Black in the Summer? Easy Ways To Wear Black All Summer Long
Wearing Black in the Summer - is it okay?
Let me start by saying, without hesitation, that the answer is a resolute YES! You can absolutely wear black any time of the year, including summer. And, there are some tricks to utilize that allow you to wear black in the summer and still feel “summer-y”. If that’s even a word… but you know what I mean.
This question comes up often with my 1:1 styling clients because, let’s face it, black is a go-to for most of us. It makes us feel sleek, slim, and chic. Black doesn’t show dirt or sweat. And typically, less expensive fabrics look richer in black.
But when the thermometer hits 75 degrees and up how do we wear black and not feel like the kid wearing a snowsuit to summer camp?
My Graduation Outfit Conundrum
This past week my daughter Maggie graduated high school. It was a beautiful ceremony, held outdoors in the school courtyard, in the midday sun. While I plan my client’s (and even my family’s) outfits way in advance, like the story of the shoemaker and his kids, my outfits are often left to the last minute.
However, for this occasion, I was so proud of myself - I actually planned ahead. When I had the multi-brand pop-up at the beginning of May, I fell in love with a sundress from Another Tomorrow. It’s a beautiful rust color and I paired it with a cropped gray cashmere sweater (because I’m at the stage where I vacillate from hot to cold multiple times a day - or even an hour, lol)! And while I’m bragging about my planning ahead for myself, I even took the dress to the seamstress and had the straps adjusted with 10 days to spare - I was on top of my sh*t and feeling prepared.
And then, 3 days before graduation there was a senior parent breakfast in the same courtyard, and it was HOT. Like 80 degrees and sunny. Which is wonderful, especially in the midwest. It feels wrong to complain about warm sunny weather when it is in limited supply here, but it made me worry nonetheless.
Why? Because I was sweating, as was everyone else. And there was one woman wearing a rust-colored t-shirt (very similar in color to the dress I was planning on wearing a few days later) and the sweat was turning her top a darker rust color in all of the classic sweaty spots - under the arms, below the bust, small of the back…
Time for Plan B
According to the weather forecast, graduation day was supposed to be temperate, low 70”s and partly sunny. But IMHO, the forecast is often wrong and I needed a backup plan. The last thing I wanted was to stand up after sitting through the commencement ceremony with a big sweat mark on the back of my legs (aka looking like I didn’t make it to the loo in time!).
So I went through all the options I had and the checklist of what they had to fulfill:
Won’t show sweat
Summer special event appropriate (daytime, outdoor)
Could be worn with a block heel, wedge, or flat (terrain on grass)
Won’t show sweat!
Won’t show sweat!!!
My black dresses are what fit the bill. Because they won’t show sweat. But, and this was a very long way of getting to the point of this week’s topic… how to wear black and make it feel summery? Let me give you those tricks I mentioned above…
Oh, by the way… the weather did turn out to be mild and perfect. So, I was able to wear my Plan A dress to graduation. And now, having gone thru this exercise, I know what I’m going to wear next time I’m confronted with sweaty weather.
How to Wear Black in the Summer.
Wearing black in the summer can be easy, seasonally appropriate, and super chic. However, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to make wearing black summery.
Note: shop the links to the outfits in the photos at the bottom of this blog post!
Fabric
Make sure your black fabric is seasonless (cotton, silk, modal, all-season wool) or even better, a traditional summer fabric (linen or eyelet).
Skin
Summer is hot, it’s a time to show SOME skin. Just a little goes a long way. Showing shoulder, ankle, or even a forearm balances a black outfit in the warmer months.
Shoes
Pairing a black outfit with more open shoes, ideally in a lighter or brighter color, helps summer-fy a predominantly black outfit. Even a white sneaker can work.
Accessories
Using accessories to bring in the summer feel, allows the black outfit to be a blank canvas. Think white and bright baubles, a raffia bag, and a colorful belt. They all add to the summer-y feel while still wearing black clothes.
A black base with a summer-y print like floral allows you to have the “comfort” of your favorite color/no-color and still feel seasonally appropriate. Bonus, you can wear it in the cooler months too!
My Never Fail Color Combo
Black, white, and brown. I wrote a whole blog post on it and this trio of colors works 12 months a year.
Shop the Outfits from this Post:
