How a Blonde Can Wear All Black

We all know one: a blonde who insists she looks good in black, but she really looks like a "head sticking out of a choir robe"; metaphorically speaking, her all-black ensemble enters the room five minutes before she does.

Allegedly chic in every situation, at times many of us want to wear a black outfit. Here's how to do it:

• Good: Wear jewelry/accessories that support your coloring. Pearls, ivory, or even pale wood, when worn near the face, will lighten the heavyness of the expanse of black. Choosing a neckline which balances the head will keep the focus on your face.
  
  
• Better: Frame the face with something, a scarf or collar, a teen could even use a hooded sweatshirt, that repeats the haircolor. Basically, this reverses the concept I proposed in my post Beauty is in the Eye.
  
  
• Best: Repeating the black near your face as an accent, wear a jacket or sweater in a color that supports your coloring. Use your hair, eye, or skin color, but make sure it is the same in value (lightness) as either your hair or skin. Length balancing is the key to dodging the frump factor: 50/50 is boring.

There's one more trick, but I don't really recommend it. You can always wear more makeup.