Outfits made up entirely of black components from head to toe are not my cup of tea. The effect can be very severe, lifeless, dull and, dare I say it, aging. To my eye this spells unattractive, especially when black is not your colour. I even prefer a little black dress worn with a non-black shoe and bag, be it a bright, muted shade or another shade of neutral. 

I much, much prefer the look of an outfit that is almost black from head to toe. That is, when the black is broken up by very small doses of another (low or high contrasting) colour or neutral AND when the black items are texture-rich. By texture-rich, I mean mixing up black fabrications like leather, quilting, wool, lace, tulle, tweed, satin, faux fur, sequins, suede, moleskin, waxed denim, lurex, embroidery, velvet, chiffon and patent. 

These pictures perfectly illustrate outfits that are almost black from head to toe. The black is broken up in several subtle ways, thereby successfully giving the look a lively lift. A white collar, a few colourful beads, a hint of pattern, a non-black neutral embellishment, or sheer fabrication that showcases skin tone. Combining black with dark charcoal or ink blue so that the effect is still very dark, but not overwhelmingly black, is another way to go. As is breaking up a black top and bottom with a non-black belt, bag or shoes. Non-black eyewear can also be effective.  

Black will always be a fashionable colour because it’s slimming, chic, sophisticated, powerful and uber cool. Black items definitely live up to their stylish reputation, which is why I have plenty of them in my wardrobe. But when it comes to wearing black from head to toe, I prefer the “almost black from head to toe” route by about a billion percent. A little non-black addition goes a long way to soften and liven up the ensemble.  

Discussing all black and almost all black outfits seems highly appropriate for Halloween, so onto the comment section. Do you like the look of all black outfits, or do you prefer the outfits that are almost all black similar to the combinations shown above. If you don’t wear either look, which one do you prefer on others?

Booties and shooties can be worn with just about any outfit these days, and year round too. The snug fit around the ankle is the aspect of these styles that I like most. 

Calvin Klein Nadina: If you’re looking for a dressy shootie with a refined elegant edge and can sport a three and a half inch heel, try this wedge. Although it’s far too high for me, I found the fit quite comfortable. It would actually make a good “sitting shootie”. It comes in six colour variations and runs true to size. Read the rave reviews. 

Calvin Klein Jenny: A simple and comfortable metallic shootie with a ladylike look is hard to find. This style fits the bill and is great for career wear. The description states that the heel height is three and half inches, yet it’s under three inches in my book. Size up half a size. 

Studio Pollini Lace-up: Essentially a heeled oxford which I have not seen in person, but it’s a fun shoe with a stable heel. Loving the zebra pint. 

Zodiac USA Italia: Our forum members are raving about this bootie because it is cushioning, affordable, fits like a glove, and is pretty versatile in black patent. More rugged and casual options are available in shades of brown. The walkable two and half inch heel is another selling point. 

I’m thrilled to see comfy bootie and shootie options with lower heels and a more refined and dressier integrity this season. We needed a wider assortment because retail has been oversupplying the market with high heels and rugged, chunky looks for years. Style diversity is best.

Petite, regular or tall clothing sizes are sized for your height, and the length of your limbs, torso and rise. The retail industry has created these size options by using a set of assumptions based on classifications of short, tall and regular height for women. For example, women who are around 5 foot three inches or shorter are thought of as “petite”. Women who are between 5′ 5″ and 5′ 7″ are thought of as “regular” height. Women who are 5′ 8″ and taller are “tall”. 

The beauty of these specialized clothing sizes lies in the cut. The sizing increments within one of the departments do increase the lengths a little, but they have far more impact on width measurements. The petite and tall departments, on the other hand, are all about lengths: the inseams and rises of bottoms, and the sleeve length and torso length of tops.

That said, there are also many exceptions to the petite-regular-tall sizing cut-off points, which means that shopping strictly according to your height does not guarantee a great fit. Here are some examples from my experiences with clients.

• I have several 5′ 2″ clients who seldom shop in the petite department because they have longer arms, broader shoulders, and a regular length torso. As a result, the petite options do not fit at all. Some of these clients might shop in the petite department for bottoms because those dimensions fit better. Or they’ll wear regular bottoms and have the inseams shortened.
• I also have 5′ 5″ and 5′ 7″ clients who shop in the petites department for tops, jackets and coats because they have relatively short torsos and arms for their height. Some 5′ 3″ and 5′ 4″ clients are on the cusp and “between departments”. Petite length clothing is often too short, while regular is too long. They usually shop regular sizes and have items altered. 
• Clients who are 5′ 8″ or taller generally need bottoms in “tall” sizes for extra length when the items aren’t long to start off with. Most of my tall clients get their tops, dresses, jackets and coats in regular sizes. This is because their height is in their legs, and not in their torso and arms. My clients who are 6′ and taller wear a tall size on top too. 
• Wearing high heels with bootcuts and flared leg trousers and jeans styles requires longer hem lengths. So I have 5′ 6″ and 5′ 7″ clients who purchase tall bottoms because they are particularly long in the leg and like to wear very high heels. 

There are also times when you can purchase an item in a particular size to manipulate the fit. For example, as a regular size you might get an extra-short petite top to wear over a flared skirt. Or as a petite you might get a regular sized sweater to create a longer and more relaxed look.

Finally, my clients who wear a size 14P and 16P have a hard time because those sizes are in extremely short supply, while sizes 14 and 16 in regular and tall sizes are a lot more common. Shopping in the regular plus size department when your proportions are short is not ideal unless those items are cut short to start off with. Here is a business opportunity for the retail industry. Supply customers with sizes 14P and 16P and see your sales soar! My hat off and a big thank you to the Nordstrom petite department for being one of the few retailers who regularly stock sizes 14P, 16P and 18P. 

At 5′ 6″ I shop regular sizes. Petites are always too short and talls are too long. I do find that with relatively long arms for my height, sleeves can unfortunately run short. But certain brands cut their sleeves longer and that’s how I solve that problem. Also, scrunching sleeves works like a charm when they are too short.

Let us know about your sizing experiences. Are you a petite, regular or tall person who shops in those respective departments? Or do you shop across a few departments despite your height and proportions. Are you in-between clothing departments and perpetually frustrated that proportions are either too short or too long?

As we ramp up for the holiday season, let’s talk lace versus sequins. You do NOT need to like entire garments made of lace or sequins in order to bat for one of these teams. It’s fine if you fancy lace and sequins as trims on clothing, footwear and accessories. 

I’m on Team Lace all the way. Lace is so Chanel and Valentino, which speaks to my style soul. I have three lace tops, and I’ve had the perfect lace skirt on my shopping list for years. I almost bought a pair of long lace shorts and would love a pair of lace trousers and a lace dress. I also like lace insets on clothing. I do not own anything with a sequin on it now that I have passed on my sequin dress. That’s odd because I like sequins, and almost bought a pair of sequin trousers last year. I guess I ended up purchasing an item made of shiny Lurex thread or lace instead of sequins.

Over to you. Are you on Team Lace or Team Sequins? If you like both, or neither, you’ll sit this one out on the bench with cherry pie and tea.