The Power of Dressing in Black

The colours that we choose to wear in our daily lives evoke our feelings and convey our characters. For example, wearing the colour red conveys confidence and passion; it also attracts attention towards you. In fact, scientific experiments have been made and proven that food attendants who wear red tend to receive more tips! On the other hand, the colour blue could convey contrasting emotions: it could convey sadness and calmness at the same time. However, the colour blue is the most popular colour for both men and women. The colour brown is the most unpopular colour for men and the colour orange is the most unpopular for women. White clothing symbolises purity and peace hence most brides wear white.

(Photo courtesy of the author.)

How about the colour black? Well, my dear, wearing the colour black indicates power and prestige according to colour psychology. Wearing only black clothing signifies that you’re a powerful, classy, and a success-driven individual. Wearing black clothing often sends a subconscious message to others and to yourself — you are relaying this message to the world: you’re both an achiever and a sophisticated individual and yet, you’re sensitive towards others. People who wear black are often seen as trustworthy and extremely reliable. People who wear black are often perceived as people who take good care of themselves and the way they look; they’re also regarded as elegant and high-end. In fact, a study even says, “those who wear all-black find a sense of togetherness and certainty.” Wearing all-black conveys an air of credibility. Black is so much more than a colour. Black is, in fact, a lifestyle.

Moreover, black is classic, elegant and timeless. Black is totally immune to passing trends. It is eternal and gives one an air of mystery. Also, the colour black is complementary to everyone’s body shape irrespective of age and skin tone. To give you an example, think of Angelina Jolie who is famous for wearing mostly black. Supermodel Iman is also often seen wearing elegant black clothes. Think of the quintessential British dandy Beau Brummell from the late 18th century who popularised the tailored three-piece suit in colour black as the dress of the modern man. Imagine Coco Chanel dressed in her signature black suit with her ropes of pearls. Incidentally, it was Coco Chanel who instigated black as a fashion colour and she literally invented the “little black dress.” How can we not add to this list, the silent film actress Louise Brooks with her classic and sleek black bob hairstyle which matched her all-black wardrobes? How can we forget Steve Jobs and his classic black turtleneck sweater which he usually paired with jeans? Perhaps, the woman who wore black the best was none other than Givenchy’s muse, Audrey Hepburn.  Black has always been a versatile and a most acceptable choice of colour for women’s and men’s  evening and daytime wear. You know, there’s power when it comes to dressing in black!

While living and studying in London at the age of 15, I learned to embrace wearing all-black by scouring through the pages of Vogue, Tatler, Harper’s Bazaar, and by watching the classic Audrey Hepburn movies such as Funny Face, Sabrina, Roman Holiday and of course, my all-time favourite, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Throughout the years, my wardrobe consisted of 99% black outfits, black shoes and black accessories! At present, I’m still head over heels in love with black outfits and my love for dressing in black played a minor, but pivotal part in choosing the love of my life: I ended up with a gentleman who only wears black on a daily basis. We are always twinning with our all-black outfits when we go to work on weekdays or during our weekend date nights!

Ron Zalko and wife, Matte Laurel-Zalko, always twinning in black. 2023. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

How to Wear Black. Here are a few tips on how to wear an all-black outfit without looking spooky and instead looking chic and stylish.

1. Wear black with a variety of textures. You can go black from head to toe but perk it up with a variety of textures. For example, you can wear black jeans and pair it with a nice black cotton camisole; and if the weather is cold, put on a leather jacket, and don’t forget to wear suede shoes or boots. Yes, you can rock an all-black outfit by choosing different textures and pairing them together: leather, cotton, suede, sequins, velvet, silk, cashmere, satin, linen, with appliqués, cable knit and metallic. The variety is endless!

(Photo courtesy of Unsplash.)

2. Wear black in classic styles and cuts. When one is younger, one can get away with the gothic style whereas when one is older, we must stick with the classic style and cuts. But that doesn’t mean one has to be frumpy — no, not at all! Go for the tailored look such as a black suit, pencil skirt, perfectly cut blazer, silk blouse, trench coats, black pumps and tote bags. For men, go for the classic black suit.

Man in black suit. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash.)

Woman in a tailored black suit. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash.)

3. Add a pop of colour to your all-black ensemble. By adding a punch of colour to your all-black outfit, you are creating a bold statement to your overall look. Choose a bright colour for your bag, shoes, scarves, wraps or coats. You’d be surprised at how a pop of colour can actually go a long way! For example, pair your black outfit with a bright red-orange crossbody bag. Don’t hesitate to pair black with vibrant colours — deep red, shimmering gold, sparkling silver, vivid green, royal purple and cerulean blue!

Woman wearing black with a red-orange crossbody bag. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

4. Wear your black outfit with patterns, stripes, polka dots, chequered and prints. You can spice up your all-black outfit by choosing to wear it with prints, patterns, polka dots, stripes or/and chequered. By doing so, it breaks out the all monotonous black look and gives you a fun, engaging and interesting visual!

Woman wearing a black and white polka dot. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash.)

