7 Elevated Editor-Approved Black-Dress Outfit Ideas

It’s no surprise that working in fashion means being surrounded by incredibly chic people who constantly inspire your next look. Such is the case with all of my co-workers, but there is one in particular who is known for putting together elevated outfits with black dresses: our associate director of special projects, Kristen Nichols. I’m pretty faithful to black dresses over any other color or print, so I couldn’t help but notice her various inspiring takes.

I set out to find some of her best black-dress outfits, which are well-documented on her stylish Instagram account. There are endless outfits to pick from, so it took me a moment to narrow it down to seven of my personal favorites. Each is the epitome of elevated thanks not only to the black dress styles she choses, which range from mini to maxi lengths, but also the bags and shoes she opts for. Think sleek mini bags, sophisticated slingback shoes, and effortless sandals to name a few.