So interesting! I also am moving away from black, particularly near my face. I attribute it to the usual suspects - face shape and color changes as I get older. Maybe there is more too it though!

I am trying to be more conscious of the black items I buy. Black will always be a part of my style but I am craving color too.

Black has always been my go-to, for as long as I can remember. I wouldn't say I'm shying away from it this year so much as trying to embrace other neutrals. Before my wedding last year, you couldn't get me to wear white because I thought it looked bad with my very fair skin, but I discovered while I don't look great in off-white, I look great in a pure white! So I've been incorporating more white into my wardrobe this spring and summer. I bought a lovely sheer, lacy, white top from Cato Fashions that I've been living in. It's a relief to wear a lighter color because it gets very hot in the summer over here.

I'm wearing a black tee with black and white polka dot crops at the moment, so definitely not shying away. What I am finding is that I'm not loving black with color (except pink, of course) right now. Black with white, cream, taupe, tan, or light gray feels very right to me at the moment.

I'm not shy-in'. I still love black, which has been a staple since long-ago high school.

But since I already have many black items, my purchases over the past couple of years have rarely been (solid) black. In other words, I'm filling in with other things. I do have a decent number of black items that have white patterns of some sort. However, many things I add these days are gray or dark/charcoal gray, because hey, they are more widely available now. In fact, I have on order right now a pair of gray plaid/tartan/check trousers and a couple of tees; one tee is gray-and-white (with black), the other is black-based but with white. Most recent shoe purchases have been black, mostly black, black-and-white, or a silver-to-dark gray metallic.

Plus, changing from east-coast past (lots of black and not many good alternatives in those days) to west coast has meant black is less de rigueur.

I'll note though that I have felt no inclination to buy white pants. Last ones I had were in the mid-80s. I loved the cut (they were Girbauds), but I guess I just haven't been feelin' it since then.

Actually, summer is when I reach for my black tops the most. I can buy thinner tops in black and get away without a cami underneath as long as I wear a black bra. Black tops (especially with a print) hardly show sweat marks. Plus my black summer tops are styled into early winter in my neck of the woods. I let my bottoms and accessories satisfy my need for color or whites.

I have been a fan of black for ages, but This last too years i noticied i have been avoiding black. I replaced some of my basics and went for navy. I have been on a navy, white, red and citron mood! My guess is that with age, black is not flattering on me anymore

Recently I have gone back to buying lots of black. I'm not sure why. There is a lot available for Spring this year, maybe. I think I am feeling somewhat defiant about life in general, and fashion as well, so my choice of black may be related to that. I have also been wearing a lot of black this month because this is my last chance to wear it before the weather becomes terribly hot. Then I avoid black because light colors reflect back the heat so much better.

It also occurred to me that IRL I wear less black than what appears from my WIW posts. Maybe I feel more fashionable in black. I do feel black is easier to style than color, I feel continually perplexed by color. I think designers are too! That's why so many of them default to black. It reminds me of what cinematographers say: that working in black and white is so much easier than working in color.

Yes, I am sick of black - and grey.
I had a lovely, light filled summer wearing lots of white and felt quite demoralised contemplating yet another dark winter.
So I bought myself some lovely blue things and I feel very happy now with my brighter winter wardrobe. Penny

I shied away from black way more last year. This year, about half the stuff I bought for summer. Was black. Almost all of the rest was blue or grey. I decided to keep the camo tank so it is my one thing in a color.

I've been more shying away from color this year. My closet is almost exclusively black, grey, white , and blue.

I have been making a strong effort this year not to purchase black tops or dresses in favor of ink and charcoal which are better suited to my medium contrast coloring. It was difficult to find ink blue earlier this spring, but recently found some great pieces in the Vince Camuto Oceanography collection at Nordstrom as well as trousers in a line called 1.State (great for curvy fit).

I'm still loving black bottoms, and my black leather jacket, but I'm really shying away from black on my top half.

I'm definitely not! I maybe rely on it a little too much sometimes, but I love black for myself all year long.

I've maybe been trying to wear it more with lighter or brighter colors lately, though, so I don't feel like I'm always wearing things in the same few shades. And it's always been easier for me to wear entirely non-black outfits without feeling contrived in the summer. Something about never having to think about coordinating tights with everything else!

Nope! What I have noticed, though, is that I will no longer wear colour AT ALL. I'm sure this will change when I dye my hair back to brown, but for now it's flaming pink, and I simply feel ridiculous in any kind of colour. It's too much. I'm living my life in shades of grey (and black and white) these days. Well, that's not quite true. I will also wear ink/navy and military green, but those barely count as colours.

I am noticing that for the first time in my life, I'm adding a lot of white. I used to think I looked bad in white, but started experimenting with a white shirt collar. For a long time I wasn't wearing the white shirt alone -- I always put something dark over top. Once I got used to that, it opened up the world of white for me. I've bought four fluid white tops in a row this spring. Somehow white feels like the right colour for this fluid top trend -- very breezy, like the robes of Arabian desert people!

