Sometimes you have to just get back to the basics.

The weather here in New York has been all over the place – one day it’s sunny and high 40’s and the next 3 are rainy and freezing. On most mornings when I’m getting dressed I’ve been thinking: simple and easy. Nothing says that to me like a great pair of jeans and a monochromatic black and white look.

I figured it out early in life, but black and white will forever be my go to. They’re classic looking and in pieces like these you can re-wear them hundreds of times over in thousands of combinations. I had been looking for distressed jeans for the last 2 months unsuccessfully, so I was ecstatic when this black distressed pair fit like a glove. After one wash they were snug in all the right places and the perfect length, which never ever happens. I paired them with this twist on a simple black blouse (how fun are the shoulders?!) and a boyfriend blazer. The best thing about the fact that this blazer is also petite is that I don’t look like I’m swimming in it.

I usually spend so much money at the tailor taking in pieces here and there and getting things hemmed that it’s such a welcome relief to be able to shop directly off the rack for my height and proportions. It’s usually not much, but that little bit goes such a long way in my clothes looking like they’re right for me.

Other pieces that can be tough for me to find with the right sleeve length or overall length are trench coats and maxi dresses. I love this light trench coat that hits me just right length wise and in the arms, and this beautiful off the shoulder dress will be mine for spring!

This outfit is perfect for a day at the office followed by dinner with friends or a date night. You can also easily swap out the heels for flats during the day, too if that’s more your style. With Valentine’s Day around the corner it’s also a great alternative to wearing red and pink if you’re like me and barely own any of those two colors.

In case you missed it: New Year’s Closet Cleanout and 2017 Travel Plans

SHOP THE POST

BOYFRIEND JACKET (in petite) c/o • LACE UP SHOULDER BLOUSE (in petite) c/o • DISTRESSED MID-RISE JEANS (in petite) c/o • HEELS • ALEXANDER WANG BAG

Photos by Marisa Plescia

This post was in partnership with Express! As always, all opinions are my own :)