YES, YOU CAN WEAR ALL BLACK IN AUGUST
Since I was 14, there hasn’t been a time when someone has told me I should wear more color. It’s usually said kindly, and I’m usually standing there with something linen or cute, feeling entirely comfortable. Yes, even in Arizona. A huge portion of my wardrobe has always been black. Not mostly black with a few neutrals tossed in. It’s been that way for years, and summer has never been the exception people assume it has to be.
To be fair, over the past few years, I have started adding in much more color just to break things up, but 9 times out of 10, the likelihood I’m wearing at least a black tank top, like the second I’m typing this, is very high. I don’t know why a lot of people shy away from wearing it, so for this post, we’re talking about the dresses, tops, skirts, shorts, and swimwear that you absolutely should wear over seafoam this time of year.
Why Black In Summer Isn’t the Problem
Yes, black absorbs more light than white. That part is real and I will never pretend otherwise. What people skip is that the heat being absorbed has to reach your skin to actually matter. That becomes a question of fabric, not color. A loose black linen shirt lets air move and a tight, white polyester dress absolutely does not. I’ve been sweatier in cream jersey than I’ve ever been in black poplin, and you probably have too. Weight, weave, and the fit are doing the work. Most times color barely gets a vote.
The second reason is less noble: black makes summer dressing require almost no thinking. Summer is when I’m packing, changing twice a day, and going from pool to dinner with whatever I’ve got in the bag. If everything is black, everything already goes together. I’m not standing there trying to figure out if this is “working” when I have somewhere to be.
And the third reason is: who still listens to color rules? The idea that June through August has to belong to brights or beige linen sets is marketing more than it is taste.
Dresses
The easiest category and one I refuse to give up on ever. It also makes the entire fabric argument in one go. Anything with air in it works. Silk, poplin, an open knit, gabardine with volume to move…take your pick. I love the Chloé slip dress, and the Loewe x Paula’s Ibiza is a sleeper. Open enough to be a beach coverup but still good enough that it isn’t. I think I might just have to add the Reformation one to my cart…
Skirts
Doesn’t matter which length. I’m more partial to a mini, but long and light will be your best friend when it’s actually hot. The Wayf and Aritzia are perfect everyday linen ones, while the H&M and Leset are satin, ready for nights that start at the table outside. I won’t lie, the Norma Kamali reminds me of one I wore nearly religiously back in 8th grade, and I kind of want it for that exact reason. It was a good skirt…
Tops
Where a black wardrobe either works or starts to fall apart. A black tee in a super cheap cotton is going to look tired by 2 pm. A blank tank in a good jersey? You can’t go wrong. I’m obsessed with the H&M top and the L’Agence cami, but the Khaite satin halter neck is begging to be worn to something with a vague dress code.
Shorts
The category I resisted for the longest time and now might own too many of. Pleats and a good fabric turn shorts into an outfit rather than just something you have on. I can’t tell you how easy a choice this is, whether you go with denim, linen, or straight-up preppy pleats. Reformation’s linen shorts are probably going to be the ones that hit your most-worn list super quick, while I’m kind of obsessed with Hunza G’s cotton shorts. They have a little bit of unexpected charm to them.
Swimwear
This is probably the least controversial thing in this entire post. Black swimwear is the most reliable and flattering choice out there. It makes up maybe 85% of my swim collection. No one has ever regretted a black swimsuit, whether it was a bikini or a one-piece. Hunza G is my tried and true choice. I always seem to navigate back to that one in a pinch. It fits everyone, which is actually cool when it comes to swimwear - a girl’s biggest enemy. The other brand I can’t go wrong with is Monday. Now the L’agence is chic, and the Kiki de Montparnasse are both chef’s kiss.
Black in summer isn’t a statement, and it isn’t a discipline. I’ve always worn it because I love it. I love the way I look in it. I love how easy it is to get dressed on days when I can’t think a single extra thought. And let’s face it, most chic and slightly sexy clothes are black. Hello. I’ve just never understood why all of that should get suspended for three months a year. Pastels are fine, but they aren’t mine.
