A woman’s guide to dressing in black for all styles

I keep repeating that people who sweat like us should simply dress in black so that it doesn’t show. But that doesn’t mean there is only one all-black uniform we should be stuck with! That would be boring. No, you can adapt the glorious rules to whatever your style is. And we said that colors in accessories are great to add spark to an outfit, so we don’t have to look like goths either! (But if that’s what you’re into that’s fine too!). Below are a few examples of what you can wear depending on what your style is. Or if like me you like to change it up, you can have one style one day, and another style the next day. We are free spirits, right!? Note: because it would cost me a fortune to buy photos to illustrate what I have in mind, I’ll simply share Google Image links that shows outfits examples. Because images are worth a lot of words!  

CASUAL / CLASSIC

For the day-to-day, girl’s next door, classic look. Think Sydney Sweeney or Hailey Bieber and their off-duty “clean girl” outfits. You can do:

• Bottom: a pair of straight or skinny black or blue jeans
• Top: a white, black or patterned t-shirt/shirt/sweater
• Layer: a blazer, jacket or cardigan (when in doubt, pick a solid color if you wear a patterned shirt underneath)
• Shoes: tennis shoes, flats, loafers, or low boots (black, white or color)
• Accessories: jewelry and bag (e.g.: crossbody, hobo, saddle, tote) (can be colorful!)

CHIC/ WORK

For more formal dinners or work meetings. Think Victoria Beckham or Zendaya in one of her tailored press-tour looks. You can do:

• a black dress (slightly above or under the knee, not too tight, not too much cleavage)
• Or
• Bottom: a pencil skirt (leather is a nice option here) or black tapered pants (with a nice black belt depending on the cut of your pants)
• Top: a white, black or patterned top/shirt/sweater tucked in your skirt/pants
• Layer: a suit jacket or a trench
• Shoes: loafers, moccasins or heels depending on how formal you want to be
• Accessories: jewelry and bag (e.g.: clutch, satchel, wristlet) (can be colorful!)

SEXY

For the nights out or the date nights. Think Sabrina Carpenter’s stage-ready glamour or Rihanna. You can do:

• a sexy black dress (above the knee, revealing your shapes OR your cleavage more than a formal black dress you’d wear at work)
• Or
• Bottom: a skirt or black tight pants (leather is a good option here if you want to show your wilder side! J)
• Top: a white, black or patterned top that may be tight or have some cleavage if your pant/skirt is more loose (since a tight top and a tight bottom together might be too much, but that depends what pieces you picked!)
• Layer: Since you are going out, you may want to wear your colorful, leather, or patterned jacket!
• Shoes: heels, tight high boots, wedges, pumps
• Accessories: jewelry and bag (e.g.: clutch, or small bag) (can be colorful!)

STREET

This is usually my pick to be comfy on fall and spring weekends exploring a city or travelling! Think Bella Hadid or Rihanna when they are wearing streetwear outfits. You can do:

• Bottom: a pair of skinny black or blue jeans/pants or a jogger
• Top: a comfy white, black or patterned t-shirt (can be large if you’re wearing tight pants but should be the right size/ tighter if you’re already wearing a loose pair of pants!)
• Layer: a hoodie, leather jacket, blazer
• Shoes: sneakers only!
• Accessories: small jewelry, cap or beanie depending on the season, sunglasses and bag (e.g.: messenger, crossbody)

ROCK

One of my favorite ones as well! You can do:

• Bottom: a pair of skinny black or blue jeans (torn/worn off welcome!) or leather pants
• Top: a white, ideally black or patterned t-shirt (ideally one with your favorite band’s logo/name on it (holes/cuts may be ok if you can pull it off!))
• Layer: THE leather jacket of course
• Shoes: boots
• Accessories: jewelry, hat (fedora type), sunglasses and bag (side or crossbody, not hand-held or clutch-like)

  One more update for 2026: you don’t have to stick to literal black if you want a change. Runways have been leaning into deep, saturated tones like eggplant and transformative teal as moody alternatives to black — they’re dark enough to hide sweat just as well, so feel free to swap in one of those if all-black ever feels stale. What’s your favorite style?