Black can be a very chic colour.
It stands out against blonde or red hair, and looks stunning against brunettes, highlighting their skin.
In Paris, the capital of style and fashion, the women have a mild obsession with looking thin, so black becomes their colour of choice, as black does not show undesirable curves, because it absorbs light.
And by the way, if you wear a lot of colour, it is actually considered socially offensive in Paris.
Black is also a colour that is very forgiving, making almost anything made with it, look more expensive.
Wearing black also makes women feel “chic”, and many cite that it’s the fashion editors’ look of choice!
There’s something quite seductive about the look of a black sweater, and your hair done up in a nice chignon bun.
Plus, it’s easy!
When you go shopping, and there are 4 or 5 colours to choose from, which colour do you pick? Black.
Wearing all black makes us feel incredibly put-together and chic without doing much, and who doesn’t want to look chic all the time?
But do we really want to go unnoticed?
With our Parisians, wearing black means you go unnoticed.
No one wants to reveal that they are individuals, and in Paris they say: “Le noir, c’est simple, c’est bien” (Black, it’s simple, it’s good)
I don’t.
I don’t have the personality for that and I do like having a little originality and creativity in my wardrobe.
There was a point in my life where all I had was black in my wardrobe, and that’s when I knew I had taken it too far.
It was depressing to open my closet and see only black items.
The world has too many colours to be chained to a single one.
To some women, it’s their power colour.
But it loses its chic cachet if you wear it all the time, 24/7.
Wearing black all the time has been overdone to death.
Black is a great colour once in a while, and I love rocking an all black look on occasion, but it shouldn’t be your style rule.
The worst for me, is in winter.
Everyone has a black or dark winter coat, and it’s just depressing.
When a girl in a brightly coloured coat walks by, we’re captivated by the sudden shot of colour in an otherwise drab palette.
Believe it or not, sometimes, all black outfits look horribly cheap.
Particularly if the fabric is not good, as it starts to pill and collect little pieces of white and grey fluff all over it.
Don’t take the easy way out.
If you want to follow and become an unnoticeable person, then stick to your all black outfits.
But as for my part to bring a little colour into the world, I now wear and buy as little solid black in them as possible.
I have items that contain traces of black in them (I don’t consider a black and white patterned dress as cheating), but the majority of the look and feel of the garment is not black.
The new black in my wardrobe? Grey.
This colour goes with everything, has lots of varying shades and tones (dove grey, heather grey, gunmetal grey, dark grey…) and it it even makes my hair and skin look better than it ever did with black.
So push yourself to try different colours that work on you and play with the available colour patterns that black cannot really offer.
Style on a String is a blog about style, not fashion.
And style has nothing to do with money.
Being chic on a budget is possible when you know what works for you, and only take inspiration from trends if they'll work for you. 
