You’re so pretty, Angie. It’s such a treat to see your looks. Great tips on brightening black. Perfect for where I’m at right now. I want to try several of the looks.

Perfect, Angie! Thank you for explaining how to do this – I was wearing a black, thin-knit cardigan yesterday and wore a white ruffled tank underneath and that helped it ‘pop’ and add interest.

When you wear black dresses, do you use denim, pants, boots, and tights to lighten up the look on the bottom half as well? I always feel like my white, veiny legs look a little better covered up with something non-black when wearing a black dress.

These are very pretty outfits. I love the ruffled top and the sheer blouse. My question is the same as LauraElizabeth´s: what about the bottom? I love black, but almost all of my bottoms are black, so I often don´t know how to wear my black tops – I´m trying to avoid an all-black look.

First I am going to thank you for treating us again with your super outfits. You look beautiful. The advice on wearing black is fantastic and so helpful. I am totally in love with the sheer frilly blouse you are wearing. I also love the two scarves and how they lift up the black shirt and turtleneck. Is the way you tied them the same as what you posted a while back?

What a load of useful information Angie! Thank you so much for this article.

You look gorgeous, it is always a treat when you model the outfits. And I want to steal the sheer blouse and Chanel-esque cardi, you better lock them up

Love all of your looks. You are beautiful and your style enhances that beauty. I love the use of the scarf with the turtleneck. I would have never thought about doing it that way.

Great post, Angie! I LOVE that you are showing us some of your pieces, they are gorgeous (and so are you!). The six ways you describe wearing black is how I wear it almost exclusively. I’m not a huge fan of the color anyway, but every once in a while, a top or dress will catch my eye and it will be black, so I combine it in one of the ways you mentioned. Thanks for spelling it out though. I will remember these tips.

I love black and it still works with my coloring but even I have noticed that as I get older it needs a bit of “omphf” to pop like it used to. Also if everybody is wearing it sometimes you start to feel like an extra in a bad sci-fi movie so the variations are a great plus! Thanks!

I really like the vertical look and contrast of the scarves against the black. I’m 5′4″ and need all the VERTICAL I can get! Great tips, Angie!

What valuable information! It is a special post when you model your looks. The sheer blouse is gorgeous! I needed this blog topic as the owner of way too much black that isn’t the best near my aging skin and especially will use the scarf under the collar of a shirt. Thank you, beautiful Angie.

I did want to add that I am not really a ruffle type girl but you may be converting me. I love the black ruffled top!

Great pics Angie, you look amazing as always!
Is that a white leather jacket in the first pic? I hope not, because it looks fantastic and will make me get back on my white-leather-bandwagon again…

Thanks for the tips.I generally avoid black tops because I feel they make me look TOO serious, even though the actual color works on me.But these tips will let me inject some lightness into them and look more like myself

Thanks and if you want to ever unload that jacket I get first dibs…

Angie, is scarf #2 tied in the “Angie” knot?

Terrific post. I default far too much to black, but have a variety of tops like those described. These ideas are great reminders of how to wear it without looking too harsh. You look fantastic, as always!

This is great, Angie! As a fan of wearing black, I tend to use some of these a lot, particularly the scarf approach. Scarves are my main source of wardrobe colour and I love the combination of flair and polish that black and a coloured scarf create. Pearls are also a favorite of mine – their glowing texture is perfect for black.

Thanks for reminding me of some very useful tricks!

Black does not lie. Black is Black!

Your gracious compliments are awfully kind. Thank you so much, ladies. I’m blushing behind my computer. I’m thrilled that the penny dropped with this post. That’s always the point!

LE, the way you mixed in a white shirt with a black cardigan is spot on. Also, know that I have white, vein-y legs too and wear black frocks that show case my less than stellar legs all the time. It is what it is! My legs work hard for me and I love them for that. But textured black hose works wonders too and so does adding a fabulous pair of boots.

Phoebe, wearing black from head to toe can look stunning when it’s done right – with texture and interest. But black is often misunderstood and it’s a shame that women fall back on the hue as a flop proof way to go when it’s just about as flop-able as it gets! (Perhaps my eyes are sensitive to the colour black too). Anyway, black skirts and dresses are easier options to get looking right than black pants with black tops in my opinion. The fact that your legs aren’t covered up makes a huge difference. I’ll blog about how to make an all black look work. The trick is to put together “false black” pieces.

Danja and Laura, yes those scarves are tied with the “Angie knot”.

Laura’s Mum, I love the vertical effect of scarves too. I even posted about that concept a while ago:

http://youlookfab.com/2007/12/.....ing-scarf/

Palm Fronds, that *is* an off-white leather jacket. Sorry! It was a b-day present from Greg who chose it all on his own. Such a clever little sausage he is. Your first dibbs are noted.

Kristers, you crack me up.

