It’s black, it’s white.

It’s a bit of this and a bit of that.

 

Today’s post is not going to be of my usual thought-provoking style.  Last Friday, Jody, Eve and I teamed up to present a showcase featuring only, yes you guessed it, black and white.  We then paraded that same palette with a heady infusion of our personal favourite colour on Monday.

THE POWER OF BLACK AND WHITE

And now, concluding the project, are our interpretations of black with white, and how powerful a game-changer print can be in that entire mix.

I must confess that in the entire trilogy, the outfit you see above is what I’d pick as the one I like best.

Why, you ask? 

It’s merely a top and pants.

With signature Sheela kickass booties.

But there’s more.  Loads more to this ensemble.

Both top and bottom are in Black and White, yes, but the colours are melded into prints.  That knit top is a classic houndstooth print with the cheekiest coloured tassels.  And those pants?  A graffiti print with cool ankle zippers.  The cuff on my left wrist?  That too is in Black and White, fabricated from metallic threads.  Isn’t that epic??  As for the clutch, I felt it added a necessary punch of colour, echoing those around my neckline, in fact.

Remember those tests and quizzes we talked about on Monday?  As promised, here are my results.  So, based on this one, I’m in constant need of excitement and stimulation, someone who exacts very strict expectations of her partner (read: unrealistic and unachievable).  Someone who often escapes into a fantasy world to elude feelings of helplessness, frustration and inadequacy.  Hmm.

There’s this one which says I’m vibrant and passionate and I belong in the red family. I’m determined, a leader, confident (ha), ambitious and, at times, overwhelming.  True.  The overwhelming bit.  Women usually don’t like me.  Neither do Asian men. They find me overwhelming and intimidating.  I’m not really, I promise.  I’m quite nice and I make a good friend and I’m a bag of insecurities.

And the one I can relate to most says I’m competitive (yup), hardworking (yup), a lover of creativity and originality (oh yeah), an ambitious dreamer, highly independent with a passionate dislike for monotony.  Impatient.  Egoistic.  Narcissistic. Reckless. Impulsive.  All true.

So.  Yeah.  Cough.

Just for the fun of it, I interviewed my 17 year old daughter, Eve, seeking her thoughts on black, on white, on the evolution of her style.  Here’s what I discovered.

Q1. You grew up wearing pink frou frou dresses and now here you are, all about the statement tees and black outfits.  How do you think that change happened?

A1.  I started experimenting with graphic tees and dark colours after watching the movie Bandslam. One of the main characters, Sa5m (the 5 is silent), was a snarky teenager that always wore black and listened to heavy metal and reggae music. I was 10 when I saw the film and I thought she was the coolest thing on the planet. Up until that point, I’d never met nor seen anyone like her and I wanted to replicate her outfits. But by the time I started 8th grade, I began to take inspiration from Sa5m rather than try to become exactly like her.

Q2. Do you personally wear so much black as an act of rebellion?

A2. While I do try to experiment with different colours, black will always be my bestie. I wouldn’t say that it’s an act of rebellion, but rather just something that I’m more comfortable with.

Q3. Why, in your opinion, is black the go-to colour for women across all generations?

A3. Black is popular because it compliments every type of skin colour and body type. Plus, it’s an incredibly versatile colour.

Q4. Use 3 adjectives to describe your opinion of a B&W outfit.

A4. Marvelous. Timeless. Cool.

Q5. Who are your style icons and why?

A5. Zendaya is definitely one of my style icons. She’s incredibly versatile, ranging from jogger pants with kickass sneakers to gorgeous dresses to die for. She comes up with the coolest ideas and struts her stuff unapologetically. Selena Gomez is awesome too. I love her chic casual looks and often try to replicate them.

How cool is my child??

How cool is everyone in this project??

Eve, Teens (the world according to eve)

I can’t stop gushing over Eve’s style, a trait which (I firmly believe) belie her years.  I’d never have thought of pairing that polka dot dress with, of all things, a satin jacket featuring flora, fauna and birds.  And those shoes.  I wish we had the same sized feet.  I really do.

Sheela, 40s (sheela writes)

Those booties are something else though.  They’re amped-up gladiator sandals.  With mesh front panels and side cut-outs.  So very 60s British underground scene, I feel, and also something both Freddie Mercury as well as David Bowie would parade with relish.

Jodie, 50s (jodie’s touch of style)

In the course of this collaboration, I’ve come to realise that the best words to describe Jodie’s style are, “feminine”, “ladylike”, and “classic” with little accents that are fun, unexpected, and very whimsical.  I mean, look at that fur pom pom charm right there!!!

Nancy, 60s (jodie’s touch of style)

Nancy looks so polished here, polished and romantic and confident.  My eyes are quite drawn to that statement turquoise piece she’s sporting around the neck, and to those shoes too.  They look like yummy sorbet flavours.  Seriously.  Good enough to eat.  Get it??  GRIN

Charlotte, 70s (jodie’s touch of style)

Oh Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte.  You look so French Riviera chic here.  Nuff said.

And there we have it, my friends.  Our trilogy of Black and White.  I, we, really hope you’ve enjoyed the various looks created especially for this wee project.  In case you missed it, read the first part here, and the second, here.

Do you pair black and white with print?

Love, Sheela

p/s my photos by Eve

I link up here.

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