Celebrating Summer In Black (And White)

how to wear black in summer

Happy Solstice! Even though it’s officially summer, I’m not about to put aside my favorite color…

necklace | necklacesweater (similar) | tank | ring | bag | jeans | sandals

Yes, there are ways to wear black in summer and a) not fry and b) look seasonally appropriate. One of the easiest is to look for fabrics with a loose weave in natural fibers like linen. Lace or eyelet insets will lighten the look of a black piece, and provide some ventilation. Cuts that don’t cling, and float away from the body look lighter and will be more comfortable. Pairing a black piece with something lighter (as I’ve done here) also keeps the overall look from being too oppressive. Or if you’re comfortable with sleeveless, off-the-shoulder, or short-sleeved styles, showing a bit of skin will lighten the look.

French Kande necklaces, layered necklaces

Clare V leopard clutch, French Kande ring

Stuart Weitzman sandals

Here are a couple of previous Summer Black outfits:

Too Darn Hot

Street Style, Beverly Hills Edition

How do you wear black in summer?

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43 Comments

  1. Love this outfit on you! I too wear a lot of black all year round and in summer usually in cotton and fancy tee type tops. P.S. those shoes are spectacular!!!

  2. Very elegant looking, I like the way you put the white on top and bottom, so the base layer is elongating. I am vertically challenged and always trying to stretch my figure. I personally have to shelve jeans for several months due to the heat and humidity here, but I like to wear black and white with stripes for a summery pizazz!

  3. I wear a ton of sunblock all the time. It makes certain fabrics stain or turn yellow. So the safest color to wear is black. I tend to wear white if we go out in the evening–I’m not going to apply sun lotion–and black during the day.
    Your outfit is cute and cool!

      1. I asked this on a beauty blog last year, to no avail. Do you have any recommendations for sun block that doesn’t ruin white clothes? Maybe they all do and we need to wear black by day. I know it depends on the fabric. I have things that are unperturbed, and others ruined. Even the high-SPF rash guard for swimming, in white, is now a gross, uneven yellow.

        1. francetaste, I’m not sure whether it’s chemical sunscreens that are the issue, but if you’re using chemical sunscreens you might want to try switching to one that’s 100% mineral (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide). I use this one from Clarins on my face (as it works well under makeup) http://bit.ly/28J3UXd and I’ve begun using Drunk Elephant on my neck, arms and decollete http://bit.ly/28J3SyJ

          1. I’ll take a look. I have a mineral sun block from Avène, but I can only wear it for skiing. It looks like Kabuki makeup, even though it’s tinted. It passes in the dead of winter, but now? Both my parents had skin cancer, also an aunt, and a good friend has melanoma (OK, not genetically relevant to me, but a wake-up call). It’s depressing trying to keep up with protection.

  4. Just bought two black summer dresses — one’s linen, a just-above-the-knee short-sleeved shift, which I find cool enough for our temperatures here, not often above 35 C (96F?), and the other’s midi-length, silk with a cotton lawn short slip layer. Both are loose enough for a breeze.
    Love those sandal tassels — I was going to say they’d go well with the pom-pommed hem on my black linen dress (Madewell), but might just be overkill

    1. Frances, thanks, and if it’s the same Madewell dress I’m thinking of, might be fun having the two sets of tassels play off each other…

  5. I have a black linen dress and a bamboo dress that are cool for summer. I love the Eileen Fisher linen tank top that I bought over two seasons ago…it looks and feels so good and goes with my white jeans. Keeping cool in the heat saves my energy….I just need to keep hydrating so that I don’t melt!
    Your Kande accessories really make this look.
    Hope you are enjoying retirement!

  6. I honed in on two things in this photo, 1) the length of your white jeans is perfect, letting your cute tasseled shoes have their “moment”, and 2) I think your short hair style, is very pretty and relative on you. I believe it takes courage to go short like this — and it’s working!

  7. I too wear black in summer but like it best in evening. In daytime heat it feels and looks hot, even in air-conditioning. Black linen is my favourite but often needs to be re-dyed to stay that inky, true black. Your leopard clutch is so much fun.

    1. Duchesse, thanks! I’ve found if I’m going to be in direct sun for extended periods, sometimes black can be too warm, but otherwise doesn’t bother me.

  8. I love wearing black & white, black w/ neon on the bottom, black with whatever! I’m a native NYer and it’s my birthright. As far as white & sunscreen – I tend to buy the white items in natural fabric and that I can bleach and spot clean… I’ve tried blueing them (for extra whiteness), not really worth the effort. They become rags eventually.

  9. That high contrast look is so good on you!! A question – I have that same EF tank and it’s very comfortable in the summer, although it’s not opaque and find I must wear a white tank or cami underneath to boost the solidness of the white color. In your photo, it looks so perfectly white, but no visible cami or other outlines underneath. What’s your secret?

    1. Hi Pamela, thanks! I find that with this tank, if I wear it on its own I prefer something underneath to add opacity, but when I wear it underneath a cardigan or jacket, it feels opaque enough. Maybe the lighting in this photo or the contrast with the black makes it appear more solidly white?

  10. I’d like to purchase the same EF organic linen tank and wonder if yours is a petite size or a regular size as it seems longer than the description would indicate? Also, do you “size up” in this to allow for shrinkage? Thank you for answering my questions … your style is spot-on for us shorter girls!

    1. Hi Carol, thanks. I don’t size up on these, and I’m wearing a Petite Small. I don’t find they shrink as long as I don’t put them in the dryer. They line dry nicely in a few hours.

  11. Thank goodness that it’s not de rigueur to wear my beautiful (and tres comfortable) white linen pants in Paris. They fit me like a glove. All the other blogs I’ve read say ‘black, black and black’. Yours is the first blog that fits with my wardrobe. Thankyou!

  12. Do you have a section on elegant casual beach/pool to bar/restaurant for the over 60’s please?
    I find this area so difficult. Thanks.