So I thought I’d start the FIMTSO (From Imelda Marcos To Suze Orman) series with the one item that every man, woman, and maybe child probably have in their closets. And that’s the black shirt. I don’t care if it’s the Johnny Cash or Tom Ford kind of black shirt, but you know what I’m talking about. The one that you hide behind when you feel bloated. The one that makes you look polished on your first date (this applies to both men and women). Or the one that you have to wear because you can’t keep a white shirt clean for more than ten minutes.

I probably own more black shirts than any other item…or store, but that’s why we are here talking about making outfits out of a single existing item so that we (by we I mean me) don’t have to keep hoarding. Below I’m presenting three looks with the test item for business, casual, and play. Another way to look at this is to say one outfit is for the work week, one for the weekend, and another to transition into an evening event, whether that’s a cocktail, formal, or just special event. Let’s see how that goes, and if you have a better idea, do leave a comment or email me.

Test Item: Banana Republic Monogram black tuxedo shirt.

Business: paired with a Chanel A-line skirt and patent slingbacks and Barbara Bush size south seas pearls. Maybe I should say Nancy Pelosi.

Casual: starched shirt tucked into jeans finished with a nice belt so that the look is casual but not messy. If I’m not wearing sneakers I’m usually in the platform slingbacks that are more forgiving for busy weekends. And that’s a tiny Hermes scarf that I still don’t know how to tie properly.

Play: matched with a crinkled silk skirt and metallic heels. Nothing fancy because I want my necklace to be the center of attention.

Now, ladies, if we could use the same bag for all three looks it’d be a miracle. Am I right? My vote is on the black reissue flap with gold hardware, though for evening I prefer a little clutch. I wish my bags were Transformers!