Black is easily my favorite neutral to wear, as anyone could pick up on once seeing my mainly-neutral closet. I’m not going to lie, I’m that girl who isn’t afraid to pull out all-black ensembles in the middle of summer, even though I may seem entirely seasonally confused. And as you could guess, I’m the last one to complain when head-to-toe black emerges more and more as the temperatures cool off.
I don’t think anyone pulls off monochromatic minimalism as often (or as well) as the one and only Alexander Wang, and his fall 2015 ready-to-wear collection was no exception. Almost every ensemble featured head-to-toe black, but the looks were anything but repetitive. Studs and chains lined cutouts and defined silhouettes, and a multitude of textures kept the black from looking too flat. Wang also incorporated several shades of “off blacks” with navy or grey tints to break up the uniformity. Structured blazers and turtleneck collars felt sleek and professional, while velvet and flowy drapery gave other looks romanticism.
Pulling off all-black without looking like you’re heading to a funeral is extremely do-able––just incorporate texture to add visual interest, and keep things from looking too uniform. Wang always loves to feature the sleekness of black leather, so I wore a textured leather sweater with mesh geometric cutouts, also a huge part of his fall collection. True Wisconsin fall weather has definitely not held back in the past few weeks, so my main priority was staying weather-appropriate by finding a coat that was functional, yet upheld the edgy fall trends of Wang’s collection. This one by Maje has silver zipper detailing up the arms and a teal-tinted black fur collar, and it’s the perfect mid-length for transitioning into winter. I also wore leggings with grey detailing to break up the black and fit the practical lifestyle of a college student.
As far as accessories go, I added a long dark scarf for extra warmth and swapped out Wang’s chunky platform boots for simple black booties. I also layered silver jewelry for a simple take on Wang’s chain and metal embellishments. Head-to-toe black can seem intimidating and monotonous, but Wang did a sleek and edgy take on a classic look that’s inspired runway collections for years. Taking inspiration from his collection like I did makes rocking this bold neutral look easy and wearable for fall.
Get my look: 1. Sweater with cutouts. 2. Leggings. 3. Coat with zipper detailing. 4. Layered silver jewelry.
