If you’re anything like me, then you probably know the habit of pulling black to wear when the cooler weather arrives. Something about a chill in the air, grey skies and changing leaves has me opting for black most days. Even though my wardrobe is pretty neutral (whites, browns and greys) black tends to be my BFF for Fall and Winter. The only problem with wearing all black is that it can become pretty boring easily. Not to mention, it can look frumpy or drown you out. So I thought I’d share my tips on how to wear all black without looking boring! Scroll below to find out how.
1. Add texture
My first tip of wearing all black is adding texture. Texture is your best friend when it comes to adding interest to an outfit and breaking up the different levels of black, if you will. For my look above, I choose a pleated dress for my texture. I also love wearing leather or faux fur with an all black look to change it up too. Trust me, texture will make any black outfit go to drab to fab within seconds.
2. Add shape
I always love an outfit that has a fun shape to it! Wearing shoulder pads with a black blazer, cinching a belt for more of an hour glass shape or wearing puffy sleeves is a great way to add some shape. My pleated dress above is a little drab without a belt and makes me look like a box. Then add the tights and the dress honestly looks like a disaster. To wear this dress as an all black outfit, I choose to use a belt bag to create more shape and make it more flattering on my body. The puffy sleeves (which I’ve been obsessed with lately) was the cherry on top for this all black look.
3. Break up the black
Nothing is more drab than wearing the same shade of black from top to bottom. My third tip is to break up the black using another colour, like a chain belt or a brown belt for example, or by accessorizing with accessories that catch the eye, such as gold or statement pieces. I styled my all black look in two ways to show an example of how to break up an all black outfit. The picture to the right I choose to wear a gold belt without tights. And the picture to the left I wore over-the-knee tights that was more sheer at the top to break up the black.
4. Add another colour or print
I choose to throw on a tan hat to add a little colour or neutral if you will! Tip number four is almost like tip number three to be honest. The only difference is, if you followed all the tips above and still feel like you need something to pull an all black outfit all together don’t be scared to add another colour or print. Another fun way to spice up an all black outfit would be wearing a printed boot like leopard or snakeskin!
5. Opt for new black pieces
Okay, the last and maybe the most important tip is opt for your newer or new black pieces. Old black pieces tend to fade with wear and washing. It’s hard to pull a crisp and pulled together all black outfit with faded pieces. I find an all black look with old pieces always looks drab and ends up looking boring and lifeless. My tip to avoid this would be only wash your blacks when you absolutely need too (such as jeans, blouses and dresses) and purchase a good dark coloured detergent to save your precious black pieces!
Do you wear all black in the cooler months too?
xo Lauren
