Black clothes are the most reliable pieces in the wardrobe, suiting every season and every hour of the day. In this article we explain why black is indispensable and how you can transform it between night and day.
There is no woman whom black, the timeless colour that is always in fashion, does not suit. It is also the most versatile colour, one we can easily pair with any other. The colour of every season, whether by night or by day, sometimes sexy, sometimes striking, but always noble and mysterious: black… That is exactly why black clothes are the must-haves of our wardrobes.
Image: A woman in a long backless black dress in front of a red wall (representative image) — Kira Ikonnikova kiraikonnikova, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Imagine wearing a head-to-toe black outfit, accessories included, to an evening event. Even a swipe of red lipstick is enough to make us one of the most elegant and alluring women of the night. We must always have a little black dress, because it is the dress that always comes to our rescue, even at the most unconventional of moments.
Wear it with chic high heels. Carry a small, sparkly bag (silver is my choice). With delicate jewellery, you can create evening elegance. On the other hand, you can wear it with a pair of ballet flats or trainers in any colour you like. When we pair it with a small bag on a long chain strap, we achieve cool daytime chic. This dress is one of the only garments that delivers that kind of style. The only thing that makes this mini dress, the crown jewel of our wardrobe, timeless is its colour.
Then there are our black shoes, essentials we can wear with any outfit and can’t do without, whatever our age. Which of us doesn’t have black shoes in our wardrobe that we can wear with any outfit, whatever its colour, without a second thought? In the same way, our black bags, sunglasses and jewellery are the first things that come to mind even in the tightest of spots.
Small tips for styling black clothes
A head-to-toe black look can be very chic. But to keep it from looking flat, you need to make use of differences in texture and material. For example, you can pair a satin blouse with wool trousers, or a leather jacket with a knitted jumper. Bringing a lace piece together with a plain fabric also creates depth within the same colour.
- Sparkling accessories: A silver or gold-toned bag or piece of jewellery instantly livens up the simplicity of black for the evening.
- A single pop of colour: A red lipstick, colourful shoes or a patterned scarf add personality to an all-black outfit.
- Fabric care: Black clothes can fade with washing. Turning them inside out and washing them in cold water helps preserve the colour for longer.
If you are curious about the little black dress’s journey through fashion history, take a look at the little black dress entry on Wikipedia. And for another article on the nobility of black, see our piece on black, the representative of elegance, with DeFacto.