As a lover of black, I love this post, of course And I’m swooning over your sheer patterned blouse in the second picture, soooo pretty!
One more tip: layering a non-black waistcoat over a black top. I wear my grey menswear waistcoat over a black dress, and finish it off with a wide yellow or red belt over the waist coat. Very fun!

I don’t have time to read the post yet because I have to run to a meeting…BUT PHOTOS OF ANGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPEE!!!!!!!

I will read it later and devour every morsel!

Those are great photos, I love black tops and am always trying to figure out ways to add interest. Where did you find the necklace in the upper left photo? It is perfect. I am always looking for elements of white/ivory in necklaces just for wearing with black.

Thanks Angie – I love it when you show us the looks. Always helps with a visual. And that you’re a cutie doesn’t hurt ;^) Seriously, I wear so much black, this truly does make me think about how to freshen it up and make it look so much better. Antje tip about the non-black waist coat also gave me some new ideas too.

Angie, you look SO gorgeous in the first picture with the white jacket! So poised, graceful simply superb.
I’ve just realized I’ve whittled away at my wardrobe so that the majority of my black tops are tanks that I used exclusively for layering. The two tops are I have are button downs which I have not worn in quite a while. You’ve inspired to dig them out and pair them with something colorful. And while I know I wouldn’t be able to carry off either the ruffle or the sheer black tops, they look divine on you. Thank you for the great tips!

Antje,The last time I wore my black button down shirt, I paired them with my white waistcoat. And with jeans, it looked really good if I may say so myself. I have been looking for a grey tailored vest for a while.

Amazing tips and amazing Angie! You look stunning and I want to steal all of your clothes.

Thank you for sharing a part of your glorious wardrobe, I’m having pearl envy of the highest order. I will never wear a flat black top on it’s own again, I love how either the texture or colour give a whole new dimension.

Your hair is getting quite long at the front now! You look perfect!

Your Greg has excellent taste. I love it when my husband finds me treasures like that.
May I ask (here?) if sheer tops like yours above are work appropriate for a business casual environment?

I’m a little hung up on colors not looking good with black so I tend to break it up with jewelry – usually sliver combined with pearls. I’m a warm so should be wearing gold, but I like silver against black better.

Wow, props to greg for that pick! You look fantastic in that jacket Angie, it is the perfect shade for you.And yes I will be searching the web for one again, perhaps as a hint to MY clever little sausage hubby

Angie, thank you very much for the detailed post on this topic. I love black, but it doesn’t love me back, so I am always looking for ways to reconcile these 2 facts. I figured out a few of these tricks intuitively, but it’s great to have them articulated so well. I only started experimenting with scarves recently, and I really like the effect.
And I echo everyone, you look stunning in the pictures, and all the combinations are so elegant. Thanks for the great visual treat!

Youi are such a STUNNING beauty..I love every single photo and style!!!

I know you did this post just for me (hah:)…and I gobbled every scrap of info you shared…Thanks for modeling beautiful you !!!

Thanks so much Angie, this is a particularly super post for me as I have grey hair – my Dad kindly calls it pewter – and I’m at an age (54) when black is starting to look harsh. Still, I’m not ready to say goodbye to the colour, it’s so wonderful and so many good garments come in black! Your tips are terrifically helpful, and thank you for the excellent photos which help to make the point so beautifully.

Thanks Angie and Greg for going to all the work of another modelling session for us!
Full of great ideas and very relevant to me, as I have heaps of black tops.

Thank you Angie for these useful tips! I have a lot of black in my wardrobe and i’ll put right away some of these tips to the test!

Angie I am lusting after your ruffle top! great ideas-you look awesome.

Wonderful photos and tips Angie! I think I have the same top as in the ‘contrasting neckline’ photo.

Thanks for the great idea, i have closet full of black top, can’t wait to try it out.
LOVE the cream / white outside of back, never thought of it before , had always assume light color must go inside dark color must go outside

I’m glad this post was helpful.

Antje’s tip uses the same concept as my first suggestion. I mentioned grey as a great layering alternative over black. Good look! The reason I did not mention belts is because they are not close to the face, but they do a great job of breaking up a black top for sure

Sarah, that’s a hard question. It really depends on your line of work and the culture of the environment. In the fashion and advertising industry, if the look is done with taste, it’s absolutely appropriate.

Great tips! I always try to use chunky necklaces when I’m wearing black. And may I just say that that sheer blouse is lovely.

-meream

Very timely. For some odd reason, I’ve been lusting lately for the perfect black silk blouse.

Angie, I love how you tell us why it is certain looks work, then show us too. It’s analytical yet artistic.

And Greg has excellent taste!! Gorgeous jacket.

Great post. I unfolded my fall stuff a few weeks and realized I have a lot of black tops despite having cleared a lot of black in the move. The scarf thing seems to work. I wish I had one on today and am not even wearing black.