Wear black (especially in summer)
I recently came across an old magazine piece where I was asked by Harper’s Bazaar for my seven top tips on personal style and am pleased to be able to still stand by what I said back then. I often hear people say you can’t do this or that, can’t wear short skirts over the age of 40, can’t wear a roll-neck if you have boobs, all kinds of nonsense. I say you can do whatever you want, if it feels right, plus - everything can be adapted (a long necklace over a roll-neck breaks up the solid shape and gives the effect of a v-neck top, for example, but we’ll save all that for another time). For now, I’m throwing it out there that you absolutely can have a black summer wardrobe. In fact, it can be the most elegant and practical option of all. Here’s why.
“People say black can be ageing, but I disagree. Black is always chic. I’m a big fan of colour, but you have to know how to get it right. Too much colour can be a bit of a shambles but with black there’s no risk. Imagine you’re in a restaurant in Ibiza and everyone is dressed in floaty boho pastels, looking perfectly pretty, then in walks a woman in a simple, black, long linen dress and big sunnies. It’s way more striking.” Penelope Meredith, Seven Top Tips for Personal Style, Bazaar UK.
The downsides to wearing black in warmer weather are that black absorbs more sunlight and therefore heat than other colours. The way around this is to select lighter weight fabrics such as gauzy cottons and linens. It will also help to moderate body temperature if you choose a looser and less structured silhouette. Comfort is key, with any summer piece, so avoid zips, belts and buckles and you can’t go far wrong.
When it comes to holiday packing, my motto is ‘Packing light - leave the white’. I love white every day of the week, a white shirt with jeans, a white t with pretty much anything and a white dress with simple tan sandals, but if you’re limited on space, remember that white is a one-wear situation on holiday.
My favourite summer dress that makes every packing edit, whether for beach, city or boat, is a black, stretch jersey bandeau dress by Ères. In another colour, it would require a bra, but not the black. It’s elasticated so it fits before and after a big Greek feast. It’s long, so it works when I’m pale-skinned as well as tanned (day 1 through day 7) and it can be worn on repeat, without washing. I simply take a few different pairs of earrings with me (or buy some cheap, fun ones on my trip) to make it look different every time. If you have a black dress as a canvas, you can still have some fun with it.
So if you’re someone who feels happiest in black but feels the pressure to switch to more summery colours in summer - a fan of Margiela and The Row who suddenly finds themselves browsing the rails of Zimmermann, wondering if a floral print with a flared skirt could be just the thing for your trip to Santorini - let me tell you, it isn’t. It seems fitting to share the words of Azzedine Alaia - “I like black, because for me it is a very happy colour”. Would he have been happy to see you succumb to a palette of pastels when you’re happiest in black? I think not. You do you.