Fade to Black

Not black, faded black. I'm into it. 🩶🖤

Good morning! I hope your weekend is happy and relaxing. This marks day eight of my (FOR REAL THIS TIME) highly consistent, highly doable commitment to all things health and fitness. More to come, but I am proud of myself and my dedication to chicken, my sneakers and dead lifts (ow).

A weeknight dinner that earned rave reviews was salmon “poke” bowls that I made at home: air fry / broil salmon (I cut mine into 1 inch cubes) until just done (I overcooked mine, lesson learned). Straight out of the oven, I drizzled the salmon with a tiny bit of teriyaki sauce. I served over rice with lots of greens, kimchi, avocado, chopped tomatoes and then drizzled this sauce all over.

Highlights: not one but THREE meals with friends old and new (including fellow South Floridian Kelly Klein. Have you ever met an it-girl who just also happens to be one of the kindest humans ever? That is Kelly.

I am still reading The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter, watching-but-behind on Love Story and Shrinking, and a really good reminder/mantra I heard this week was “Your inner critic is not an authority on anything.”

Pinterest sources top left: Anouk Yve, all rights to respective owners.

Faded black denim is not something I’ve ever given much consideration to. I don’t know if I’ve ever had the active thought “I don’t like this,” but I’ve always steered clear of it in favor of the inky crispness of a true black. It’s always felt a little too grungy, too rough, too this, too that. I do have one single solitary Jenni Kayne long sleeve t-shirt. I don’t think I realized how faded it would be when I ordered it, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have. But!! It’s really one of the most-worn items in my closet. It looks patina-ed and relaxed in a way that jet black would not. It also gives me a (desired) sweatshirt look without the heaviness. Winner.

But I never thought about that shirt or what I liked about it until my daughter got dressed in head-to-toe faded black last weekend: a pointelle long sleeve black tee and faded black denim shorts. She added (my) black Havaianas, and that tiny glimpse of inky, glossy black looked SO good against the faded goodness. Side note: my kids inspire and influence me in a million different ways, but it was very cool to be moved to action by a great outfit that I had zero hand in.

Anyway. As one does, I went down an rabbit hole of faded black. I ordered a pair of my very tried, very true and very on sale Le Sleek Straight jeans in meteor (not black!) and I took to the Internet to analyze what else I suddenly love about it. I also reached out to two friends, Lindsay Sword and Jordyn Sharfe for their thoughts. You can read their responses below.

Here are a few things I noted:

• I avoid wearing crisp black pants and a white shirt because I think it looks like a uniform, but this rule doesn’t apply to faded black with white— that looks intentional and great.

• The vast majority of reference photos I found stuck very close to a neutral palate of black (more faded or jet) white, gray, blue (shirting blue or denim blue) with maybe some navy and chocolate brown tossed around as accents.

• The same women popped up wearing faded black denim again and again. Heidi Klum, Noted by Anouk Yve, and Anine Bing. Hmmmm. This sent me down a further rabbit hole. Then I saw this post on the Scandinavian Uniform by Antonia and found it teeming with faded black denim. Aha.

• I’m envisioning air-dried hair, glowy skin* two coats of mascara*, bronzer, lip balm, buffed nails, and that’s it for beauty.

• Bringing in other textures (shiny, woven, cozy, snakeskin) is what gives faded black that really considered-but-nonchalant depth.

• My favorite looks mixed warmer shades like ivory and camel with faded black (vs. cooler gray + jet black + icy blues) Both good! Just my preference.

• As stated in here re: wearing black in general: we don’t wear it on a bad day. Ok?

1. Sweatshirt (I’m having a real moment with Metropolitan Museum of Art merch) Bangle // Handbag // Denim // Flats. I love a slouchy sweatshirt with a polished ballet flat. It looks perfectly put-together AND laid back.

2. Sweater // Handbag (still high on my wish list, have not pulled trigger) // Denim (UPS says “Monday” for mine) // Loafers // Pendant (less $$ alternative). White tee under sweater is a lever to pull or not pull based on weather + what you’re going for. No socks here; those jeans hit me just at my ankle and I love that glimpse of skin.

3. Jacket // Belt (it’s reversable!) Ballet Flats // Tote // Denim love love love tension between tough and feminine

4. Bag // Cutoffs // Sweatshirt // Loafers* (have in ‘bog’ LOVE) Watch A giant bag makes the whole look. Is it full of magazines, beach toys or a laptop? Nobody knows.

Jordyn Sharfe says….

The magic for me in faded black is the ability to incorporate with it with gray. I have been drawn to the warmth of an all gray outfit lately, so when you asked me how I wear faded black, my thoughts go to my favourite faded black hoodie (which I’ve worn and washed so much it’s more like that very dark gray now). It’s a combo I reach for regularly as a pairing with gray pants. Warm and cozy!

Lindsay Sword says…

Even though I’m a self-proclaimed New Yorker (almost two decades living in the city counts, right?), I don’t wear a lot of black. I’m more of a navy and gray gal, but recently I’ve discovered a way to wear black. A garment-dyed or heavily washed, faded black feels just right. Deeper than gray, softer than both black and navy, it’s a beautiful non-color, color that goes with literally everything. I have a tee shirt and a pair of jeans that have both become workhorses to take the edge off blazers and shirts. It’s seasonless and stylish, and now I can truly call myself a New Yorker.

Tell me your thoughts on faded black. How do you wear it, have you seen it styled in a way that you love? Or are you like me, circa two weeks ago, and don’t have any thoughts about it at all! (until now).

• Bunny Melon interiors, immortalized in watercolor = full body yes.

• Going to great lengths to fake wear & tear (aka patina) is perhaps the cringiest thing I’ve read this week.

• One thing I am not going to do (even if I’ve read 1,000,000 of them) is skip over a French Girl Staples article, especially from Goop. I am who I am.

• Airmail also taking stock of Parisian chic. I like that they included Balzac and a cigarette case.

• Speaking of French girl staples, have you seen how GOOD these new Freda Salvador sneakers are?

• Gracie Abrams and Paul Mescal with Paul McCartney is the most charming thing on the Internet this week. Side note: Mescal will play McCartney in a 2028 biopic.

• The enduring influence of Phoebe Philo. (NYT gift link)

• Key words “sheet pan” and “hot honey” are effective ways to get me to tear down a paywall, FYI.

• Watergate Cake includes pistachios, pudding mix, coconut, and lime-flavored sparkling water. Baking promptly.

• J.Crew sent me these jeans, and they fit like a glove in my normal size, they are wonderfully light (comfy) and just generally made my day.

• These light, tweed “desk to dinner” maxi dresses look stunning.

• Song of the week. Also, Eric Dane’s message to his daughters is beautiful and gutting.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them; items marked with an asterisk* were generously gifted (but only shared if they’re awesome). Most of the good stuff from this post can be browsed here.