Though fashion’s winter palette tends to stick to muted colors (black, gray, earth tones, you get it), a January ensemble needn’t be drab and dull. Yes, black is already the known rockstar among the colors of the fashion world.  It’s chic, it’s slimming, it can work the runway on its own or match with practically anything else. What gives New Yorkers such a fashion-forward rep?  They’re always wearing black!
Furthermore, black’s ability to contrast with things of brilliant shine or color is yet another one of its claims to fame. Check out this Fashionista’s her nearly ABE (all black everything) outfit.  When accessorizing with an all-black getup, remember that gold is a great match for ebony. Be strategic when placing metallic jewelry and accessories—accentuate your best features, as this Fashionista did! Maybe you have beautifully delicate wrists (hello, bracelets!), or a graceful neckline (boom! a necklace!)? To start, a darker top with dark-wash jeans creates a great underpinning for some spirited bling. For those of us unable to shell out the bigger bucks for actual gold, retail superstars like Forever 21 will do (this Fashionista is a huge fan, and loves finding easy, lower-price accessories). Until then, a girl can dream…
But wait, what’s one thing that can amp up an outfit like this even further? If you’re thinking what I’m thinking, then you’re right: a fabulous faux fur vest. This Fashionista nailed the look with this black one! Â Again, Forever 21 is your trusty one-stop shop for all the key parts of this outfit: vest, top, jeans and jewelry. Claire’s and Etsy are also worth checking out. For the boots, invest in a quality pair elsewhere, but we’ll get to those later.
And there you have it! The nearly all-black theme, lush fur vest and striking shape of the larger necklace make for a standout look that shows two awesome elements of a stylish guy or gal: effort and originality. As fashion’s empress Diana Vreeland stated, “Style: all those who have it share one thing: originality.”
However, to keep this Fashionista’s look appropriate for day time, anchor down the dressier vibe with muted boots; no one expects you to don sky-high heels just to run your midday errands on campus.
How to: To achieve standout accessories, the most important step is starting with a “blank slate,” like this Fashionista did here. All all-dark or all-black outfit helps any added gold pop against the contrast. Keep this in mind if you reverse it: if it’s an all-shimmer or all-metallic outfit you’ve chosen, let that steal the spotlight!
