A few months ago a very corporate-minded friend texted to tell me she was at a conference where one of the speakers looked impossibly chic in head to toe navy but NOT in a suit. Said friend’s mind was blown. So simple! So dramatic! So Fresh. So…appropriate. So straightforward in concept, yet anxiety-inducing to execute. She asked how to do this without looking like you are just mismatching your black (or navy) separates. And this is how Workwear Month 2026 propelled into action. And readers, it is PACKED with ideas.
Today we are talking dressing in a singular color without going full suit. But also…the best black suit (which might surprise you), putting all these neutrals together in a carry on, saving room for one conference to cocktail item and MORE.
But back to my monochrome smitten friend. I told her she need to not be afraid of colors looking a little off. It’s character building! Paletting. Layering. And this requires a bit of confidence. But also, a bit of easily recreate-able inspiration doesn’t hurt either.
I shouldn’t be surprised that so many of you asked for less formal workwear this time around. I get it. Work has been trending casual since before Covid. And if you are going in, most of you are not going in five days a week. BUT, I don’t want to leave out those of you who really do need to get Dressed-Dressed. So we are going to ebb and flow this month. Today slightly more formal. Jeans another week. And so on.
We are starting with monochrome dressing. How to do this with a suit, or NOT with a suit and how all of these ideas jumbled together can actually make packing for work travel more streamlined.
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