I'm with you, Angie! Although I'd say mostly that I'm deliberately avoiding "fall back black." You know, a colored top with black trouser day after day? I spent the 90s in that look.

I agree with AJ that black is great for looking polished, even in sweaty conditions, so I love my black "travel knit" shift dress and my black track pants for sweltering days. Still, I'm drawn to navy and white mixed with the jewel tones that flatter me most, and am drawn to chambray and lighter denim tones, too!

In warmer seasons, black might be a convenient base, but, like you, I'm breaking it up with light and bright. In the fall, I'll be wearing more black, I'm sure, but I'll still be looking for added texture and bits of (deeper) colors!

(You look amazing in your striped skirt ensemble, btw)

Oh Angie I'm definitely in! Not just this season, but for ALL seasons and for the past few years now -- and I don't expect it to change any time soon. I have been very cautiously exploring mixing black with softer lights and pastels this season, but it's most definitely a minimal interest. I think it'll grow more in fall/winter when black inevitably seems to creep in more heavily. Black may be one of my best neutrals, but I don't let it boss me around Besides, white is a much better one for me (go Team White!).

I've been shying away for years. I will wear it in Fall and Winter but here in Florida, where it's ninety degrees in the shade, black can look heavy and "hot" if not done right. Black used to be super flattering on me -- one of my "best colors" -- not so much anymore. I find it emphasizes my under eye circles and they're not that bad.

I have been going in the opposite direction - bringing in and wearing more black then I have for over a year. Last year when I was "freed" from SYC, I consciously chose to not buy or wear black on the top half of my bottom - but still wore it and bought a few black items for the bottom half. Then, I fell in love with lights, white, pale colors - and my black items really didn't see the light of day for over a year. But, now - I have been more attracted to it again. Today I wore (and am still wearing) light denim harem jeans, black "silky tee," and black flat shoes - and carried a black clutch - and, I felt really good! - chic, stylish - and just like I was doing something different for a change. (I've maybe gone overboard on the white/lights outfits.)

I started to move away from black a few years ago and now only have a few pairs of black yoga pants left in my wardrobe. What has been a new shift this Spring has been my desire for more white and pale greys. Almost all of my purchases this year have been in those 2 colors. My kids are still young, so white is a risk, but it makes my heart so happy. I wear my white linen button down and tank dress as soon as they are clean. That has shifted my laundry preferences considerably. Now the whites get done first!

I too am completely off black this season, and I would never have believed that could happen! My wardrobe is probably 60% black and it is only that low a percentage because I have attempted to move beyond black for years and years. Yet now, this season, suddenly black has lost all its appeal. A great surprise.

Sarah

I should be shying away from black. But it's just so easy! Or maybe I should say, it's just so lazy?
Although I haven't bought anything new that's black in some time I continue to wear the black items in my closet. Truthfully, I'm a bit resistant to change. I also know it's not the most flattering look on me.

I too wear less black than five or ten years ago. But still my favorite shoe color is black. I think it is an unconscious bookending thing.

I am buying black more these days for purely practical reasons related to work -- I travel a lot and black is very travel friendly.

Ink blue might be too, but it's difficult to find rich ink blue jersey and other travel-friendly fabrications, at least in petites, where options are already woefully limited. Most of what I do find in navy is dull and lackluster and flat, not rich.

In my leisure time I opt for white and more white. As you can imagine, white is just not practical for travel. All I need is to splatter coffee on me during airplane ride and I won't arrive at my business meeting looking good.

After a very LONG winter, black just seems to take me back there again! No, no, no! I am into Navy in a big way----shorts, polka dot sneakers and Coach cross body bag! Also wearing white skinny jeans.

Been choosing navy (ink blue?) over black since this time last year. More white, also. There is actually less colour in my wardrobe now, then there was when I first started following YLF.

FWIW, I really like wearing blue and black together in winter, and blue or black and white in the summer.

So interesting! I always preffer to wear black on my upper half and NOT on the bottom for a matter. I love my black tops/toppers (usually with a bit of neckline for showing some skin, or layered with other things) year long but avoid plain black colored bottoms for any other season than late fall and winter, so I only have a few of them. Spring to fall I match my black tops with plain white/or bl&w base printed bottoms a lot. Comes winter I like to pair my black sweaters/tops/toppers with some bottoms that are bl&color/neutral print/pattern, and use the black opaques and black boots formula instead.

I haven't been wearing it much either this spring so far at least. I thought I "needed" black sandals recently and tried on at least 6 different ones and sent them all back realizing it wasn't black that I really wanted. But it's not just shoes, I haven't been wearing as much black on top either. I think I'm trying to find tops with more interest for summer wear and black often doesn't show details very well so that is at least part of it. I do love navy, ink and deep charcoal gray.