The Top 5 Black Clothing Essentials ALL Women Need In Their Closet:

I realized once I entered the workforce my wardrobe needed a slight makeover.  It’s not so much that I wanted to toss any of my little Lily P. sundresses (I love fun prints and bright colors as much as the next gal), but when I decided to move to NYC to work in advertising, those summer style dresses didn’t exactly cut it in the harsh colder climate – or sharing the halls of Condé Nast with fashionista editors @ Vogue, GQ, Glamour, and of course Vanity Fair.

[pullquote width=”250″ float=”left”]As you know, I hate shopping,” said No One Ever![/pullquote]

I delighted in building up my closet with some basics.  In fact, I actually grew extremely fond of black.  Anything black.  It didn’t matter if it was from the clearance rack at Target or the Tory Burch sample sale, if it was black, I was immediately drawn to it as another classic essential in my go-to clothing arsenal.

So although I’m back in the south where it’s 70+ degrees 9 months out of the year, my love of all things black has yet to diminish.  And with that being said, I wanted to share my go-to Top 5 Black Clothing Essentials.  These are some favorite pieces in my closet that pull me through any indecisive morning when I’m in a hurry.  They truly are the workhorses in my closet because I can mix and match any of these with pops of color to create multiple looks from such simple starts.

1. Pixie Pant by J.Crew: They come in Black, Navy, and Charcoal (I’ll admit, I’ve got multiples of each color!) – With options for “tall”, “girls” and “maternity” too!  The best part is that these are made of a thick enough knit so that you’re not running around looking like you’ve got leggings on. They are great with ballet flats or tall boots, and J.Crew does a great job keeping them in stock on their site.  These pants aren’t brand spanking new, I’ve been wearing them for a couple years now, but  I won’t lie – I live in these pants, and they had to be on this list.

Now a little sneaky alternative that I found, was you can get an almost identical Factory Gigi Pant from J.Crew’s Factory Store – the main difference (other than the price cut) is with the zipper positioning, which is on the side of the Gigi instead of the back of the Pixie Pant.

2. Roberto Cavalli Black Sunglasses: As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the importance of protecting my eyes.  So the best way to do this and stay stylish is to invest in a staple like these shades.  They are dark enough to prevent you from squinting and they have 100% UV protection.  Plus, this gives you options for next Halloween – I’m thinking a little Breakfast @ Tiffany’s action???

3. Trean Jacket in Betoken by Theory:  While I’ll go ahead and tell you, this is the newer version of my go-to black blazer – I still think Theory has the best options for taller gals like me.  This one’s a single button wool stretch fabric. Pretty much all of the clothes I’ve picked up from Theory fit my longer torso perfectly… which is great because I prefer longer shirts, jackets, etc. that extend beyond my waist.

4. Favian Leather Pumps by Ann Taylor: What can I say… basic black pumps are essential.  I have a few pairs in slightly different styles, but these are my most versatile and comfortable (as much as heels can be).

5. Black & Taupe Prayer Shawl by World Market:  If you don’t have a World Market near you, I’m sad for you b/c it’s really one of my favorite spots for home furnishings (good thing they’ve got a website!)… but it just so happens to also carry a fairly wide variety of different scarves, shawls, and jewelry with a very eclectic world travel vibe.  This is my favorite scarf, that no only keeps me warm with such a super light fabric hanging around my neck… the neutral colors really give this thing versatility.

So that’s the list of my current the Top 5 Black Clothing Essentials that get me through the year. Each of these pieces are perfect for year round use, so don’t feel bad if you end up picking up that extra pair of Pixie Pants – I’m confident you’ll put them to good use!