A Hell of a Girl .com
Home Page | Fashion Essays | A Hell of a Blog | Dog Stuff Review | Contact | Links

Black is back (again)

There aren't too many true fashion universals, but one I usually find to hold true is, When in Doubt, Wear Black. No matter how many designers are touting ___(insert trendy color here)___ as the new black, black is still black. It is Event Horizon Black, the mother of all blackness. And in most situations, it is the color that will do you the most good. It really is slimming, it's hard for spills and stains to show up and it can look casual or chic, it all depends on the accessories.

Black is as safe as it's sister neutral beige, only beige can be boring where black is sexy. Black gives you the security of a neutral color that can be as dressy or demure as you want it to be, but at the same time, it has the icy chill of coolness as well. Bad guys wear black. Good guys wear black. Catwoman wears black and so does Batman. Poser artistes wear black but so do sincere talented men and women. So black is universal, but is also has this haunting darkness. The night sky. Mystery. Seduction. The list goes on and on.

BUT.

You do not want to over do it and Yes, it can be done. Your best bet is finding a color you like (ivory and bottle green are two of my favorites) and pair them with black. Breaking up the endless black splotch of your wardrobe is a step in the right direction. Too much black really can make you look like a Bride of Dracula and, even if you are into that Miss Gothy-Boots, some color will make the black look blacker and the colors pop more. Personally, I LOVE black and pink together. I think it looks 50s retro cool and modern at the same time. Maybe you like purple or puce or fuscha. All can be worked with black. Black is the neutral to trump all neutrals.

Of course, you must be prepared to deal with the consequences. My Mom, whom I love dearly, STILL tells me I need to wear less black and more color. As I sit on my porch and type this I have on a black shell top, a black skirt with small grey, pale blue and white polka dots on it and a pale blue cardigan sweater. I love this outfit because it has so much black, but it's FESTIVE. I mean POLKA DOTS. No one ever said polka dots were somber or too serious. So whatever black you have, you can make it fit what you are looking for in an outfit I believe.

Some basics I endorse:
  • Black turtleneck. This is totally at risk of looking like a "pretentious black-turtleneck-wearing-fuck" which is a favorite insult of a few of my computer programmer friends for "artistic" guys who build pretty but hard-to-use websites and act all snooty about it. HOWEVER, if you are not one of those people, I say get the turtleneck. Guys can look suave and girls, well, think Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face. It's a classic. Looks cool under a black leather jacket, smart under business jackets and casual at the coffee shop.
  • The Little Black Dress
  • A nice quality even coat.
  • Good Shoes
  • A good handbag
  • Knee length skirt
  • Suit (especially good if you work in an office environment)
  • At least 1 pair of black pants in a flattering cut that you love, Buy 2 pair if you can.
Optional, but good:
  • Peacoat
  • Ankle length skirt
  • t-shirt/tank top.

<< Back to Essays List!


Home Page | Fashion Essays | A Hell of a Blog | Dog Stuff Review | Contact | Links

© 2024 Suzi Smith