Tag Archives: black

How to Wear Black in the Summer

This is a sidebar from usual home decor. Because it’s getting warmer and I wear a lot of black, and every summer I struggle with how to wear black in hot weather. What about, just not wear black? Can’t do that, I’m really stubborn that way. I thought maybe other people want to figure out how to comfortably wear black too.

Nowadays we have Pinterest to save us from all our problems (even if it’s just to avoid them while surfing pins!). Here are ideas I found there that show how to wear black in the summer …

This Polyvore board shows strapless black to keep your shoulders cool, with strappy sandals. It feels very airy and the browns tone down the black:

How to Wear Black in the Summer via Polyvore

Notice the current hem there, it rises a bit in front. Hey keeps your calves and ankles cooler, if nothing else!

From Eileen Fisher, a breezy open knit gray sweater over black. I have a black sweater found at HomeGoods that’s very similar to this and wear it every summer. The open knit truly does feel cooler:

Eileen-Fisher-Airy-Gray-Sweater-and-Black-Pants

Those also seem to be knit pants. ? I find loose knit black pants are much more comfortable in the summer than more “structured” woven pants.

Here’s another Eileen Fisher look, a tiered floaty silk dress and a sheer cropped cardigan with bold global accessories, and I would wear it with these Antik Batik sandals:

Eileen-Fisher-Silk-Dress-and-Antik-Batik-Sandals

Now I am not trying to go GOOP here. You don’t have to shop at Neiman Marcus and Net-A-Porter. Seek out these looks wherever you like to shop! (But if anyone did buy those sandals at Net-A-Porter or elsewhere in a 6.5 and wants to unload them, ring me up! Love them!)

If you like black handbags, this combo of materials lightens the load a bit for a summer look. Mary Lai bag featured at InStyle:

Mary-Lai-Handbag

Here’s another option for a summer handbag to wear with black outfits. I love this. From Adele Dejak, it combines Bakuba fabric from Congo with leather:

Adele-Dejak-Handbag

Wear black in loose, lightweight casual fabrics, like this shirt which is/was from Hapi by Hapiru. Both the fabric and the shape are “light” even though the color is dark:

Hapi-by-Hapiru-Shirt

Here’s another example, a lace and linen V-neck top by Nili Lotan (visit her site – lots more lightweight black looks there!):

Nili-Lotan-Black-Linen-Boho-Top

Instead of solid black, work it into your look in a print. I love this, but with pants though! Seriously you could only just stand still there getting your photo taken wearing it this way, but it sure would keep you cool, huh? It reminds me of kimono:

Black Gray and White Print

Sorry I cannot find the original source. Too many tumblrs! Even my handy dandy original image locator app is overwhelmed by the tumblrs.

If you like to wear black no matter the season, and you swelter in the summer for the sake of your favorite color to wear, I hope this gives you ideas of how to get cool. You can find more looks at my Pinterest board, Decorate My Body. Lots of black, neutral colors, sandals, a little bit boho and global. The things I like to wear.

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Pin Up Girl Friday: What Pinterest Can Teach You

Pinterest isn’t just a time suck. It can give you the most surprising insights! Try this — go look at a Board you’ve created. See the pins all together at once. You’ve seen the images individually as you pin them. But when they’re all together, what story do they tell you?

My “Decorate My Body” Board just delivered the raw honest truth. It showed that for clothing and shoes, I clearly prefer the most basic neutral colors: black, beige, gray, brown, white, and denim jeans. Any colors outside of this are usually orange and red.

The total effect could be drab. But I don’t think this board is drab:

So what’s the significance of this truth? Sometimes people try to get me to wear more colors. I’ve bought so many colors thinking that’s what I should do. But those are the clothes that wind up shoved to the back of the closet. And eventually donated or sold on eBay. The things I reach for again and again are the types of things in this board.

Face the truth. Live the truth. Live your truth.

Don’t try to be something that you think you should be, because of what others say. Know what you like and what you don’t like. That’s how I think Pinterest can help you.

So how did I live the truth I saw on Pinterest? When I needed new black booties, I revisited this board and chose a pair from 6pm.com that I had pinned there:

I wouldn’t have bought these otherwise, despite liking them. But my Pinterest Board shows I’m liking things with a bit of an edge. And that I should just go for it. So I went for these. And I love them.

Then, recently I got Anthropologie’s birthday month discount. At my local store there was the brightest chartreuse/yellow jacket. (I can’t find it online.) It fit. It was flattering. It was cute. I thought I should get color. Then the Pinterest Board’s voice talked its good sense. That jacket would be at the back of my closet before too long.

Instead I got this striped cardigan which fits my Pinterest Board profile (and which is marked down in my local store not full price):

And this verrrrrrrrrrrry long lightweight cardigan – which is not an online exclusive because it’s in my local store and it’s marked down in the sale room:

These will get far more wear than very colorful things. Although I like my home decorated with color, it’s time to face I shouldn’t buy clothes and shoes with a lot of color. Nor, apparently, should I buy from Anthropologie online, but visit the store!