Fashionista friends, welcome to Ageless Style 05.2025: BNW. Today’s prompt comes to us from Marsha at Marsha in the Middle. I have never been a big fan of wearing black but since my hair has gone salt and pepper, I find that black is a better color for me. Still don’t reach for it often, though, with all the kitty fur flying around out house.
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Ageless Style 05.2025
When I learned that we were styling black and white, I thought I’d just dig through some old photos for find shots of a favorite BNW outfit I wear in the spring and summer. It features one of my favorite outfit formulas: tee + kimon + jeans.
There are a couple of things I like about this look. It is comfy, first and foremost. And easy. But I also think the pattern-mixing makes it fun. And adding the black flats dresses it up while switching them out for white tennies would make this more casual. This is a great substitute teaching outfit formula but works well for running errands and even date night. In fact, I wore this formula to sub this afternoon for third grade.
For dressy night on our cruise I wore a kind of black and white outfit. Black jumpsuit with lace long sleeves, black sequin jacket and black peep-toe heels with pearl jewelry. Make that ‘pearl’ jewelry. And when I got them in bright light on the ship, I was shocked to see that my ‘pearls’ were all different shades of ‘pearl’. Need to take my favorite ‘pearl’ necklace out shopping to find ‘pearl’ earrings that match it better.
Black and White
Typing that made me think of the old joke we used to tell as kids.
What’s black and white and ‘red’ all over??
A newspaper.
Except that jokes no longer holds true and really dates me. When is the last time you read a newspaper?? I used to try to sneak a glimpse at the headlines of our local newspaper whenever I was in Walmart. But haven’t sat down to read a newspaper in years.
Sorry, I squirreled. Where were we? Oh, yes, black and white outfits.
Last week our afternoon and evening temps were chillier than average. On Tuesday we had our writing group meeting. I turned to another of my favorite outfit formulas: tee + blazer + jeans. Used black and white pieces and threw in a little pattern-mixing for kicks.
Paired my black and white striped tee (Amazon) with an old, lightweight black and white plaid blazer and wide leg black jeans (Old Navy?).
Slipped into my silver metallic mules (Walmart) and felt put together but comfortable. Added a skinny silver metallic and black sparkly belt I didn’t remember I had. Nice to find surprises like that in the closet.
We arrived at the meeting about 15 minutes early so I gently persuaded PC to take a few photos of this outfit for me. Wore simple ‘pearl’ studs and a silver and pearl brooch that was my mom’s.
My daughter introduced me to the Amazon Essential Tees. They come in 2- and 4-packs with over 20 color combinations. Are generously sized, classic fit and a cotton blend so they don’t shrink. Best of all, they are a longer length. It seems many tops these days are cropped and boxy – a trend that is not flattering on this 67-year-old Gabba. These tee shirts are a great buy. Check them out, here.
Popular Looks on “People”
Somehow I have gotten signed up to receive emails from People magazine. Lucky me!! Today’s email featured an article showcasing Jennifer Aniston wearing “this season’s easiest outfit” [source]. Hanes Essential Tee + Angel’s Forever Straight Crop Jeans + taupe suede clogs + black crossbody bag.
My kinda outfit. In my email from People, Aniston threw on a blazer to ‘dress things up.’ Great minds, huh? Just like my friend, Kate, featured in another recent email from People.
When we were all dressed up for dinner one evening on our cruise, the cutest little grandmas commented on our outfits. Grandmas slightly more grandmotherly than I. They offered to take our picture and even gave me suggestions for posing. I am always sooooo uncomfortable in front of the camera unless I am acting goofy. The grandmas told me I needed to be doing something in my photos.
I took that to heart…
My Gal Pals
These are the gals that make Ageless Style happen each month. Hope you will pop in to check their looks.
Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits
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Bo ~ Bo’s Bodacious Blog
Blog / Instagram /Pinterest / Bloglovin’
Joanne ~ My Slice of Life
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie ~ Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After
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Marsha~ Marsha in the Middle
Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom
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Jennifer ~ Overflowing with Thankfulness
Your Turn
Thank you for stopping by, my friends. Mark your calendars for our next Ageless Style post, 06.12.2025, for which Mireille has suggested we style tropical prints. How ’bout breaking out yours and joining us?
Make your Thursday a good day.
Hugs and kisses,
You have a great style, so great that Jen and Kate are copying you 😉 It is a style which suits you to a ‘tee’! Your black outfit for your cruise was fabulous, I think PC needs to take you to more fancy places so that you can wear it more often!
You have such style! I love it!!
You are a doll. Thank you so much.
