"Everything's better in black."
Being one of my favorite shades, my closet is stocked with tons of black from casual shirts to chic dresses. With an ongoing alt rock (Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, The NBHD)- punk rock (My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Green Day, Nirvana, Blink 182) phase, I have a tendency to wear a lot of black these days even if the Philippines is one large scorching oven this summer.
Black, aside from being a classic color, also happens to be versatile and relatively easy to style. You can never go wrong with black because it matches anything, and you can also toy with it by dressing up in different styles that reflect your various personalities.
This is my first outfit collection post, so I'm letting you know how the rest of this blog goes.
Due to my excessive love for music, the titles for the looks I'm sporting are based on tracks I listen to or the tracks, which, in my opinion, perfectly reflects the outfit I'm wearing. I've placed links of these songs on some photos so it would be accessible if you want to check them out, and have a soundtrack while browsing through these fashion tips.
Here are some of my favorite classic looks:
1. TEENAGERS
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Feeling a little rebellious or wanting to rock an all black look to scare the living sht out of people?
Get dressed in black from head to toe with a semi-sheer shortsleeved tee and black tights. I know black goes with nearly everything, but my favorite combo has to be the classic black and gold. If you tune in to my next posts, you're going to see a lot of black and gold in my outfits and accessories.
Forever 21's bold, metallic design from Oscar Wilde is a perfect statement for the look I want to pull off, and best of all it comes in black and gold. The fabric is lightweight, which makes the humid Philippine heat bearable. Due to the female power and the humorous literary persona behind this shirt's design, it's easily one of my favorite items in my wardrobe.
Roll up your short sleeves to your shoulders to create a more angsty look. To complete the teenage rebellion icon look, put on a perfect pair of combat boots. Make sure you pick the right ones with the appropriate length for your legs, and make sure you feel comfortable walking around them. Because I'm unfortunately blessed with short legs, my trusty combat boots from S&H fall two inches below the knees. S&H has a plethora of boots to choose from, so if you're looking for your perfect pair of boots, S&H is your shoe paradise.
Cap off your look with sunglasses and arm accessories. Since this outfit's accent is gold, I'm sticking with that particular color with a tangle of golden chains wrapped around my right wrist. For this look, you can also opt to wear woven bracelets (preferably in black) or ballers. If you choose to stick with metal for your accents, remember to never ever pair gold with silver. Pick out gold accessories from your Mom's drawer, and voila!
The Brooklyn from Sunnies by Charlie is also the perfect companion to F21's graphic tee with its complimenting black and gold shades. Pull up your hair in a high ponytail and leave a few strands loose, but if you've got short hair, you can choose to make it wild and grungy to add the effect like I currently do with some of my messy curl looks.
2. SHE WAY OUT
Another color I absolutely love to match with black is its neutral counterpart, white. To me, they give off a classic feel with their stark contrasting hues.
This look is perfect for Friday nights out or chilling at the bar and having cocktails with your friends. The black peasant shirt from Bershka easily compliments the F21 white lace skirt. Leave it untucked to give off that relaxed, fun-filled Friday vibes. However, if you were to wear this for a report, a meeting or a formal event or gathering, feel free to tuck it in and show off your skirt's intricate detail.
I would've worn my black stilettos for this look, but we had to walk a lot that night, so I opted for my black and white Tonic wedges. Aside from being another pair of classic-colored footwear that I own, these wedges are more comfortable than and heels, and the black straps are absolutely perfect around your ankles.
As for my clutch, I go for a simple black bag from Forever 21. It's actually both classy and spacious at the same time because it looks neat, and it can hold all my Friday night essentials. In choosing a bag to buy, remember that you shouldn't sacrifice functionality. Your bag wasn't just meant to be an accessory you carry around (although it is!). It was also made to carry your stuff around and allow you to live with ease.
3. NEVER MIND
Skater skirts are definitely the trend these days, and if you want to be part of this trend, a black skater skirt is definitely a must-have.
Because I'm so damn tired of seeing the typical shirt-skater skirt combo, I decided to wear my Terranova "Never Mind" cream-colored sweatshirt and roll its sleeves up to my elbows. Skater skirts go well with combat boots, however, they also match these comfy ankle boots from Le Donne.
Strike a pose and go all out on your black and white look with a charcoal-colored block hat. I wear head accessories most of the time because I feel as if my hair is too plain (especially when it was really long), and I barely have the time to fix since I'm a late riser (and a late sleeper!), and I have to rush to school to avoid an infuriated professor slamming a door at my face.
Aside from being instant accessories, hats, headbands, and bandanas are definitely the way to go if you're covering up a bad hair day or you just want to jazz up your locks for the sake of it losing its plainness. Also throw in the overrated flower crown and the multi-colored bows they sell in several booths in malls. Overrated as they may seem, they're still great accessories perfect for any hair day.
I'm totally in love with the lyrics of this song, so I suggest you do check them out here lol:
4. ARABELLA
Before I get on with this look, this shoot was actually inspired by "Arabella", a song by the Arctic Monkeys from their recent album, 'AM'. Because we decided to take pictures in an empty parking lot overlooking the city at sunset and because I named myself Arabella at Starbucks earlier, everything seemed to be made for the mentioned song including the part where I actually catch the sun's light before it sinks into the horizon. I hope next time I could pull off some cheetah-print coat and interstellar gator-skin boots though. (Haha)
One thing you should know about me is that I have an obsession for band shirts. I have a collection of shirts of my favorite bands, and I will be featuring them in their own set soon (including a playlist of what I think are their best tracks)!
