. Feels like linen but is cotton-rich. 
• J.Crew Lace Sleeve Sweatshirt: Pretty, textured, and I’m loving the short sleeves on upscale sweatshirts. The lace parts are hard but not scratchy. 
• Zara Sweater with Printed Front: A Spring floral to wear with black trousers or a pencil skirt. 
• Zara Combined T-Shirt With Fine Pleats: A different silhouette that poufs out a lot from the side view, so consider yourself warned. Still, it’s a fun voluminous look to wear over faded jeans or shorts.
• Tibi Sierra Scoop Neck Top: Fluid, pretty and abstract. Wear over roomy bottoms, bootcut trousers, a pencil skirt or trumpet skirt. 

Although there is ample colour in stores for Spring, there is also an abundance of neutrals. Personally, I love seeing shop floors full of ink blue, taupe and shades of white at this time of year, which is a palette going down particularly well with my clients.