How to Wear a Black Dress with a Non-Matching Blazer or Cardigan

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stylish professional young woman wears black work dress

Dressing professionally — but fashionably — can sometimes be a challenge, especially if you're just starting out. One of the biggest questions we've gotten over the years is this one: if you're not supposed to wear non-matching suiting pieces together, what ARE you supposed to wear with a black dress? So today we're rounding up our best tips on how to wear a black dress with a non-matching blazer or cardigan, all for reader A. Here's her question:

Blazers with black dresses… I have so many black dresses but KNOW I’m not supposed to wear a non-matching black blazer. So, what to wear?

Great question — particularly as spring is in full swing and we head into summer — especially since we just rounded up stylish sheath dresses for work that would be the ideal bottom layer here, if you're on the hunt.

How to Wear a Black Dress with a Non-Matching Blazer

Long ago I shared what I wear with black dresses to work, but it's been a while, so let's discuss. Here are some great things to pair with a black dress:

Go colorful!

Wear a colorful blazer, sweater, or jardigan — but note the old fashion adage that suggests you should wear “color with color, and black with black.”

So if your black dress is your base, you may want to consider adding at least two colors in the rest of your outfit.

The easiest way to do this is to find a cardigan or blazer with a print on it that you like, but you can also go with a coordinating color (a royal blue and robin's egg blue, or a purple and blue color scheme) or contrasting (colors opposite each other on the color wheel, like yellow and blue, red and green, and others).

As we noted in our four-week work outfit challenge, an unusual color scheme that looks really great is to wear red, blue, AND green, all in one look. This is a great time to bring in accessories like belts, necklaces, and scarves for additional colors!

Get shady.

If all of that sounds like a lot of color, you can go with shades of black — different shades of gray (with silver accents) against a black base is often a sophisticated, sleek look.

Go for texture.

If you’re going to wear black with black but worry about looking like you're trying to “make” a suit out of nonmatching black fabrics, you want to make sure you're wearing black with black with intention.

One way to do this is by adding different textures — if your dress is a smooth suiting fabric like a seasonless wool, make your topper a summer fabric like linen, cotton pique, or jacquard (or in winter, think tweed, velvet, corduroy, or boucle).

Wearing a cardigan or jardigan with a dress often works for this reason, no matter what color — it’s clear that it isn’t part of a suiting set.

Check out our latest favorite blazers and other third piece toppers, below!

How about you, readers: What do you wear with a black dress? What do you consider to be “off-limits” with a black dress?

Our Latest Favorite Work Dresses

Sheath Dresses for Work

Some of the best dresses for work as of 2025 include options from J.Crew, BOSS, T. Tahari, and Lands' End. For really affordable options, check out Quince and Amazon sellers Miusol or MUXXN (both with vintage vibes). We've also rounded up the best plus-size dresses for work!

Fit and Flare Dresses for Work

Hunting for the best fit and flare work dresses? In general look to brands like Eliza J., Maggy London, Karen Kane and (for plus sizes), eShakti, City Chic, and Kiyonna. Some of our favorites of 2024 are below — also check this classic Elie Tahari dress (with pockets!), this affordable dress from Amazon seller Rekucci, and this affordable midi tea dress from Marycrafts.

Colorful Work Dresses

Hunting for colorful sheath dresses for work? As of 2025, the places we'd check first include Amazon sellers like Miusol and Muxxn, as well as Tuckernuck's wildly popular Jackie dress. Some looongstanding reader favorites are also still coming out in lots of colors, including Karen Kane, Calvin Klein, CeCe, and Adriana Papell. On the fancier side of things, check Black Halo or The Fold.

Plus-Size Work Dresses

As of 2024, some of our favorite plus-size dresses for work include options from Lands' End, Karen Kane, CeCe, Talbots, J.Crew, Universal Standard, and Eloquii – also check Karen Millen, Pari Passu, and Tanya Taylor for more unusual choices.

Our Latest Favorite Blazers and Other Third Pieces

The Best Blazers to Wear as Separates

Some of the best blazers for women in 2025 — great for wearing as separates! — include options from Cinq à Sept, J.Crew (collarless and collared), Everlane, and Madewell. Hunting for a deal? Check out J.Crew Factory and Amazon (Cicy Bell, The Drop).

