How to wear black without looking boring, the sequel

5 principles

They say wearing black is the easy style choice but I challenge that claim because assembling an outfit that is thought-provoking or inspiring but is also made up only of black demands a level of shrewd thinking.

It’s a creative challenge that invites you to consider the depth of the range of shades of black you can put together, what silhouettes are most impactful when paired, how texture and hardware and software and outerwear play lead roles in keeping things interesting.

I can’t point towards any specific inkling of an oncoming trend or dressing tendency to justify this style impulse in particular but these days, the right all-black look is also the best look, in my lookbook at least! The one to return to over and over. But what makes one such look the right look?

1. Texture

Bevza overhead jacket/sweater (the sale is pretty good), cinched with a Khaite belt (also just encountered this one — it feels like the right next move) and vintage tassel pin; Massimo Dutti pants (mostly sold out, but these are great too, and these are really textured), Khaite teva-style sandals (any wide sole shoe is good here; Jamie Haller’s ‘Chukka’ would work too); Cafe Leandra x Delarge sunglasses (wouldn’t discount the range of see-through lenses from Yesglasses though. Ty for the tip, Ashley Harris!)

There are five answers, and all of them are present in each of the looks at different volume levels. In the one above, the texture is on highest, with a wool overhead jacket and silky pants styled with wide sandals and sheer black socks, plus a leather belt with varnished gold hardware and a black lacquer pin with a gold tassel hanging down. The sunglasses give the polish a bit of kook. The pin gives the sleekness a bit of whimsy. The sandals are a tossed wrench.

With an actual winter coat, the vibe is more like:

Khaite sunglasses, Charlotte Simone coat (CS sells her outerwear in drops, not sure when the next one is coming but there are some on TRR, or here from Etsy is the vibe), Attersee shirt, Alex Mill pants (the ones I always wear in khaki, they’re 40% off now), Emme Parsons loafers, and there’s my baby in the back do you see her!

With cotton pants (I wear leggings under them) and rigid, refined loafers (Emme Parsons’ ‘Danielle’ style) setting up good contrast against the curly coat.

Meanwhile in the below one we’ve got our faux croc patent leather skirt (praying this guy slashes down further), we’ve got our classically black leather cowboy boots gigantico; we’ve got a sleeveless jersey knit turtleneck with a cashmere sweater over the shoulder and then on one wrist, a metal cuff while the other is freckled by a flannel scrunchie.

Vince turtleneck (here’s the next best) with a plain cashmere crew over my shoulders; Tory Burch skirt, vintage minaudiere bag and Bottega Veneta boots (got them from TRR I am very interested in these lately too); the scrunchie is from Datura and the silver cuff from Jujuvera

The good thing with black is that you can get pretty weird and elaborate with the different materials you pack into a look, but it will rarely look like the crazy’s cranked up too much.

2. Silhouettes

When you’re less inclined to focus too much on how different textures are flirting with each other, settling on two silhouettes that are traditional in their own right but revelatory when paired with each other will get you out the door in no time.

Veronica de Piante dress (here’s a close ringer from Sportmax, another at a lower price point), Callas Milano pants, some patent leather shoes for you here; or I’d go with these. The red beaded tassel necklace is from Le Sundial. The collar is Jujuvera (another combo that is cool in a twist-your-head-to-the-side kind of way: red/blue)

The texture plays are most evident with the patent leather shoes/jewelry and theoretically, this would have done just as well with a different material dress but there’s something about the wool suiting on wool suiting that leaves more room to do one weird thing, like pair burgundy tassel beads with a turquoise collar.

3. A pop of software

Tory Burch cardigan (our other friend is on sale), Sessei plaid shirt, Live the Process knee cap leggings, Altuzarra slingback pumps

Software meaning a fabric (as opposed to like, metal) disruption to the flow, so the place where you do add something colorful but only to serve as an outfit assistant (not maker). That’s the plaid shirt around waist in the instance above and the bucket hat in the instance below.

Loro Piana hat, Khaite dress (similar from Co @ 30% off; not similar but I’m bought to style with thick black tights and boots; also observing her atm), The Row canal slides (I like that they’re wide; it does something cool for the look)

In a look where the coat is on/you absolutely cannot go bare leg, this impulse can be expressed more like this:

Burgundy hat (Maison Ola) as pre-eminent statement; styled with By Malene Birger’s Dalimas coat and black boots

Software, again, because these accents are not hardware. Which is the 4th thing —

4. A pop of hardware

Bevza beaded top (kind of similar but prob more comfortable; into her for a use case that doesn’t require the belt), Loewe chain belt (the belt I linked for the first look works so well here too), By Malene Birger pants (if you encounter a great pair of balloon pants, like more dramatic than these and more tapered at the ankle, lmk), Chanel charm bracelet shoes (one pair 9.5 for $300 here)

High Sport’s pique polo, Jujuvera arm cuffs, vintage necklace (here’s a great alt from Etsy; loooooove this set too) and HAIR BRAIDS!!!

Key agents of the first look: gold belt and shoes with charm bracelets affixed to the fronts. And in the picture right above it’s the jewelry. Collar necklace works particularly well because of the contrast against the sporty cotton pique polo.

Last up:

5. Outerwear

Wearing all-black actually makes wearing any color of coat be it brown, camel, green, navy much easier because you’re not playing with too many different colors to have to think so hard about how you style the coat into the look (see: here), well knowing you need the look to stand on its own without the coat too.

But cited here is not actually the kind of outerwear you wear to keep yourself warm, it’s more like outerwear you put on as part of the outfit, where the all-black clothes serve as the precise reason the outerwear works. So a slightly different use case, but still a vote for an all-black ensemble as Michelin choice.

Bobkova beige duster, Frances de Lourdes black turtleneck, Jujuvera silver necklace (would consider one like this too), Aflalo pants, Chanel shoes

One thing, though, is: look how far the simple replacement of two different accessories can take a look. Above the vibe is sleek night out in comfortable shoes that still make me feel like I’m the groom at my own wedding, whereas below —

Same same, but with a flower pin from Indress (this one is sooo lovely too) and sneakers from Polo (re circle frame sunglasses: I think any pair with a see-through lens is cool here)

The combo of brooch, sneakers and sunglasses makes you the kooky employee at work or mom at pick-up, or wherever it is that you go dressed in the clothes that you wear to live your life.

One more look for you with a suede fringe jacket, hitting on almost every point above as it relates to:

Kallmeyer jacket, Frances de Lourdes t-neck, Amotea shorts, some boots right this way and an Olympia Le-Tan clutch

• Texture: black suede fringe jacket, cotton shorts, leather boots, jersey tee. Pantyhose actually is not withstanding either. Pantyhose!

• Silhouettes: Long coat with fringe over tiny, v-shaped shorts with legs out and wide shaft boots.

• Pop of software: the silk cape.

• Pop of hardware: the red clutch with gold metal middle.

• Outerwear: the suede fringe.

The end.

Take care,

Leandra