Hi all,
I was an absolute black clothing devotee until after the birth of my second baby, when I started to notice that it would look a little draining, and the style and fashion world was working hard to pull women out of our black-clothes dependency. It's been a great, freeing process, and I've learned so much about color, flattery, and style by removing that 'default' - for example, I had to get a lot better about judging clothes by their merits; whereas, in the past, I would think, black always works, and not give other details much thought.
Having virtually eliminated black from my wardrobe, I have recently started to carefully add some back into the mix. Navy/ink is my primary neutral, so black will be firmly in a supporting role. Here's why I'm open to it again:
- I love navy, but to me it's still a color. Therefore, if I want to wear other colors than my beloved navy, black can be a really useful backdrop. This is especially true because I love all shades of blue, but generally don't like wearing two shades of blue together. I was so pleased with this outfit, but the black pants (vs. say jeans) were an essential component. I love navy and black together, so that works too.
- It works well for leather-goods. I was determined to buy a chocolate brown pair of boots, until I started looking for a purse. I enjoy my taupe booties but don't really want to buy a purse just to go with them. Black is the same season over season, so buying black shoes this year, and then trying to find a purse next year isn't an issue. For reference, I've used the same tote virtually daily for the last 4 years, so an easy, minimalist approach to this category suits me! Also, black bookends my hair effectively. Bottom line, most of the time I buy non-black leather goods, I think, I like it, but wish I'd got it in black! Exception: my white Birks for summer and a brown belt to wear with said Birks and a column of light, where black would be too heavy.
- For some pieces, the versatility just can't be beat. For example, I rarely need to dress up, so things like a black, well-fitting blouse or button-up can fit the bill for a business meeting (with printed dress pants), a girls night out or party (with some bling and a bright lip), or a casual polished look (with scrunched sleeves and jeans). A dark ink can be as good, but is not always as easy to find.
