WHy did I ever give up black clothing?

[PaulHollywoodsleftbollockhair]

I am currently sorting through my closet and decluttering etc.

Everything in black looks bloody lovely. I have wasted loads of money over the years trying navy, charcoal, beige etc. Nothing looks better than black frankly.

Anyone else having this dawning realisation? Have we been sold a crock for years?

Flo, yes that subtle difference between that very dark brown and black is a reminder, that whilst black is great and favoured by many, a slight difference, can be much more flattering. I used to wear more black, then added alot more colour, thinking black is too aging on the top, and boring on the bottom. However, I find myself coming back to it. One just has to go with the changes I think. I also think a scarf (horror of horrors) with a black top will soften it, if you want the best of both worlds ☺️

I've never abandoned black and probably never will. I am trying to get a few more colours into my wardrobe alongside it though - bright pink, bright yellow. I like black jean and a black turtle neck with a bright coat.
Bollocks to Trinny and Susannah.

As a red head with pale skin and green eyes I should in theory be an autumn, but after years of wearing sludge I’ve realised that Ivory, charcoal grey, burgundy and black suit me far better.

I never felt smartly dressed wearing browns and greens, or that anything really matched properly. I really like classic clothes and rarely like much that’s in fashion so it’s black all the way for me.

I've rarely seen people in RL that look good wearing black. Usually those who wear it well have very dark/black hair and strong makeup, or white hair. Black drains complexions so easily. It's hard cos I like black too but I have had to come to terms with the fact it just makes me look ill when next to my face (I'm pale skinned in winter and never wear makeup + aging now). I now go for toned down washed out black so more grey/charcoal. Much more flattering imo.

I’m coming back to black too. I’m blond and a soft autumn and have lived in various shades of blue for the last three years. I used to always wear black coats in winter and lots of blue/white in summer. Now I’m bored of blue everything and have just ordered a black jaeger coat in the sales. Along with the Hush snakeskin scarf and a black cashmere jumper. I think we in the Uk have a ridiculous fixation with bright colours which I find very dating. You can guess the age of the wearer by the colours they’re wearing and I really dislike that.

The other side is that my mum almost always wears black and I always really notice when she does wear some colour as it lifts her face so much and she looks much fresher. It really is very noticeable.

I had a colleague a few years ago who only ever wore black, literally never saw her in anything else. At the time I owned a fair bit of black but seeing her look so dull and boring really put me off wearing mine. Also, as someone mentioned above, cheap black trousers worn with a bright patterned polyester top seemed to be the go-to choice for so many women
I went to two Christmas works parties last year and it was a sea of little black dresses, one woman looked amazing in dark aubergine and one redhead in bottle green but everyone else there...black.

I agree that cheap black clothes aren’t a good look. Also I think if you suit soft colours shiny black isn’t right either. I look awful in black leather as it’s just too harsh but black soft knitwear is great or textures such as velvet. I don’t think bright colours with black are problematic either. I have a bright pink cashmere scarf that looks really good as does a huge Mustard one.
Also a little more make up /colour is required if wearing black to avoid looking washed out. I always wear make up anyway due to Rosacea so it’s no hassle to use a bit more colour.

Teta, as a soft autumn you will look wonderful in this season's beige-nude-fawn-camel fest, won't you? If my colours were suddenly everywhere, I'd stock up - that's partly why I have so much black, because it suits me and is always easy to buy, even when it isn't meant to be fashionable.

‘I agree that cheap black clothes aren’t a good look.’

You can say that about any cheap clothes though. It’s more the material than the colour.

I’ve had camel coats in the past and loved them but got bored eventually. Plus they were Maxmara and I can’t afford that quality any more. I also find it easy to looked insipid in these fawn shades as my skin colour is naturally beige and just blends in. Brown is really good on but again my last brown coat was Maxmara (over 20 years ago!)
Its very easy to buy a decent wool coat in black for a very reasonable price.

No I don’t think that’s true. I buy cheap cotton t shirts from H&M in the summer and sometimes cheap jeans. As long as they fit well and suit your shape cheap clothes can look good.

you can buy cheap black cotton too though can't you?

I am also loving red lipstick and big black stripes on things. It really is the easiest capsule to pull together 🙂 I want kooky black trouser so like the Comme ones...

Is that Swing Out Sister?

Wearing black with statement lipstick is such a great combo

Jane yes Corinne Drewery. She has excellent style- studied design I think.

Like Floisme said you can focus on lines etc with black because it makes such a dramatic statement if done well. Also perfect for more parred down chic.

I have ordered black leather converse today. I like black with jeans too or a black maxi dress with a cropped denim jacket.

I always wear a bright lipstick too, from a reddish coral to a blue-toned fuchsia. Anything that might be described as nude or mlbb is death to my face. My actual lip colour is a medium plum tone, not any kind of brown.

I can (and do ) wear colours as long as they don't have any yellow or brown tones in them, but I almost always pair them with something black. I have no idea what 'season' or colour I am, I have a sallow pale yellow skintone (hence the user name) so anything with the slightest hint of yellow or brown in it makes me look ill. I don't wear expensive clothes in any colour, I'm not really into clothes or fashion but I do know what colours do and don't suit me.

I have one pair of black shoes and that's it. I look like a ghost in black so I've never worn it. Pastels all the way for me. I find it hard to see why black is so popular but we're all different.

SallieSallow sounds like you are spot on with knowing what suits you, so you don't need to bother with what 'season' it amounts to.

T&S said black could be worn with white, red, grey and chocolate brown accessories only.

Is anyone really paying attention to them still? I stopped watching them when they put a perfectly lovely woman into a bias cut skirt which emphasized her (previously unnoticed) stomach so badly, it actually looked like she'd stuffed a rubber ring up it.

Yes, and which red? Which grey? Even, which black?

There's a version of most colours that looks nice with black, and plenty that don't. T and S peddled twaddle

Black is lovely but - it can be very blank if you don't co-ordinate accessories well with it. Iris Apfel is a genius at doing that.

Also a black stretch top and a black silk blouse have nothing in common.

My wardrobe was black until I got white pets. I didn't have the foresight to realize i'd have to transition to light coloured clothing if I didn't want to carry a lint roller around or look like a hairy beast.