David Rose is the exact manifestation of my internal self.
Perhaps it’s his effortless eye roll to the world around him, his unbridled judgment of others nestled in his magnificent brows, or his love affair with all things noir. Before David Rose, the idea of a black-dominant-ensemble-only conjured gothic vibrations and mistaken-restaurant-server identities. Yet with a bit of tailoring and masterful layering, a timeless but admittedly boring staple finds new life. If you are not yet acquainted with the wonders that is David Rose of Schitt’s Creek, it is time to take a seat and marvel at his omnipresent brows and next-level black dominant style.
Mom Stole My Look
We have all been there - the dreaded twinning of your outfit by a desperate loved one. In this case, it’s David’s mother who cares little for what has transpired. I feel his anguish as my mother and I both had a strange love affair for shoulder pads and power blazers which unfortunately made us look like a mother-daughter real estate team for most of my early adult years. Sometimes twinning cannot be helped.
And while David is head to toe in black, there is still a bit of whimsy and edge to this simple ensemble. With a timeless cascading waterfall cardigan that will always create an elongating silhouette, I think the flit and fun of this outfit lies in his makeshift capris. While he scrunched and bunched his pants, I’d recommend a bit of cuffing that hits mid shin to replicate this look. The smallest window of skin takes the outfit from demure to playful. If you are leaning towards an all-black ensemble but find the outfit falling flat, take a page out of David’s book and go ahead with that makeshift capri. It’s the easiest way to breathe new life into a noir-inspired outfit that doesn’t yet “sing.”
Playing With Palms
The safest way to wear a loud and boisterous pattern is to pair it with a muted and classic backdrop of black. I went years resisting this pairing, as I loved bold patterns with even bolder colors. Vertigo? Eye strain? I cared little for how my style sensibilities affected the visual health of onlookers. I was fabulous and the world needed to be educated accordingly. But as age has humbled me, the reality is with both a bold pattern and color, too much is being said - and so nothing is being said at all.
If you are going to dabble in the realm of an all-black ensemble, note that there can only be one diva on the stage - so choose wisely. While you may not have a patterned whimsical cardigan like David’s, you can make a simple tweak by layering a base layer that has both color and pattern. Bring on the neon orange ikat or a frenzy of geometric designs. With an all-black ensemble, you can learn from David and temper it with a single loud and boisterous pattern. If there is a top that is hanging in your closet that is dizzying and has been known to bring a bit of visual anxiety every time you look at it, now is the time to make amends and pair it with a black cardigan and black skinny jeans. I promise it will be magic.
Black: The Final Frontier
David is taking black where no man has gone before. While that may be hyperbolic, this is certainly next-level layering. The mixed media crew cut sweater is one of the easiest ways to add visual interest to an all-black ensemble. The shoulder cut outs of pleather can be likened to a muted pattern as it creates visual variance. And there is nothing that makes an all-black outfit pop like bringing in his nemesis, the great ivory white. In this ensemble, David has buttoned up the dress shirt to the collar which brings some makeshift tailoring and structure to the outfit.
While I think this outfit is masterful, there’s a good chance that you may not have a mixed media crew cut sweater lying around. If you are looking to replicate this outfit, I would advise against a white dress shirt underneath a plain black sweater as the pairing oozes high-end bartender. Instead, go for a chambray buttoned to the collar underneath. It is timeless and classic and the variance in color will create visual interest without detracting from the seamless black line.
Beige Black Out
This beige bomber is David’s leap of faith into the unknown. Yes, he is still dawning his traditional black base layers, but has decided to venture onto the playground of other neutrals. I have a strong personal disdain for colors that span the spectrum of oatmeal and beige as those colors bear an uncanny resemblance to my natural skin tone and tend to make me look like the Michelin Man.
However, David has found a way around these wash-out colors by selecting a tailored bomber that is trimmed in black. The collar and sleeves create contrast and keep David from looking like a floating head while the zippers draw the eyes along a vertical path elongating the frame. Instead of uttering my best impression of Alexis’s “Ew David!” upon viewing this look, I’ve come around to seeing how blacking out beige is one way to make my least favorite color grouping come together.
Neutral No Longer
While an entirely black ensemble is timeless and understated, it will always run the risk of making you look like a pall bearer or a high-end bartender. With a few easy lessons from David Rose, black no longer needs to be the “safe” option when there is nothing else to wear. Take a page from David and perhaps you too can make something as humble and unassuming as black your final style frontier!
