Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
Warm Weather Fashion Trends: My Little Black Outfit Uniforms
There are a couple of staple fashion items I love to have in my closet for the times when I just don’t have time to think about what to wear or I just really want to be comfortable. My fashion staples are simply black and white. Black and white clothing is super easy to style and can be dressed up in many ways. Read on to learn about some of my favorite warm weather little black outfit uniforms.
I may live in Florida now, but I still celebrate the Derby!
I love a cotton white tee shirt for my casual days and I love a black romper or a black dress when I need to be dressier. The white tee I wear almost every day when working from home or when working out is a simple men’s Hanes V-neck tee. I buy them in bulk and wear them with running shorts, black leggings, jeans or jean shorts. My husband calls them “my uniform” and I know that this “uniform” concept has been very popular with people in leadership positions throughout the world.
See three of my outfit ideas in my 15 second video below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
As for my black dressier outfits, they are pretty much my go-to uniform too. Jamie Kern Lima, the founder of it Cosmetics wrote in her book Believe It about the black dresses she threw on each time she went on QVC to promote her makeup line, it Cosmetics. She said it was an easy outfit to wear when applying makeup (black doesn’t show most stains!), it always looked good on camera and it was something she didn’t have to think about.
This romper is extremely comfy!
She even wore a “uniform hairstyle” of slicking back her hair into bun so it would stay out of the way and she knew it was easy and quick. When you are building a billion-dollar business like she did, you really don’t have brain capacity to deal with details like hair and clothes.
This birthday dress is super cute!
Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, also was very well known for wearing his simple black turtle neck and jean outfits. Some may say it is crazy to wear the same thing all the time, but I can attest, it’s really much easier when you are really busy. Read about other well-known people that followed the uniform trend (like Mark Zuckerberg, Carrie Donovan, Johnny Cash and more) via this article on Forbes’ website.
This casual black romper is very easy to style and wear!
If you don’t want to wear the exact same thing all the time, sticking to a color scheme like black and white can be helpful. Read on to see some of my ideas for some easy and comfy LBO’s (little black outfits) that I like to wear when the weather gets warm.
My dog Johnny Cash always likes to be included
Most items below were things I ordered from TEMU as they had really great prices (use my links below for 30% off your first order OR use my code afe55197 at checkout to get the discount), but I’ve also included links to buy similar items I found at other retailers. TEMU runs out of items often, so if you can’t get to the item via the links below, use my link here and then enter the search term for what I’ve called each outfit below, and I know you’ll find something similar.
I love this large pink fascinator
Black V-Neck Dress: $10.99 on TEMU
I get hot very easily (oh the Southwest Florida heat in the summer is brutal!), so this lightweight black V-neck dress is just my style. It is only one layer of lightweight material, so you could wear it on its own or layer it with a slip. I styled it with a large flower fascinator/hat and think it’s a perfect wedding guest outfit, a Kentucky Derby outfit (I’m from Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Derby, so I’d definitely wear it to an event like this since May is often warm in Kentucky).
It was a windy day when I took these photos, so I had to make sure the fascinator didn’t blow away!
Fascinators are very popular in Derby town around Oaks Day and Derby Day, but are also worn to weddings and churches too. My fascinator tutorial is popular on my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden and an easy DIY to try.
This makes a great festival outfit idea
Black Shirred Waist Drawstring V-Neck Romper: $12.99 on TEMU
This romper is really a no-brainer outfit. I put a bra tank under it and it was ready to go. I paired it with heels and with a cute hat that I made from a thrift store find. It’s perfect for outdoor concerts, weekend brunches, errands and more. I paired it with simple black heels, but any sandal would work too. See me create the butterfly adorned hat in my one minute YouTube video below:
This romper makes for a great beach coverup too!
Black Draped Casual Romper: $8.99 on TEMU
This romper is the most comfortable romper I’ve ever worn. I bought it in a size large though I could have gotten a smaller one. I just wanted to be able to wear it as a bathing suit coverup or just for wearing around the house. It’s actually really nice so you could wear it anywhere. I’d layer it with a cute jacket or a white v-neck tee or like how I wore it in my photos, with a tank underneath.
A cute easy black romper
I wore it with a pair of iridescent sneakers, but I’d wear it with sandals or a pair of TOMS. I thought about it being a great Kentucky Derby “after party” look and added a butterfly fascinator I created.
Links to Similar Casual Rompers Below:
This outfit gave me retro vibes
Belted Romper Jumpsuit (Black and White Short/Shirt Combo): $10.28 on TEMU
I found this lightweight short and shirt combo and fell in love. I am always looking for shorts that are cute and comfortable and these fit the bill with their elastic waist. The combo can be worn together, which make them look like a romper or jumpsuit. I like the shorts on their own and they even come with a removable fabric belt. They come in many color and print combinations, so I know you’ll find one you love too!
This is a great summer outfit!
This dress makes me want to dance!
It’s My Birthday Sequin Black Dress: $15.48 on TEMU
After watching Nancy Sinatra wear a sequin black shirt and a pair of boots in her video for “These Boots Are Made for Walking”, I was inspired. A black sequin dress doesn’t have to be saved for big glamourous events. I found this casual ruffle skirted birthday dress and thought it’d make the perfect birthday dress because it looked sweet and comfy. It did not disappoint. It’s very comfortable, fit perfectly and will be great to wear in the heat of June, during my birthday month.
My dogs are always around keeping me company in my fashion photo shoots
I paired it with some red Marc Jacobs kitten heels (to keep the comfort going) and my birthday sprinkle sunglasses that I made, which have been very popular on my Pinterest account. See how to make them here on my website by clicking here.
Links to Similar Women’s Birthday Sequin Dresses Below:
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Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.