For years I would have told you that the last thing I wanted to wear was a black shirt – of any sort. I felt sorry for women whose wardrobe seemed to consist of only black shirts that she would wear with capri pants and everything else.

I thought dressing in black signified something dreadful – a person trying but never succeeding at being an artist.  A dilettante was something I never wanted to be and those artists dressed in black seemed devoid of a sense of humor and real talent.

But there is another factor. Look at me – I am about as white as you can get. I do not tan in the summer, just a little more red. And with my dark hair I tend to take on  an even paler look to the skin. In black I look near dead. While vampires are all the rage right now, I do not want to look like one. At All.

Eddie Bauer Black Tee

I cannot believe I am going to admit this in public but I might have been wrong.

Black may not be such a bad choice for me to wear.

What happened is that my Mom had picked up some clothes for me and one of the things was a black tee shirt. A short sleeve, scoop neck tee shirt.

First of all it is a size large. I have not worn a large for years. I have made inroads on that weight loss challenge and I am within 10 pounds of my initial weight loss goal. Which means I am starting to fit in clothes that I used to wear. And then this shirt turned up.

It looks great on me. The scoop neckline allows fun jewelry but keeps my face from being cut off. The short sleeves help as well.

The other great part is the versatility of the shirt.  I can wear with jeans or a skirt or belted with an office skirt. The look is simple and easy as well as easily elegant. As a mom who works in an office and must be ready to switch roles at a moment’s notice, this has become a great wardrobe staple.

Which is not to say I am getting rid of my other colored shirts or bottoms. Having those other colors helps me feel good on cloudy or grey days. And there is no way I am ever buying a black turtleneck. However, anytime I go to the Cell I now know I have an instant outfit with my short denim skirt that is the right thing to wear – no matter what.

 

 

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