Woman in a violet taffeta draped top with puff sleeves and a black pleated faux leather midi skirt in a painting studio

Satin and slip · Spring · Autumn

Violet taffeta draped top and pleated faux leather skirt

A draped violet taffeta top with cropped puff sleeves over a black pleated faux leather midi skirt with a ruffle panel, in an artist's studio.

A top in violet taffeta, draped from one shoulder across the body with a boat neck and cropped puff sleeves that balloon and then stop at the elbow in a tight cuff. The skirt is black faux leather, knife-pleated from a flat waistband to just below the knee, with a single soft ruffle panel falling down one side to break the pleats.

It is the easiest pairing in the file: one loud top, one disciplined skirt, both with volume in different places. Spring and autumn, any daylight occasion that wants a bit of architecture: a gallery, an office with a sense of humour, a lunch that runs long. Flat shoes or a low block heel keep it from tipping into evening. No tights until it is genuinely cold, and then black ones.

Purple is a colour. I checked.

the pieces

  • Violet taffeta draped top with puff sleevesshirt · silk · violet
  • Black knife-pleated faux leather midi skirtmidi skirt · faux leather · black

similar pieces

  • Violet taffeta draped top with puff sleevesfind similaramazon
  • Black knife-pleated faux leather midi skirtfind similaramazon

Links may earn a commission. Dahlia's clothes don't exist; these are the closest things that do.

styling notes

  • Tuck the top fully; the skirt waistband is the line
  • Flat shoe or low block heel in daylight
  • Hang the taffeta; it remembers every fold

palette

Black#161616 Cobalt#4C4A9C Navy#35336E

details

Satin and slipSpringAutumnDaytimeCoffeeOfficePlayfulSharpFaux leatherSilkShirtMidi skirtHomeRufflePuff sleevePleated

wearabilitycloser to street

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