Black work dresses from the morning meeting to dinner

A work black dress should get you through a nine o’clock meeting and still feel right at dinner, with a blazer on or off. We sew ours mostly in rib knit and angora with high necks and long sleeves for the cold months, plus lighter polka-dot and floral styles for summer. Most are midi, which is the length offices rarely argue with.

Rib knit turtlenecks for cold office days

Rib knit has raised vertical lines, so plain black never looks flat. It fits close and stretches, and you’ll want seamless underwear beneath it. Our turtleneck midis in rib come with or without a leg slit. The slit opens only when you walk, which keeps a long day of stairs and buses easy.

How do you wear one to a client meeting? Add a camel blazer and loafers. Take the blazer off at six, put on heeled ankle boots, and you’re ready for the restaurant. The sleeveless rib midi works the same way, worn with a fine polo neck or a white collared shirt underneath.

Prefer something warmer still? The angora turtleneck midi feels like a sweater and covers your arms to the wrist. With the collar up to the chin, your wrists get the jewelry, so think of a watch or a broad cuff.

Shorter cuts and summer black for work

Some offices allow a mini. Ours has shoulder pads, a fitted waist and a pleated skirt with flap details, so it looks as sharp as a suit jacket. Wear it with thick black tights and loafers. The black rib mini with a turtleneck pairs the same way.

The black sheath with three-quarter sleeves is cut close and straight, and it’s one you can wear all year. For the office it goes with a jacket and low pumps.

Summer workdays are where our printed styles help. A black wrap midi with small blue flowers hides the creases a long day leaves, and a polka-dot midi with long sleeves looks neat in a meeting yet playful on a date. These come back with the warm season. For theater or a business dinner, a black velvet turtleneck midi does the job of an evening dress while staying covered.

Frequently asked questions

Is a slit appropriate at the office?

On these midis it sits at the leg and opens only as you walk. Under a blazer it looks office-ready, and if your dress code is strict, there’s a rib turtleneck without one.