Now let’s take a look at a few ways black can be worn effectively. Consider this color carefully and experiment with it to achieve your individual look.” -Jeanne Allen Wearing Black with Bright Colors Rather than acting as a neutral, black is a catalyst used with other colors to evoke a strong emotional response. “Black can be worn on its own to create a dramatic effect, but it is most often combined with other colors to make a special kind of fashion statement.

Black is so striking that it needs to be worn with respect for its color message. For those of you who treat black as a color, my advice is to wear black with the level of refinement and selectivity it deserves. I would rephrase that statement to “the most worn” color. “ Every season sees a new set of fashion colors come and go, but black consistently remains the most wearable color.” –Jeanne Allen While the book was published in 1985, her insights are strikingly current. In the classic book “Showing your Colors” by Jeanne Allen, the author discussed a clothing line called Jeanne-Marc and how fashion designers thought about the colors for the upcoming season.

You may just make a style statement that becomes your best signature look! (You can see how I helped one professional business executive find her signature dark color in this popular 3‑part blog I wrote earlier.)įor those of you who absolutely love black, I thought I’d share some color insights that have stood the test of time. I recommend trying dark colors like navy, deep teal, dark forest green, black plum, and charcoal. In fact, if you feel “so-so” about black, you may want to look elsewhere for a statement color that works better for you.

And if you don’t absolutely love it and treat it that way-it does not always love you back. Ideally, you should choose black when you love the COLOR… when you love to wear HIGH FASHION… and when you want a REFINED LOOK.įact is, black is a statement color. However, this is really not the best way or reason to wear black.

Black is easy to wear because it mixes well with most colors. As we enter the cooler seasons of fall and winter, many women will wear the color black as part of their daily “uniform”-whether it’s at home or on the road.

How to create your signature style