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Katie 1 is Contemplating Buying Another Black Knit Dress... Is This a Problem?

She thinks no and stands by her opinion that Real Working Girls can never have too many black knit dresses. Why? Because they're awesome. Typically they can be dressed up or down, still fit and flatter even if you've put on a couple pounds, are seasonless, and usually are in a classic-enough shape that they can be worn for years (if properly cared for). They're also basic enough that they provide a good blank canvas for accessories and shoes (i.e. if you change up the accessories no one will notice you’ve worn the same dress twice in one week).

 Katie 1 currently owns 5 black knit dresses and is contemplating buying a 6th.  Specifically, she is contemplating buying this dress from the Ann Taylor sale (SALE!!!!!)  Her justification for purchasing the dress is that she thinks it is different enough from her other black knit dresses that it won’t be redundant in her wardrobe.  Which leads to an interesting question, what do her other black knit dresses look like and why are they wardrobe necessities?

Glad you asked!  Her current wardrobe of black knit dresses consists of the following: (1) the Old Navy t-shirt dress we previously posted; (2) a ¾ sleeve version of the Old Navy t-shirt dress; (3) a ponte knit full skirted ¾ sleeve dress from J.Crew circa 2012; (4) a long sleeve ponte knit pencil dress from J.Crew circa 2015; and (5) a classic black DVF wrap dress circa 2013.  Why are all of these dresses necessary? They all serve different purposes in Katie 1’s wardrobe.   For example, the black Old Navy t-shirt dresses (short sleeve for summer and layering, ¾ sleeve for colder weather) can be dressed up for business casual (see previous post) or dressed down for the weekend with flip flops or sneakers (Converse are a personal favorite).  The full skirted J.Crew ponte dress is perfect for work (business casual or business formal) and with the right accessories is also perfect for bridal showers and other similar occasions.  The J.Crew ponte knit pencil dress is Katie 1’s go to cold weather “desk to dinner” dress.  Same for her black DVF wrap dress. 

Because we know this post has now put you in the mood to shop, we would be remiss if we didn’t show you some of our favorite black knit dresses.  Disclaimer:  Katie 1’s collection of black knit dresses has been accumulated over the years (see above) so many of her favorites are no longer available for purchase.  Below are some good alternatives. 

Old Navy T-Shirt Dress:
See our previous post here. The dress is still available at Old Navy in both a crew neck and a v-neck (DUDE- THE DRESS IS $8-$10 RIGHT NOW). It’s likely they will release a long sleeve version as the weather gets cooler (so not anytime soon).




J.Crew Ponte Dresses: Hopefully J.Crew will re-release their long sleeve ponte dress as the weather gets cooler.  Until then, here are some good alternatives:

Pencil Dresses: 
  • Lands' End has a similar option that's on sale. 
  • Boden also has this option available. 
Full Skirt:
Classic Black Wrap Dress:
Obviously DVF sets the standard when it comes to wrap dresses. A style similar to the one Katie 1 has is available here. But keep in mind, you can find DVF pieces for lower prices at Nordstrom Rack Sacks Off Fifth, or the DVF outlet. 

Still want something less expensive? (We don't blame you). 

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