Chanel-Style Jackets to Wear to Work

Some of our latest favorite Chanel-style jackets for work in 2025 include these, but in general check more jacket-y options like Chanel, IRO, L'Agence, and Veronica Beard, as well as more sweater-y options like St. John, and ba&sh. J.Crew and Nic & Zoe offer a bunch of both kinds, in regular and plus sizes. On the budget side of things, check out CeCe, Tuckernuck (XXS-XXL), J.Crew Factory, and Mango. (Also check out our roundup of the best lady jackets for work!) Nordstrom has a bunch in all price points!

The Best Lady Jackets for the Office

Some of our latest favorite lady jackets for work include sweater jackets from ba&sh, Boden, and J.Crew. (M.M.LaFleur just got some also!) On the budget side of things, check out Mango, Tuckernuck (XXS-XXL), and CeCe. If you prefer a lined, more Chanel-style jacket for work, do take a look at IRO and L'Agence; Mango, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell often have them at budget-friendly prices.

The Best Sweater Jackets

Some of our favorite sweater jackets for the office as of 2025 include M.M.LaFleur (the OG, the jardigan!), L'Agence, Summersalt, J.Crew, and Jenni Kayne. For budget options check J.Crew Factory and Quince.

Great Cardigans for WOrk Outfits

Some of our favorite classic cardigans for the office as of 2025 include those below — definitely check Talbots and J.Crew Factory if you're looking for plus sizes, and Quince is always a nice affordable option. Veronica Beard and Brooks Brothers both keep a bunch of options in stock.

The Best Winter Blazers

If you're hunting for winter blazers in tweeds or other warm fabrics, check Uniqlo, Ann Taylor, Boden, Smythe, J.Crew, Veronica Beard, Tuckernuck, and L'Agence. Some recent ones we've featured:

The Best Summer Blazers

Hunting for lightweight blazers for summer in linen and other fabrics? As of 2024, J.Crew's Helena blazer in stretch linen is a bestseller, as is this super affordable Quince blazer and Old Navy (regular, tall, and petite up to 4X). Along related lines (all machine washable!), check out Uniqlo's Airsense jacket (lightweight and stretchy), Madewell's Drapeweave line (lightweight and drapey) and Brooks Brothers' seersucker line (lightweight and cooling). You can find silk/linen blazers at Ann Taylor and Hobbs; Ann Taylor also has a number of cotton pique options.

Photo credit: Deposit Photos / fizkes

16 Comments

  1. My secrets are different texture (boucle, twead) or a subtle pattern (subtle swiss dot). Or, if not for court, leather (either all leather, or some type of leather trim).

    1. Seconded. I really like to wear ponte blazers of all colors with black wool sheath dresses also, along with the different types of blazers you mentioned. Love me some tweed.

  2. I love black with some sort of print on my jacket or cardigan that includes black.

  3. Great post concept but really could have used some images and examples. There’s not even one photo of a black dress with a blazer.

    That said, good tips. I have a light blue blazer with black color-blocking on the sides and I get a ton of wear out of it with black dresses. Also try red, gray, or even navy. I’ve been liking navy dresses with black blazers but I think the inverse would also look great.

  4. So I will be in Paris for a few days in May between business and I am looking at my shoe choices. My comfiest shoes for lots of walking are my very broken in Birkenstock Mayaris. Would I be hopelessly un-chic traipsing around in them? I also have low heeled dress shoes that I’m bringing for work for shorter jaunts but I wouldn’t walk a mile in them.

  5. Call me crazy but I wear a black dress with a white blazer sometimes. Usually with a bold shoe.

    1. Sounds great to me. Love the bold shoe touch.

      I very often to white and black, with some grey somewhere.

  6. I will often wear black dresses with blazers in other neutrals–tan, khaki green, gray. Also agreed on mixing up textures.

  7. My rule: Everything should be the same unless it’s obvious it’s different. so I don’t mix blacks but black + color works

    1. It depends on the shade of navy. A darker one that veers on black I would say no, but I’ve definitely done navy and black where it was a lighter navy with a more intentional contrast, so it’s clear I didn’t get dressed in the dark.

  8. I just want to share that I made some giant strides in Unf*cking my habitat in the last month. It feels amazing!
    – Saved enough to pay the last of my six figure debt
    – Got rid of a bunch of children’s toys
    – Put together legitimate usable storage (built-ins) for the rest of the toys
    – Cleared all the crap off my home office desk and mounted my monitor – so much space!
    – Got a NICE item for crafting I have been wanting for a long time (and now have space to use)

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