5. Embellish your black outfit with zippers, buttons, crystals and pearls. Wear a black outfit with beautiful embellishments such as gold buttons, silver or metallic zippers, overlay it with lace, hand-sewn and embroidered pearls or sparkly crystals. These embellishments not only add texture but also provide a glamorous look!

(Photo courtesy of Unsplash.)

6. Add structures to the black outfit that you choose. In simpler terms, it means paying closer attention to your silhouette or body shape. For example, if you have narrow hips, choose a black outfit with a peplum cut. If you have fuller hips, you might want to opt for dresses that show off your hourglass figure or alternatively, go for looser style.

(Photo courtesy of the author.)

7. Add a sheer element to your black wardrobe. By going for a sheer black outfit, it adds and easily transforms a most basic look to an elegant and upscale look. But keep it simple though. A sheer look is more than enough, you don’t need to add over the top embellishments when wearing a sheer black piece.

(Photo courtesy of the author.)

8. Opt for a black and white combination. Going for the classic monochromatic look has to be the ultimate and perfect combination! I couldn’t think of anything that’s trés chic and stylish than a simple black skirt and a white silk or cotton long sleeved shirt.

(Photo courtesy of the author.)

9. Invest in great quality black accessories. Pair your black outfits with high quality black accessories such as the classic black quilted leather bags, black leather patent shoes, black pearls jewellery, black scarves, black shades and the list goes on!

(Photo courtesy of Unsplash.)

10. Don’t wear black too close to your face. While the colour black conveys sophistication, still, one mustn’t wear it too close to your face as it will make you look either washed out or dull. The best thing to combat this is to wear a bright necklace with bright earrings or a scarf. Personally, I get past this challenge by wearing my classic white pearls!

(Photo courtesy of the author.)

Now that we’ve established how to wear black, let’s choose the black essentials that we must have in our closet. These are timeless and classic black clothings and accessories that never go out of style. Below are a list of our 9 must-have black essentials:

Your 9 Black Essentials 

Little black dress. A woman should always invest in the much-loved LBD. This should already be a staple in your closet. A stylish LBD is always on point and no matter the occasion, it will always hold you down. You can choose the classic A-line LBD, the fit and flare LBD, off-the-shoulder minis, LBD with ruffled hemlines, or intricate lace detailed LBDs. I tend to wear an LBD skater dress and pair this with a small black bolero.

LBD skater dress. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Off-the-shoulder LBD for evening wear. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

The traditional black blazer. Do what the Parisian women do best: wearing the traditional black blazers! From classic tweed to on-trend oversized styles, a black blazer is definitely a wardrobe must-have.

A traditional black blazer. (Photo courtesy of Unsplash.)

Classic black suit. A sharply tailored black suit is the epitome of formal elegance. You can’t go wrong on this! Both women and men can choose from Classic Fit, Executive Fit, Slim Fit, Modern Fit & Skinny Fit. I say go for all of it!

An all-black suit for men. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

A black dress suit for women. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

A classic black pants suit for women. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Black trousers for men and women. Another must-have staple in your closet! Personally, I go for the black tailored cigarette pants which I normally pair with a turtleneck.

Black cigarette pants. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Black Turtlenecks. This classic staple has a deeper meaning. In the Western world, it symbolises subverting the norm or being anti-standard. For me, I just love the cosiness of it and one can’t help but channel Audrey Hepburn’s character, Jo Stockton in Funny Face!

Black turtleneck. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Black T-Shirts. Never underestimate the true power of a black t-shirt. There’s strength in simplicity. You can go for either the crew neck or the V-neck style (which is most flattering for all body types) and you can dress your t-shirt up by wearing a blazer over it or wearing it as is for a more casual look.

Black tshirt for men. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Black tshirt for ladies. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Black Coat. If, like me, you live in a cold climate, then a black wool coat is a must investment. Complete your closet with classic or edgy coats from real leather, to wool, to cashmere or even glam it up with faux fur!

Black wool coat. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Black shoes, handbags, shades. Complete your black essentials by having black shoes, handbags and shades. For shoes, I tend to favour the tall riding boots, a classic pair of black ballet flats, and the elegant leather stiletto for evening or daytime wear. With regard to handbags, I would go for a quilted leather boy bag or a black crocodile tote. And for shades, I’d personally go for the big and bold black shades channelling Jackie O! Of course, you needn’t go for designer labels, but I highly recommend sticking with the classic styles when choosing your shoes, handbags and shades.

Aquatalia riding boots. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Ferragamo ballet flats. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Louboutin So Kate leather pumps. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Chanel leather boy bag. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Ralph Lauren crocodile tote bag. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Prada black shades. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

Black leggings. Even when you hit the gym or do some sports, you must have the classic black leggings. American Joseph Shivers deserves a round of applause for inventing the Lycra fabric that is used to making these slim, stretchy activewear pants! Leggings are so comfortable to wear and you can even pair this piece with anything and everything under the sun!

(Photo courtesy of the author.)

In conclusion, one definitely agrees with Karl Lagerfeld when he once said, “One is never really underdressed or overdressed when wearing black.” Also, always remember this: black is not a sad colour. On the contrary, it is exciting, poetic, graceful and grown-up! Happy shopping in black!