Gray and black is the softer way to wear black this fall, and the sharper way to wear gray. These five outfits put gray cashmere, wool and twill with black lace, leather, suede and alpaca. Mix your grays and keep black for the shoes, bags and one strong piece.
Gray and Black Outfits to Try This Fall
The painting everyone calls Whistler's Mother is really titled Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1. Whistler painted it in 1871 and showed it at the Royal Academy the next year, and the Victorian audience was so uneasy with a portrait called an arrangement that an explanatory subtitle was added, Portrait of the Painter's Mother. Whistler was unmoved. In The Gentle Art of Making Enemies he wrote that it had been exhibited as an Arrangement in Grey and Black, and "Now that is what it is."
I love that a painter cared more about the gray and black than about who was sitting in the chair, because that is how I feel about this pairing. Gray and black is the outfit for people who like black but want it softer, or like gray but want it sharper. It is also the easiest pairing in this series to shop for, since you probably own half of it already.
A quick test: wear a gray knit with black trousers and black shoes, then add one texture, like lace, suede or a chunky rib. If it suddenly looks deliberate, you have it.
Gray Cashmere, Black Suede
Auralee's beanie is chunky ribbed cashmere in a heathered gray, and Arch4's Jude scarf is a small gray cashmere triangle you tie at the neck like a kerchief, which is how I would wear it with a black coat. Christen's Helix pumps are black suede that comes up high over the foot on a thin heel, sharp and a little strange in a good way. Lié Studio's Paula bag is a tall black leather tote on a single strap. Two gray pieces near your face and black everywhere else is the simplest version of this edit.
A Gray Cardigan, a Black Lace Skirt
Balmain's cardigan is light gray wool and cashmere with a row of gold buttons, very proper, and Rabanne's midi skirt is black lace with a scalloped hem. Ann Demeulemeester's Sarith boots are the twist: chunky black leather biker boots with two buckles, so the outfit stops looking like a school play. Burberry's shoulder bag is black leather with gold hardware across the front. How to wear it: tuck the cardigan into the skirt and let the boots do the arguing.
A Black Turtleneck, Gray Pleated Trousers
Lauren Manoogian's turtleneck is black merino and alpaca, long and slim, and Loulou de Saison's Sbiru trousers are mid-gray wool twill with pleats and a wide straight leg. It is the oldest outfit in the book and still the best. MM6 Maison Margiela's Court pumps are black leather with a high vamp and a chunky heel, and Givenchy's Voyou is a flat black leather clutch on a thin gold chain. What I would skip: gray shoes. Black at the feet makes the trousers look longer.
The Gray Wool Dress and a Long Black Coat
Magda Butrym's midi dress is gray wool with strong shoulders and gathers at the waist, the sort of dress that makes you stand up straight. Maria McManus' coat goes over it, long and black, and it reverses to a satin side, so the lapels show a flash of cream. A.Emery's Sutherland boots are black stretch leather that fits like a sock, and McQueen's Wishbone bag is black leather on a braided handle with gold hardware. This is the dressiest outfit in the edit, and the one I would wear to a gallery opening.
A Gray Blazer Over a Black Shirt
Magda Butrym's blazer is gray wool with big shoulders and a nipped waist, and Lido's shirt underneath is black cotton with short sleeves and a neat collar. Almada's Amel trousers are gray twill, pleated and straight, close enough to the blazer to look like a suit without matching. Tod's loafers are plain black leather. Gray on the outside and black in the middle is the most Whistler outfit here, and very easy to wear to work.
Think of It as an Arrangement
Gray and black works when you treat it the way Whistler did, as an arrangement: a lighter gray, a deep black and a texture or two between them. Mix your grays, heathered with smooth and pale with charcoal, so the outfit has some movement. Keep black for the shoes, the bag and one strong piece. Start with a gray cardigan and the black trousers you already wear every week.