For 'Arabella', I'm pulling off another all black look, but this time, instead of using gold as my metal-colored sidekick, I'm sporting silver. I'm addicted to pairing black with metallic colors because they seem to exude a classic feel even if you go casual with your outfit such as this cotton muscle shirt with a graphic logo of The Beatles (another one of my favorite bands). Instead of tights, I opted to go for my black skinny jeans, and instead of my usual combat boots, I went with black kicks which are actually more comfortable in the summer heat but still give off that 'I'm-the-kid-your-parents-warned-you-about' vibes. These shoes are perfect for people who are not the type to wear boots. Aside from that, they're also very functional as they go with almost anything casual from skater skirts to denim shorts.
As for my accessories, I stacked my good old black bands on my wrist and completed my aspiring rock icon looks with cat-eye sunglasses from Sunnies by Charlie. (this design is called the Lana, by the way) Its silver details complement the metal graphic design on my tee which creates a solid black and silver combo. Make sure your accessories are coordinated with your outfit so you can create a more solid and condensed look. If you go with black and gold, stick with black and gold. If you're more comfortable with black and silver, go for black and silver. Never ever pair gold and silver together though both look good with black. These two metal colors would clash and appear unattractive and chaotic.
Lastly, don't forget to wear this look with a beautiful and genuine smile such as this one lol:
(Many thanks again to this wonderful candid shot, Erika. This is very Arabella.)
5. OF THE NIGHT
I remembered wearing this outfit for my first Lantern Parade in UP. Because it was quite chilly in December and because my college was the current champion in the Lantern Parade competition, I decided to show my UP Maskom pride with my comfy mustache-patterned sweatshirt. Its black details perfectly add fun to the classic high low skirt I'm completely in love with.
I've always been a fan of long skirts. Aside from feeling the fabric brush your ankles every now and then, I love the princess-y vibes that these skirts give. When you walk, they ACTUALLY billow on your trail, leaving gaping mouths and staring eyes on your wake. They're very graceful to look at, and if you're feeling girly yet conservative, which is actually a problem for some of the people I've met, they're the perfect bottoms for the your fashion sense. However, if you are vertically challenged, high-low skirts that fall below your knees are more preferable; though you can opt to wear heeled shoes or wedges to add a little bit of height. These skirts add plenty of fab points for you as they can go from casual to beach-y (not this black one though) to formal.
Forever 21 houses a lot of high low skirts ranging from plain, solid-colored ones to boho chic inspired ones. Both skirt and top are from the said store.
Complete the look with a block hat and some ankle boots, and you're good to go!
6. ALL ABOUT US
Tired of the little black dress you always wear for dates and days out? Why not stick with the same shade but put a fun little twist to it?
This Aztec printed dress is not o
nly comfy. It's relatively cheap as well. If you're looking for a perfect Sunday dress with a low budget (give it less than 500), you can find great bargains at department stores such as Landmark and SM if you look for them in the right places. Classic black flats (which are also cheap and VERY reliable, btw) perfect the printed look and provide your feet with comfort and style.
You don't need to have a big budget to be in style. If you know where to shop for affordable clothes, then your wallet doesn't have to suffer your fashion fever. Aside from being reasonable, some of these items actually have the same aesthetic appeal as the costly ones. So if you're faced with buying two shirts that look exactly alike from a random bazaar or a branded shop, choose the former as it will save you more cash and make your wallet happy.
Just take note of two things when you're buying inexpensive articles. First, take note of the quality. Is the fabric durable enough? Does it feel comfortable? Will these heels hold even if I walk all night (I doubt that you can though lol)? Does it have any damages? Second, take note of the item's aesthetic appeal. Will it pass as something stylish? Will this look good on most of my clothes? Does it look fine or high-end enough for the look I want to pull off?
Again, if you have a limited budget, don't fret. Instead, make the most out of it.
7. ALL NIGHT
Now this has got to be one of my favorite party looks.
I bid farewell to the little black dress for quite sometime, but since black is still my favorite shade and dark colors flatter my body shape, I settled for a subtly patterned sleeveless short dress. Black and other dark colors are definitely a go if you want to appear thinner or if you want your body type to slim down. (like I do lol!) Aside from that, the black in this fabric is actually layered over a nude-colored one which creates a cool, rhythmic effect on the dress whenever you move. It's perfect for clubbing especially if you wanna go all out on the dance floor and rave all you can with your friends.
You can opt to throw on a blazer if you easily get cold (like me lol), but make sure the blazer compliments the dress. Since the patterns of my dress are quite subtle, I went for a bold design for my cover-up to be more eye catching. Instead of my usual clutch, I opted to sport my Calvin Klein black and gold bag because it is small and stylishly classy to carry around.
Messy hair can actually look good for parties especially if you're going for that grungy, wasted adolescent vibe as I do. All it takes is a tight braid worn all day. Remove it before you head out to the party or the club, and it creates loose, messy waves.
And of course, for the perfect party jam, here's one of my favorites from Icona Pop:
8. RADIOACTIVE
Aside from metallic colors, I also like to accent my all black look with neutral colors such as grey. Aside from being another dark, flattering color, this grey cardigan falls an inch above the knee and perfectly contrasts the length of my shorts without affecting my combat boots. The good thing about this cardigan is that it's quite short-sleeved and breezier than most cover-ups. If you want a look that shows skin, but not too much skin, opt for cardigans or cover-ups that actually match your outfit.
A recklessly tucked, loose-fitting tank top creates a more messy look. However, you can also opt to let it hang loose and fall a few centimeters above where your bottom ends.
As with most of my accessories, I preferred to stick with black and gold, matching the functional Forever 21 bag. Perfect for casual days out with your friends is an 'all systems go'. It's bearable in the Philippine heat and is actually comfy once your inside air-conditioned places such as cinemas or malls.
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