Little Black Sleeves

A black long sleeve dress is the easiest outfit in fall and winter. It covers your arms when it gets cold, it looks put together with almost any shoe, and you can wear it to the office on Tuesday and to a party on Saturday.

The pieces that feel new right now are soft and close to the body: ribbed turtlenecks, draped jersey and fine knits, instead of stiff party fabrics.

I split the edit by length: minis for nights out with tights and boots first, then the midi and maxi dresses you can wear all day.

A black mini with long sleeves feels balanced because you show your legs but not your arms. The button front shirt style and the pleated hem dress look polished enough for work with opaque tights, and the ruched jersey dress is the one I would wear to dinner.

For a party, the knit mini with a puffy skirt and the deep V ruffle mini have the most personality without needing sequins.

My fitting room test: sit down in it. A long sleeve mini should still cover you when you sit, especially if you are wearing it with tights to work. What I would skip: thin fabric that shows every line under it.

Longer dresses are the ones you will wear the most this season. The turtleneck maxis look sleek with boots and a long coat, while the V neck and button front styles feel softer and easier for daytime.

The draped and ruched dresses with a slit are great for holiday parties, and the crew neck knit dress is the easiest to wear with sneakers on a weekend.

What I check: the fabric weight. Thicker jersey and rib knit hang better and hide more than thin stretch fabric. What I would skip: very fitted maxis if you want to wear a chunky sweater over them, since they bunch.

For work, add black tights, loafers and a camel coat. For dinner, wear a knee boot and a gold hoop. For the holidays, add a red lip and a sparkly flat.

Layer a cream cardigan or a leather jacket on top when you want it to look less formal.