Must Haves

Once upon a time I thought jumpsuits were VERY weird. The year was 2013, actually. One-piece anything was on the no fly list of my closet. I don’t truly know what or when my mind change, but those that know me, know I cannot get enough of this trend! In fact, I wore not one, not two, but THREE jumpsuits on the day of our wedding. So, I guess you can say I’ve fully converted.

Things you shouldn’t do in a dress, but can easily do in a jumpsuit: high kick, bend down, jump up-and-down celebrating a touchdown, reach the top shelf at home goods without worrying about your butt hanging out, the bend and snap, running after your cart as it rolls away in the parking lot, chase after a small child, go several days without shaving your legs… need I say more? The benefits are endless.

I’ve been searching for the perfect long-sleeved, casual black jumpsuit for YEARS (not an overstatement). Finally, I had enough and I looked in one of the last places, but the most obvious – Amazon Fashion! I spent a bit of time searching and scrolling and I stumbled upon THE ONE.

Now, let’s say this jumpsuit comes in a soft fabric, is less than $30 and has POCKETS. Are you sold yet? I sure as heck was. Want to buy it and have it in two days? Here’s the exact one on Amazon! Once you get it, you’ll be amazed at the amount of black jumpsuit outfit combinations you can make with this new closet staple.

The Hero

Date Night Outfit

This is the best representation of what the actual jumpsuit looks like. It has a scoop neck with elastic waistband and tapered legs. I used to only go for wide leg jumpsuits, but the jogger style is a great option for any shoe choice. For the first look, I was thinking about all those times that I pack my gym bag the night before and then forget to think about what I’m going to wear there and after. Enter: the one-piece wonder!

I’m not quite ready for the off-the-shoulder style to go away anytime soon so I LOVE that I can arrange the neckline this way. A jumpsuit, especially a long sleeved jumpsuit is a LOT of fabric. Shifting the fabric to show off a little more skin romances it up for a date night outfit and blows up the range of occasions you can wear this to. How many other clothing items do you have that can genuinely go from sneakers to heels in a snap?

Casual Jumpsuit Outfit

This version allows you to wear a jumpsuit and cardigan in a stylish way that doesn’t overtake your figure. Because the jumpsuit itself has a cinched waist, the sweater just prevents it from being monochromatic and still looks nice and cozy as we head into the fall season. Remember, your jumpsuit doesn’t have to be the whole outfit, you can mix and match style pieces to help wear it more often!

Jumpsuit For Work

Can you wear a jumpsuit for work? I wasn’t so sure until I put this little number together. Just like I played around with the neckline on the date night outfit, I skewed this one to be slightly asymmetrical so it didn’t feel like a t-shirt. Then, I paired it with a sleek low bun, my favorite black heels and a clutch (you could use your favorite tote bag, too) and felt like a total boss.

Are you convinced yet?

I know, I know, you’ve heard me say it before, but this really is a wardrobe MUST have. Think about all the times you had no idea what to wear. At least 30% of the time lately that I’ve had that thought, I’ve reached for this jumpsuit. Imagine having THAT much time back in your day/week/month when you knew you would look fantastic just by putting on this one item.

Last chance, click here to buy. You won’t regret it!

The Unsung Hero Of Summer: Braided Leather Belt

I’ve not gone a lot of places this summer for obvious reasons, but every time I have, there’s been one thing in common: a braided leather belt. Every other year this belt has a moment or two and then I forget it exists.

This year, however, I am finding myself reaching for it constantly. Are belts back? I feel like I went YEARS without giving a hoot about them. I think the Gucci belt explosion definitely helped the re-emergence of belts into current fashion again. It’s a status symbol more than anything, but if you’re not willing to spend the several hundo on it and have too much pride to buy the $20 Amazon dupe, you’re looking for ways to recreate these looks sensibly.

About 10-12 years ago I wore a belt on and with everything (specifically, real big wide ones with elastic). I still have a few JUST in case, but they’ve been in hibernation basically since then. Actually, I got this belt in that time frame too. I was working at Abercrombie & Fitch in the Westchester Mall and we would get our discount on clearance items. This one was at our sister store abercrombie (for kids) and I snagged it in the largest size possible so it would fit for a long time.

Let’s talk about why this accessory is a must.

The Color

To me, “Cognac” is the color of summer… perpetually. It has a warm base so it really looks great with neutral earth tones. On the flip side, if you go with stark white or black it really shines versus getting lost. For bright colors, it grounds them a bit so it’s not too Easter-eggish. I find I can pair it with any accessories (shoes and purses) without clashing. Sometimes If I do multiple tones in my accessories it feels sloppy, but adding cognac is never an issue.

The Size

This belt fits PERFECTLY in standard size belt loops. I have had skinny belts and oversized belts in cognac over time, but none of have endured quite like this one. There is a reason standard is the standard! It just does it’s job! Sometimes the job is holding up my pants, sometimes the job is holding together the outfit. By not being a “trendy” size, it holds up over the years.

The Texture

If I’m being totally honest, I don’t remember if it came with worn edges or they are a little rough from being packed and moved several times. I personally like that this looks like a “matte” braided belt leather versus a perfect shine.

I prefer the thicker, looser braids to the perfectly tight braids too. For me, those feel overly styled and they aren’t as summery and less able to stand the test of time. It feels more effortless this way. And, as we know, we live for effortless at Threw This Together.

The Buckle

The buckle of this is also a brushed metallic so I feel like we can get away with pairing it with either gold or silver since it’s not prominent. The combination of the actual color with this metal makes this an ultimate chameleon piece. When looking for yours try to find one that isn’t perfectly shiny and has a lived-in feel.

Black on black outfit with a cognac braided belt

Where You Can Buy One

I would be shocked if you don’t have one of these in your closet, however, if you somehow don’t or are looking for an upgrade, here are four links under $50 to add one to your lineup.

As you can see from the photos throughout the article, there are SO many uses for this item. On a muted palette outfit with white jeans, added to a flowy piece for a braided belt dress, dressing down a black on black style or adding texture to a casual look on a hot day. Let’s see how you style yours!

The Best Black Jumpsuit on Amazon