Misty Copeland Expertly Dresses Up the Oversized T-Shirt

Allow Misty Copeland to introduce a new take on the T-shirt and jeans. In New York City on Tuesday, the legendary ballerina put a refined spin on a familiar outfit formula—pairing a baggy black tee with an opulent take on the humble denim skirt.

Spotted leaving CBS Studios in Midtown, the 43-year-old reworked classic Americana style codes with a hint of business-minded polish. Her charcoal-colored tee was oversized in all the right areas, featuring drop shoulders, rolled-up sleeves, and a relaxed neckline. But instead of pairing the top with traditional jeans, she offset its billowing, baggy fit with a high-waisted Michael Kors Collection denim pencil skirt. The intentionally frayed garment had a banded waist, a subtle back slit, and black-and-white knit threads that created a worn-in finish. To add to the effortless allure of the ensemble, she accessorized with a slouchy black bag, a minimalist Michael Kors leather belt, and a pair of high-shine pointy-toe heels. It’s a satisfyingly high-low look for the American trailblazer, who has been busy as ever as of late.

In 2015, Copeland made history as the first African American female principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. After retiring from her role last October, she has spent the past year focused on philanthropy, pursuing writing projects, and advocating for inclusion in the dance community. Her latest children’s fantasy book, Firebird Waltz—which she appeared on CBS to promote—follows a 12-year-old dancer with a magical destiny and aims to create more world-building in the historically exclusive ballet space.

Needless to say, Copeland has always been a groundbreaker. Leave it to her to demonstrate how the humble T-shirt can be entirely reworked.