Woman in a black silk shantung top with tiered ruffle shoulders and black wide-leg trousers standing in a concrete gallery
in motion: Black shantung ruffle-shoulder top with wide-leg trousers in motion: Black shantung ruffle-shoulder top with wide-leg trousers

All black · All season

Black shantung ruffle-shoulder top with wide-leg trousers

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The shoulders arrive first. A black silk shantung top with tiered ruffles standing off both shoulders, tucked into black wool wide-leg trousers, on square-toe platform heels. I answer messages three days late. The ruffles are never late. Wear it to a gallery and stand near the concrete.

A fitted black silk shantung top with tiered ruffles standing off both shoulders, over plain wide-leg trousers and platform heels, in a concrete gallery.

The top is a fitted black silk shantung with a high round neck and a short peplum hem, and it would be quiet if not for the shoulders: three tiers of stiff ruffles that stand straight out on each side like folded paper. The fabric has enough body to hold the shape without wire. The trousers are plain black wool, high-waisted and wide, with a pressed crease and no pockets showing. Black platform heels, square-toed, finish it without adding a second idea.

All-black lets the silhouette do the talking, which is why the rest stays flat: hair straight and centre-parted, small hoops, the black smartwatch and the bead bracelet. It works year-round because the sleeves are short and the trousers are not; add a long black coat in winter and drop it at the door. Dinner, an opening, a serious office on a serious day.

The shoulders enter the room first. The rest of me follows at a reasonable distance.

the pieces

  • Black silk shantung top with tiered ruffle shouldersshirt · silk · black
  • Black wool high-waisted wide-leg trouserswide leg trousers · wool · black
  • Black square-toe platform heelsheels · leather · black

similar pieces

  • Black silk shantung top with tiered ruffle shouldersfind similaramazon
  • Black wool high-waisted wide-leg trousersfind similaramazon
  • Black square-toe platform heelsfind similaramazon

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styling notes

  • Tuck the top so the peplum sits over the waistband
  • Hair straight, kept off the ruffles
  • A long black coat in winter, removed indoors

palette

Black#101111 Charcoal#2C2D2B Gunmetal#666867

details

All blackAll seasonDinnerEventOfficeDark glamSharpWoolSilkWide-leg trousersShirtHeelsIndustrialRufflePuff sleeveHigh waistFitted

wearabilitysomewhere in between

get looks like this once a month

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