What a great post, Katerina! I've so enjoyed reading everyone's responses.

Because I'm emerging from a period where I wore the same black items over and over -- maybe with a gray cardigan one day and a black one the next, but such limited variety and no 'spark' to anything -- I am hungry to re-introduce colour to my wardrobe. I want to eliminate my reliance on black as the ONLY thing I really wear, while keeping it for those times when I truly like and feel great in it.

Nothing replaces the look of a black cigarette-style pant. A black turtleneck with jeans is heaven. And with many other things. My short black puffer makes me feel very hip for some reason.

I am tired of hiding in all black by detault. When I wear black, I want it to be special, deliberate, and eye catching rather than camouflaging, IYKWIM.

Thank you ALL very much for answering and the interesting thoughts on black. I read and reread each and every comment and found much wisdom and many answers for myself here!

I realized I wear black in a few different ways.

Most often as a backdrop for interesting to me accessories - scarves, statement necklaces and brooches. Also to add a bright, contrast colours. Often, I choose a column of black for this. This is something I will always do, but lately I try to do the same with other mainly dark neutrals.

Deliberate B&W outfits. Also something I enjoy.

Deliberate all black outfits - trying to use textures to make them interesting. This look is not easy to succeed with, but fun sometimes to try.

The last category is the “hiding” in black outfits. Or not having time or energy to put together a better outfit - so it will be all black and some scarf. These versions do not make me happy, but not unhappy either. They just are. At first, I wanted to type that I should try to eliminate these. But they too have a place in the daily life. Sometimes I just do not want to care or even want to hide a little. It’s all good. I should just not overthink everything.