Summer Chic Noir- Black Never Boring or Basic When You Style It Like a City Girl

There’s something about black.

Maybe I started to be a fan because I’m a native New Yorker and the perennial color du jour is chic + never faltering black.

It’s the one color that has that cool edge besides being the glue to almost everything else you own, and says I’ve arrived rather than where am I going.

Try that mint green, why don’t you?

I’m not talking about dour and dreary funereal black that washes you out. But the dynamic and urban way of combining fabrications and cuts that’s grown-up, classy, and very New York City, or Paris, or any metropolitan city for that matter.

What about your other basics, like denim and white, you ask? They play right in to the refined mix.

Sure black absorbs heat more than a lighter shade but it also camouflages sweat stains, and you look so pulled together at the same time. And let’s not forget the added bonus of the hues slimming and lengthening charm on the eye.

>>RELATED READING: What to wear to work when it’s hot as hell

In case you need some personal prompting, I pulled items that are very close to some of the MVP’s of my summer black wardrobe (yes, many of my go-to pieces are even several years old). Click to see what’s in the montage at the top:

When you wear summer chic noir…

Create a core wardrobe of well-cut black pieces. Trust me, they will become your MVP’s too.

Mix in color as an accent…. even crazy bright color, if you like.

Avoid dreary doldrums with textural and visual interest- like shine paired with matte, sheer mixed with something weighty, nubby knits and slick leather.

Black may be perceived to be slenderizing, but tailoring the fit to perfection will seal the deal.

If you feel that black washes you out, try a brighter lipstick or super gloss. It’s the color that’s the background for all else so don’t be surprised if it calls out what you’ve been avoiding to deal with, like that mop top of yours.

 

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