Simple solutions to my complicated love of black

Hi there, one of the themes on this forum is that often people's style journey takes them in a broad circle back to where they started, except refined, or wiser, or more intentional. This is my somewhat silly story of coming back to start, but thought I'd share.

For me, its been all about black - since 14 years old, it's been my go to and it worked like a charm for my style, personality, and various lifestyles along the way, but things got complicated. First it was Stacy and Clinton advising people it was not their best, then I got a seasonal color analysis saying I was *gasp* a summer. Then I noticed an old photo of me in black, looking rather dull (no matter that it was taken in poor light and I had no makeup on, no matter that there are many other photos of me looking fine in black).

So I slowly started phasing black out and navy in and dithering about accent colors, and fussing about was I really a summer, and what type, or a winter, or what. Meanwhile, the simplicity of dressing that I had always had with my mostly-black wardrobe was lost.

And then I finally a few months ago copped on to that little disclaimer all the color articles have about pulling off black - you just add something more flattering around your face! How did I, dedicated to simplicity as I am, manage to ignore this super-easy bit of info for so long! I am truly a master of overcomplication!

So NOW I have three pieces which allow me to wear black at will, and once again I am reclaiming the simplicity that I once enjoyed: a black and white printed scarf (I had a Walmart one, a friend just gave me a much nicer version for my birthday), a white Thomas Sabo pendant necklace (again, birthday! yay friends!), a large pair of Swarovksi crystal earrings. Those (generally on or another of them, not all), along with my black tops and dark wash jeans/shorts can take me to pretty much every occasion in my life. *sigh of relief*. My closet can pretty much be black, white and denim now, and not (to me) be boring.

Wondering if others have over-complicated something and then found a simple solution?

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10 years ago

Alassë

Veteran

I'm happy for you that you found your simplicity again!

Suz

(website)

Sounds wonderful!

I find that a scarf with black in the print can be a real help. In my case, it's to bookend darker bottoms in winter. You have your hair for that. But it also has the advantage of allowing me to pull in more complimentary colours and still wear black. I am a "summer" but I wear black. I consider it more of a colour in my wardrobe than a neutral -- but face it. In an Ontario winter, black bottoms are pretty much a given. So it's definitely one of my commonly worn colours.

Alana in Canada

I loved hearing about your journey back to black!

gryffin

Welcome back to the dark side torontogirl!! I have the opposite reaction to negative feedback, the more people tell me I shouldn't do something the more I dig my heels in. I will then stand back, think, brood, ruminate and I will take their words to heart, but at the end of the day, if it works for me, I will buck the masses and follow my heart. After all, it's just clothes, if we feel fantastic in them isn't that the point of personal style? Glad you've worked through your uncertainty and feel comfortable, secure and happy. Love the scarf (I have similiar) and I use silver pendants/watch/cuffs, pearls, diamond studs as my accent. Black completes me, so very glad it makes you happy too!! Enjoy!!

Helena

Thanks all!
Suz, great point about the climate - the reality is that black is very practical, if nothing else, when there is slush, car dirt, etc. to be dealt with.
Gryffin - so glad to see you again!!

karymk

torontogirl I am really starting to appreciate black again! Nothing else can do what black does! Not navy, not taupe, not cognac or brown. Black is a mood, it is a color, it is sleek like a panther. Black simplifies.

It may not be my "best" color up by the face, but I choose the necklines and sleeves carefully for tops. The more skin you can show the better.

As a blonde I know I have to darken my eyes a bit and make sure I have some makeup going on up top. But with your dark hair I think you swing black very well!

LA is more white than black, but I love wearing summer black like my New York friends are doing. In the right fabric, black is seasonless, comfortable and practical.

I also like to do what Suz was saying about using black as a "color accent" in boots, bags, belts and jewels.

Anonymous

I am almost letting my own breath with you in a sigh of relief, TG! I'm so glad you found a solution. In the end, we really must follow our hearts, mustn't we. That's what make us "feel like ourselves". That leopard scarf is stellar, and breaks up the black nicely, not to mention adding a very chic (dare I use the word glamorous?) element. I enjoyed reading the story of your style journey.

karmyk, you are spot-on ... there is truly no black but black, it is the ultimate simplifier in my book.
I absoluley LOVE blondes in black and look forward to checking out how you incorporate it into your looks! you are far more fashion-forward than I, but another plus of black is that it is both completely classic and completely edgy and fashionable, all at once.

thanks Claire!

Diana

Ha! I totally understand this. I also went through a phase where I tried to not wear as much black, flirted with navy and grey and even brown, but now I'm coming back to my old love, black. For me, I also realized that I have black hair so a lot of the "rules" about black being too harsh don't apply to me. (It's overdyed, currently with purple, but still fundamentally black.)

Alexandra

Welcome back to black! It's a great color.

Caro in Oz

I think black can be all the good things people say but it can also be boring & in some cities very conventional imo. For me it's not about a colour so much but about how it is worn.

I'm a bit like gryffin with following"rules". I like to make up my own mind. Having said that I can see & feel that all black does me no favours (I don't think it ever did really) so I'm exploring other options to see where I go now

Gigi

Great story, TG! And the scarf looks wonderful.

I shied away from black for a time too, for the same reasons. I hadn't worn a lot of it before that, but I did wear some—and enjoyed it. But I started switching to navy, which does look a lot better on me. But I missed black, because as karymk says, there's something special about black. It evokes a very distinct mood, and I sometimes crave that. So I have started incorporating black back into my wardrobe when I feel like it, even next to my face. I even bought a black scarf (horror of horrors!). I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying black again.

Sal

YAY!
Success story here. If you are on a budget black is so wonderful in terms of mix and match. It is not my best colour near my face but I try and make it work. And as Karymk says - it is a mood, it is simple.

SandyG

Another summer here, and petite as well. I love black but with some skin showing in the summer so it isn't a big dark blocky look.

I think the white necklace is a great idea and will try this immediately!

Peri

I am so with you! I did for awhile try to get away from black near my face, but black trousers are my cannot live without item. And I too have now made my way back to black tops. I love them! They only like me, but I do exactly what you do...soften things up with scarves and great jewelry. Black is FAB!

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