Trinny&Suzannah & Black. Help please.

[BigMandyHarris]

They were right.
I’ve avoided black for years but recently bought some black wide legs trousers.

Nothing goes with them except black and I’m not keen on black near to my face. OK, I have worn grey and like them with a taupe top I have but, honestly. I’m just not wearing them!

Tell me what you wear your black trousers with please before I put them on Vinted.

I wear jewel colours on top with black trousers, like deep red, cobalt blue, kingfisher teal

If I'm going casual I wear light grey jumper with casual black trousers

I think khaki might work? I don't have back trousers, but I wear black tops with my khaki trousers and it looks nice!

Eh? I wear almost any colour with black trousers? I've got patterned tops with a bit of black and other colours, tops plain grey or got grey in them, yes to jewel colours as mentioned above, cream, pink - I can't honestly think of much that I wouldn't wear with them?

A lot depends on your colouring, I look like death in jewel colours apart from maybe a dark teal but suit greys and more muted colours. With black trousers I avoid white shirts, but white plus a colour striped shirt can look good.

However I wonder if it's the shape more than the colour that's the problem? I sometimes don't like another colour with black because the contrast at my waist makes me feel bigger than I am, so default to black and black.

Black goes with most colours. It depends on your colouring though - if you're trying to wear pastels with black that won't work.

I wear mostly deep, rich colours and they go fine with black. Trinny and Susannah just needed a gimmick (and neither of them suit black).

Surely you can wear any colour with black trousers? Black is the last thing I would be wanting to wear with black, but there are so many other options.

I tend to wear all black, but also black with white, grey, leopard (with plenty of black in it) and deep dark colours. Or my cream blouse with black polka dots.

I think the Trinny and Susannah advice was to avoid bright colours with black pants for fear of it looking like a bank uniform and/or a licorice allsort. And not to default to black pants as the lazy/boring option when most brights actually look better against a different neutral. But there's no need to avoid it altogether.

Wear them with a black top and wrap a large colourful scarf or pashmina around your neck. That way you have a perfect blank canvas and the black isn’t too close to your face

Also, if wearing a light or bright top try balancing the black bottom half out with more black on your top half, e.g. a cardi, a poloneck or collar poking out under your top, big earrings, crossbody strap. That will help a lot.

I wear any and every colour with black. It goes with anything. As does white.

I don’t suit black at all. I do have an expensive pair of black wide leg trousers though. I still wear them but just wear better colours at my face.

Well Trinny wears black trousers- see her YouTube videos.
i wear them with white, cream, camel, grey animal print and black.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HKWfntYkvJM

I have some floral sheer blouses in varying colours but with black in the colour print that work really well with black wide leg trousers.

White goes with everything.

Black with black often looks wrong if the blacks don't match and if they do it looks like you're wearing a jumpsuit. I wear nearly every colour with my black trousers.

Try them with a top you know suits you. You'll be surprised.

Thanks all.

It’s interesting posters saying anything goes with black. I feel like nothing goes with black!

Pastels are a no and I don’t like jewel colours or brights with it at all (sorry) as too jarring. White is too stark and makes me feel like I work in hospitality.

I think possibly patterns with black may work.
I’m thinking a grey graphic T.

Yes. I do have a khaki top that I think could work.
thanks

I wear black trousers a lot with neutrals, so white or off white shirt, fine merino sweater in black or taupe or dark brown, striped breton top. That kinda thing.

Everything goes with black although I wouldn't wear black with black because the blacks are normally different!

How about patterned tops with black in?

I agree black is hard to ‘match’. I’m not the sort of person who can make black trousers and a white shirt look effortless classy (I’d have a school uniform vibe, or a waiter).

Black sucks life out of other colours, e,g an orange top would go better with pink trousers as they match in intensity. As pp said, there are also so many different types of black.

I find my black bottoms are my least worn clothes as they don’t tone with the rest of my things. They are practical and slimming so I know why they have a place. I tend to wear brown shoes to try to lighten things up and with black I like brown (or camel) or navy best.

There was a similar thread on this a couple of years back.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4528122-Why-not-bright-colours-with-black

I agree with this OP. Bright colours look awful with black. The black cheapens the bright colours.

I have wide leg black jeans which I usually wear with either:
Breton stripe top and beige trench coat
Grey / mole coloured top and brown suede jacket
White or graphic t-shirt with denim shirt

I always wear converse or vans (ie black and white shoes, not black loafers or it looks too office-y)

I need warm colours so I tend to wear wine, desaturated burnt orange or soft dark green with black trousers. If you wear cool colours then dark teal looks great.

I agree with them. Jewel tones and primary colours can make black trousers look like a bank uniform. I go with cream, beige or charcoal tones. Muted leopard print can work. Maybe a red lipstick or a scarf for a bit of colour (but not with leopard print).

It's funny, I've discarded at least 95% of Trinny and Susannah's rules but I must admit that one has stayed with me. I think it was because black trousers with coloured top was my go-to work outfit at the time and they shook me out of it, for which I'm still grateful.

Looking back I think what they meant was that black is a very dramatic colour and that, used sparingly and well, it can be very effective, but that by downgrading it to an everyday 'working' colour, you lose all of that impact. That's my interpretation anyway.