Most women have black-heavy wardrobes, especially for work. Personally, I think women rely too heavily on the color because it is an easy fail-safe. If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you already know that I don’t wear black. The common misconception is because I don’t like it. This is actually not true. I don’t hate black, I hate black on me. I have nothing against a woman’s choice to wear black, but what I do have an issue with is the amount women rely the shade with the thinking that it is the most versatile and flattering option to wear. This simply isn’t true. The truth is black isn’t flattering on most women and it certainly isn’t the only versatile color you can own. However, I also recognize that I am in the minority with this opinion, so I decided to focus tonight’s blog in this series on fresh ways to wear black. If you’re going to wear black, at least make it interesting.
First, I want to start with the reasons I think black isn’t versatile or flattering. The only time I choose black for clients is when their coloring can stand up to the starkness of this color. Clients who can usually wear this color have bold, deep, rich coloring. Black also has to fit a client’s style sensibility, and these types of clients who look good in black usually have a modern and sleek sense of style. In these cases, black works. In others, like the cases of women that gravitate towards the color simply because black pants match everything, or they have softer coloring, or their style just doesn’t work with such a stark color, I find black just sort of sits on them and drowns them out. Simply, I choose black for clients when black is the right choice.
The other thing I find frustrating is when a client only buys black shoes, handbags and accessories for the versatility they assume come with the color. In actuality, the quickest way to upgrade an outfit is to ditch the black accessorizing components, unless, again, it makes sense to wear black. Again, I have nothing against the color, it’s the extreme dependence on the color I find totally unnecessary.
Ask any client of mine and they will tell you that they have pretty much abandoned black or have learned fresh ways to wear black so that the color doesn’t wear them. Most of my clients own no more than a few pairs of black shoes and use every opportunity to accessorize with other colors instead. It is with no hidden agenda on my part that these women shift their thinking. It is simply by learning how to get dressed that they begin to see the limited nature of the black, along with all the new opportunities that other colors bring to the excitement of an outfit. Why wear black when a great pair of shoes, a fun handbag or colorful jewelry adds so much more? This is the thinking that changes the minds of my clients.
Yet, transitioning out of black or creating black-balance cannot be done overnight. In fact, I remember when I abandoned my black-heavy wardrobe. Yes, believe it or not, here was a time, years ago, that black was the number one color in my wardrobe. When I realized how boring and unflattering the color was, I started to change. Obviously, I couldn’t trash my entire wardrobe so I started small. First, I incorporated new accessory colors to wear with black. I started winding brightly colored scarves around my neck, chose jewelry in bold colors or more natural shades, like tans, tortoise tones and mid-browns, for example. I slowly started to change my shoe choices and developed a love of nude colored shoes. As I bought new clothes I never bought anything in black and it wasn’t long before the color was all but eliminated with the exception of a few pairs of leggings, which, I admit, I still wear….but never with black shoes. Those I don’t own.
If you love black, wear it and enjoy it. People who know my “meh” attitude on black often feel ashamed when they tell me they bought something to wear in black. I always counter by assuring them that I have no problems with someone’s choice to wear it and reiterate, again, that it’s the over-dependence on black that bugs me, not the color. I just don’t think black deserves the hoopla it gets, that’s all.
So, for those of you looking for new ways to wear black, to transition out of your black heavy wardrobe, or who are considering eliminating black entirely from your wardrobe, I thought it would be helpful to focus on three work looks using black and styling it so that the black is part of the outfit, not the standout player. Check out the three outfits below.
Fresh Ways to Wear Black
Look #1
A basic pair of black pants, like this pair from Reiss, is a common staple that can be worn with any top. The problem with this look is that the black pants often become this boring backdrop for the rest of the outfit, they don’t harmonize with the rest of the outfit. This look is often called the “black pants, colored top uniform” and bores most women to tears. The problem is, it is such a hard look to abandon because it is so easy, and many women have built an entire wardrobe outfit this simple and repetitive formula.