I used old photos on my blog post too, and I agree about black being a lint collector! I love the dressy outfit you wore on your cruise.
I like how black is slimming but it does collect dust!
I had so many outfits to share too! It’s a classic combo and we all have lots of fun inspiration to share.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Your lacey jumpsuit is stunning! Wow! That was a perfect outfit to pack for your cruise. I also like that you added pearls, something I don’t take out nearly as much as I should and they are so pretty and really timeless. I’ve been searching to replace my white & black (or navy) tee and have had the most difficult time finding one I like, so i am going to see if the Amazon tees you mention are on the Canadian site as well. Thanks for the tip.
bosbodaciousblog.blogspot.ca
Thank you so much. I have real pearls but worry about wearing them and I need to get over that. I am finally over ‘saving’ perfume and candles for a special occasion. Now to break out the pearls. But I lost a pearl – no, ‘pearl’ earring on the cruise so I was thankful it was one of the pearls that comes from Walmart and not the sea.
Hope you can find the Amazon tees. They are comfortable, good quality and affordable.
These black and white prints do look great with your hair! The plaid blazer is a real stand-out piece that looks amazing with your hair. Beautiful and harmonious looks!
Thank you so much, Sally. Oooo, I like the word ‘harmonious’. Have struggled all my life to find harmony!!
Its such a classic look. I have the hardest time keeping white WHITE & black always has dog hair on it LOL
So I stick with the middle – lots of GRAY LOL
Mine always has kitty fur!! I really detest wearing black because I wind up looking like a human cat. I should probably look into wearing more gray, too!! You make me laugh. Thank you.
I think most people are team black or not team black. But, I agree with you that our coloring changes so much as we get more years behind us! Colors I used to swear by make me look like death!
Loved all these looks, especially the one from the cruise! Isn’t it fun being the youngest of the oldsters?
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Thank you so much!! I have never ever been Team Black because I just love color. But, as you suggested, things change when our coloring changes over the years. I have never had my colors done and would like to have someone do them for me because I when I do them, I can’t tell which ones look best!! You’d think I was colorblind.
Thank you. I loved getting dressed up on the cruise. Now we need to take more cruises so we can get more use out of our go-to-meeting clothes.
You have lots of great black and white outfits here. I definitely love the versatility of the first outfit you shared and keep thinking I need to add a few more kimonos to my wardrobe as they really are a fabulous 3rd piece. That cruise outfit is gorgeous!
YES, girl, YES!! Get some more kimonos. I remember that you do wear them, like I do. Never can have too many in my book. Ha!! PC might argue. They always make my tee + jeans outfits look a little more feminine and put together. Thank you so much. I loved my JCPenney jumpsuit and the sequin jacket. We need to take another cruise so I can wear them again.
Oh, I just love the blazer and the print mixing that you’ve done.
And you don’t need to go pearl earring shopping,..it’s nice when they don’t match exactly…it’s way more interesting.
XOOX
Jodie
LOVE you for the way you look at fashion as fun. I didn’t let the unmatching pearls keep me from wearing them…well, I did switch out the earrings because somehow I wound up with only one pearl earring when I unpacked my jewelry. Boo. Thank you for always, always encouraging all of us to think outside the box.
Black and white is always on point. Love your striped tee with the plaid blazer! Such a chic and timeless look!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Thank you so much. You say the sweetest things. I never feel chic!! But I did like the way this came together. Thank you.
Thanks for the recommendation for those amazon essential tees! I will have to check them out. Your outfit looks fantastic!
Oh, please try the Amazon Essential Tees. They are great quality, comfortable fit and affordable. Thank you!! I liked my blazer and wearing my mom’s brooch made me happy.
Excellent looks. You look great.
Thank you. I dress cheaply and simply!! Ha!!
I do love your style, but honestly I think you would look good in anything.
CONSIDER YOURSELF KISSED!! What a kind thing to say. You are so sweet. I don’t even think I have a style!! Ha!! XOXOXOX
First off, I get black, with animals. I have 2 dogs, and although they don’t shed, I still pick up things. Loving the kimono tee and jean combo, along with the blazer as a 3rd piece. YOU looked so lovely for the cruise, black looks quite elegant. The pattern mixing is so fun too!
Hope you are having a great week!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Been so busy with Danny and Gibby!
Your cruise formal outfit is so gorgeous! We did more of a casual formal on the Disney cruise with the teens in tow… it is just harder with teens to get totally glammed up and I felt like when I did the couple cruises on RC, people dressed up way more!! I love the Jen and Kate photos and you look super cute and preppy chic yourself!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com