Monochrome is a nasty term in my book: it sounds cold and metropolitan and the exact opposite of summer, so let’s call it black and white because (and I’m surprised I’m writing this) I’m in the mood. for black and white.
I have black and white pants and tops, a black cotton dress and another with a black and white print; these are the summer pieces I’ve gravitated towards, unplanned and didn’t see it coming.
What’s with the bright colors of summer? How about ocean blue and orange and a cheerful hot pink print? Don’t we know that black sucks the life out of a middle-aged face faster than Ozempic? Isn’t white very similar, only harder to keep clean? Aren’t we women in our bus pass years supposed to avoid these two like the plague?
Actress Demi Moore dressed in all black at a red carpet event at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles, California on May 29, 2024, for the launch of the FX show Feud: Capote Vs The Swans
Juliette Lewis goes for the two-tone look during a photo shoot for her TV show Sacred Lies at the London West Hollywood Hotel in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
Well, yes, I stand by all of the above, but in summer, the right black and the right white in the right context are something completely different.
The rules change when the fabric is lighter, like cheesecloth, which today is not the scratchy fabric we used in the seventies, but soft, crinkled and flattering against the skin. This fabric is my great discovery for summer: it’s cool, relaxed, has a natural texture so it doesn’t look wrinkled, and if you hang it to dry, it doesn’t require ironing.
Likewise, I’ve converted to summer black, although I avoid it in the cold months. The fabrics are lighter in summer, you can unbutton the collar and roll up the sleeves to show some skin, so the overall impact is less severe and in summer, black is more original and adaptable.
A bright printed dress is lovely at a summer party or wedding, but if you want to look fresh at work or are going out for a night out, it doesn’t have the same versatility. Black can look sophisticated and elegant, crisp and modern or simply put together depending on how you style it.
An elegant black dress, either long-sleeved and a full belted skirt (£225, jasperconran.com) or with cap sleeves and buttoned to the waist (£79.99, zara.com) — is a unique and dynamic look for big work days with black or tan sandals, then for a night out, add red heels and silver lipstick or jewelry.
Try Boden for heels (£135, boden.es) and Marks & Spencer for high-impact earrings – their silver-tone folded dangle earrings are a bargain (£16, brandsandspencer.com).
You can’t go wrong with head-to-toe black and good accessories (silver is ideal for summer), but the most fashion-forward way to wear black this summer is with white. The white softens the black and keeps it from looking too funereal and the combination of the two is cooler now than white and navy blue. Two solid colors separated by a stripe is one way to do it: a black-on-white striped T-shirt (£8.99, zara.com) under a short, soft black jacket (£149, hush-uk.com) with a black midi skirt (£32.50, brandsandspencer.com) For example.
Otherwise, there’s the option of a print, say a dress with a light, black-on-white stripe, like Anthropologie’s Button-Front Midi Shirt Dress (£165, anthropology.com).
I like the white chiffon blouses from Me+Em or the Parker blouse from Wyse (£125, www.wyselondon.com) to wear with loose black pants, but a black blouse is a better choice for evening wear. With black you can get away with ruffles and ruffles. Zara Openwork Embroidered Scalloped Hem Top (£59.99, zara.com) will like a pair of pants, black or white.
Black and white accessories can make a big impact – try these silver-tone folded drop earrings from Marks & Spencer – a bargain at just £16
Zara’s Women’s collection features this shirt, priced at £59.99, made from 100% spun cotton with a Johnny collar, sleeves that fall below the elbow, matching openwork embroidery detail and scalloped hem.
There’s always air conditioning to consider in the office, no matter those unusually cold days, and an off-white and black striped cardigan with gold buttons is a stylish everyday piece (£35.99, zara.com) — a Breton t-shirt and a Chanel jacket, all in one. Simply add black or white to the bottom.
Head-to-toe white isn’t something that works for me, but I’m all for a white jacket with sharp lapels like the one from Zara (£65.99). Worn with a striped t-shirt, black cropped jeans, and sandals, this is the kind of Cannes week look that everyone can get away with. I would wear this or the opposite (black jacket, white pants) instead of a colored pantsuit. It feels more now.
Last but not least, if you’re packing for a vacation, it makes sense to maximize your options, and the most effective option for maximizing this is a mostly black and white palate: black pants and white t-shirts for the day, black for the night. (try me+ Em’s range of black cheesecloth dresses in every style imaginable, meandem.com). That’s not all you put in your suitcase, but it’s a pretty good base.