Winter Lookbook: How To Diversify An All Black Outfit

Happy Friday, mes chéries! How were your weeks? I was a little more anxious and stressed out this week than I would have liked if we’re being honest. Luckily for me, I’m about to hop on a plane this afternoon to visit to of my college friends in Chicago (definitely stay tuned for a travel post to come).

As you’ve been seeing on Instagram, this lookbook is all about New York’s favorite winter color (or color of all time), black. I used to think the color black was just a very dark shade in my crayon box as a kid. When I started paying closer attention to fashion in high school and purchasing business suits in college, I noticed that like any other color, there are many different tones and shades of black. Some blacks are have a blue undertone. Some blacks have a taupe tone to them. Some blacks have a charcoal wash to them. If you’re not careful and buy mismatch pieces to a pantsuit, you might end up with two different blacks and a very unprofessional aesthetic.

People love wearing black because it’s slimming, hard to get visibly dirty, and can be incorporated into any style: edgy, chic, feminine, and so forth. But let’s be honest: wearing all black all the time can be a little mundane in the winter time. Nobody likes to seem boring, right?

Here are three ways you can diversify an all black outfit. While I kept on the same faux leather Zara skirt and heeled OTK boots by Steve Madden, you can easily swap them out for black jeans and black booties.

1. Use Accent Colors

I love throwing in a little color every now and then into my all black outfits. Sometimes they come in the form of colored boots or shoes or even colored belts or accessories. Other times, I take the extra mile and put on a black piece with colors on it. In this outfit, I paired my skirt with this colorful sweater from & Other Stories. If you choose to pick out a colorful black piece, make sure the black base matches something else you’re wearing. For example, this sweater’s black is a very close match to the boots, helping it tie the entire look together.

 

2. Play With Prints, Details, and Cuts

Like the accent colors, prints can spruce up a plain black outfit easily! For this diversification, I chose my chiffon polka dot blouse from Nordstrom’s Top Shop section. The loose fit and flared sleeves helps create a bigger cinch at my waist and all around me, fooling everyone into think I didn’t have that third slice of pizza yesterday (whoops!). The detail on the blouse, such as the ties and the collar, also gives this all black outfit a more feminine flare.

 

3. Add Textures

Lastly, let’s talk textures. In my previous two looks, we already play with a soft fabric and faux leather in terms of fabrics. We even dabbled a bit with lightly ruche chiffon. In this last outfit, I chose a top with slight bell sleeves tied together at the ends and covered in a pattern with ample string to create almost a fuzzy fringe look. This is one of my favorite tops from & Other Stories. It’s a bit cropped but goes well with plain black high-waisted jeans or skirts of any color. I also love how the bell sleeves have a slit up the arm. It creates a bit of an edgy feel to a chic shirt.

 

There you have it! Three ways to jazz up your all black winter outfit. Which one’s your favorite? Let me know in the comments below. Mine is definitely playing with a pop of color. Thank you so much for checking back in. I hope you all stay warm and have a wonderful weekend. I’ll be back soon!

Until next time, mes chéries. Bisou, bisou…