Black & Blue

Ok, I am an equal opportunity blogger, so I am directing this post towards both sexes...

This issue of black being worn with navy is my #1 pet peeve. Although I thought that this issue was cleared up with the invention of the wheel, apparently, some people missed the bus.

This one's for the boys: Black is appropriate AS AN ACCESSORY, most notably, a shoe, with navy suits. In fact, it is the best bet, unless you have some very dark brown, Italian leather shoes that are too powerful and sexy to resist.

All my ladies: Never wear black & navy blue separates, such as a navy sweater with black pants or skirts. Please. I am begging you. I promise, despite what your best friend (who should be fired) or your mother (who is biologically obligated to love you) may say, it does not look good. Now, there is an exception in the form of denim, but it better be denim, don't try to sneak some navy cords past me. Just because they have rivets, this doesn't make them denim.

Color me confused: There are several shades of blue, so I am not saying that no shade of blue will pair with black, but be careful. When it comes to dark shades of blue, I'm a proponent of pairing white. It's so nautical and Jackie O! Take into consideration your skin tone: If you are a "cool" skin-tone, go with inky, dark navys. If you are a "warm" skin-tone, go with bright navys. If you are having trouble identifying the difference between the navys, your local fabric store can be your best friend. Just do a little side by side. We've all become experts at comparison. We've been comparing current boyfriends to ex-boyfriends for years, so comparing fabric will be a breeze.

Rock your body: If you are busty, but tiny on the bottom (Dolly Parton style), wear the navy or dark blue shirt, and white or light colored pants. If you have a little bit of junk in your trunk (J.Lo style) avoid the white pants, and go for the white top. Wear the navy in a pant or skirt. It will balance your figure.

On a separate note: this is just one fashionista's opinion, but be careful when choosing navy suits as a woman. First and foremost, navy conveys a friendliness that works well for men in a business atmosphere, but can undermine a woman's ability to be powerful or aggressive in the workplace. Great perhaps for the interview, not so much for the promotion. In addition, navy suits, if you have your heart set on one, should be an investment. Black hides everything, but navy, it can look cheap if it is cheap. So consider this when building your professional wardrobe. I have a great pair of navy slacks, and I often pair them with a light colored cashmere sweater.