I am going to give you the easiest tip to take baby steps to break from this repetitive funk. When you put on a pair of black pants and some random top, think about the final 25% of your outfit. For most women, the no-brainer finish to an outfit like this would be to grab a boring pair of black shoes, a black handbag and, maybe, accessorize with some nondescript jewelry. However, in doing this, this is where a woman is missing her great opportunity to step out and elevate the outfit. In the outfit above, I chose a ballerina flat in a color that coordinates with the top. You don’t necessarily need to own a pair of shoes that match the top perfectly, but you can opt for a pair of shoes in a metallic or at least a pair of black shoes that make a bit more of a statement if you must wear black. Even if I wore black pants I certainly wouldn’t wear black shoes. Next, I chose jewelry that is versatile but not boring. Versatility in accessories is important because you want the accessories you own to work with a lot of what is in your closet. However, versatility does not have to mean boring. All I did was choose some sterling silver accessories in novelty styles, not boring ones. Lastly, a metallic bag, something that can be just as versatile as a black bag but looks a heck of a lot more interesting. By adding these components, the outfit is fully styled vs. being a look of random separates.
Look #2
What am I going to wear to work tomorrow? Look 2 by bridgetteraes
Next, let’s talk about the importance of the nude shoe, which I often call the tan shoe on this blog as I feel “nude” implies that everyone is of the same color (just a pet peeve of mine). The nude a.k.a. tan shoe is, by far, the most versatile and wearable color you can own, for a variety of reasons. Aside from the fact that tan shoes have leg slimming and lengthening qualities when worn with bare legs or pantyhose, they offer instant elevation to any outfit you may be wearing. I always tell my clients if they want to create a style that looks less “cubicle” and more “corner office” to switch out their black shoes for tan ones, and this includes when they wear pants (if they aren’t petite) and little black dresses.
In this outfit, we have a basic black pencil skirt from J.Crew and black cardigan, styled with a novelty cream top. If this outfit was just accessorized with a black pair of shoes and black handbag there wouldn’t be anything all the memorable about it and chances are the wearer would bore of the outfit quickly. In addition, there is a harshness to the outfit that few people can pull off without being drowned out. If you don’t want to look like a penguin or cater-waiter in your outfit, in addition to the tan shoes and handbag, the beauty of such a clean canvas of the black and white is that accessories of any colors can be brought in to bring some interest to the outfit. Wearing colorful accessories can also soften the stark qualities of black, especially for someone who looks better in other colors. When I stepped out of my all black phase, this is how I did it– I chose colorful accessories that worked better with my own personal coloring. Another alternative to consider with this outfit, if you don’t own or want to buy a pair of tan shoes is to consider a pair of shoes in a novelty color. Pick a color, any color.
Look #3
What am I going to wear to work tomorrow? Look 3 by bridgetteraes
The last thing I want to suggest is that you warm up black. Again, when I started to balance out my black-heavy wardrobe, another thing I looked for were warmer colors that complemented black and my coloring. While brown and black is usually a no-no to wear together (though I’ve certainly done it), I really like the way mid-brown shades work with black in a rich, seamless manner. What was a boring black top, now looks like it part of a cohesive outfit when put together with rich shades that encapsulate the two colors.
Many women buy black tops, like this one from Modcloth.com, with the hopes that they will get all this use from them. The opposite usually happens and they bore quickly of wearing a black top with a pair of jeans or a pair of gray pants to work. Again, there is nothing wrong with these colors together as a base. However, that last step of accessorizing is often overlooked and the reason why most women feel so bored. If women just took that last step and pulled in added some shots of novelty, a pop color or pieces in interesting cuts and silhouettes, they’d see that, yes, black on its own can be boring, but black as part of an entire outfit can really be interesting.
Black is not a bad color, it can be a versatile color, if you know what to do with it. The key to wearing black is to not stop with the black and to take it one step further and create a finished and accessorized outfit. One of the biggest funks I see in clients’ closets are these attempts to break free from black and load up on more clothes where, in fact, many of these clients’ problems would be solved if they stopped buying clothes and started buying more accessories, interesting shoe styles and handbags in versatile, yet interesting, colors.
Instead of just throwing on your boring black outfit work tomorrow, think about fresh ways you can wear black. You may realize that you have a lot more options in your closet than you realize.
