I think an essential component to wearing black and white without looking gaunt or dated is a really nice pattern. There are the classic patterns that never fail like checkers, hounds tooth, chevron and of course... stripes! Here is an example of how to do a more subtle b&w look
I have the top and the idea in my head, so I set forth on my journey toward monochromatic awesomeness.
I recently bought a pair of black sandals from hautelook (great website for the bargain shopper). They're simple so they go perfectly with the busyness of the top. They aren't competing for attention.
The last component of the outfit is the most difficult for me because there are just so many options!
You could pair the crop with some black shorts or cutoffs for a more fun look, or you could wear a black maxi skirt for something a little more bohemian/romantic, or a bodycon skirt for date night. The possibilities are endless! I decided to settle on a pair of my favorite pants, black high waist jeans. I could dress this up or down.
I have my base, now to accessorize! Any sort of simple jewelry would work here, but I'm going to stick with the monochromatic theme here. I chose black and silver jewelry, but any combination black, grey, white, silver should work just fine.
Thanks for reading and I'll get that how to posted soon!