Fashion People Know This Color Combination Has Never Had a Flop Era (and Never Will)

At Who What Wear, we frequently discuss sophisticated color combinations—think camel and red, chocolate brown and burgundy, black and navy, etc.​​ While these pairings may shift with the seasons, one timeless combination remains ever present: the classic duo of black and white. This pairing is the epitome of elegance, and Felicity Jones is the latest style icon to showcase its power.

At the London premiere of her film The Brutalist, Jones dazzled attendees in an exquisite black-and-white dress from Valentino's Pre-Fall 2025 collection. The gown features an alluring halter neckline, a large bow on the chest, a white bodice, and a black V-cut skirt—all creating a quintessentially classy fashion piece. To ensure the dress remained the star of the evening, the actress, who was recently nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' Supporting Actress award, opted for simple pointed-toe ankle-strap heels.

Felicity Jones wears a black and white dress from Valentino with black closed-toe heels.

(Image credit: Valentino / Getty Images)

On Felicity Jones: Valentino Pre-Fall 2025 dress

Beyond Jones's red carpet look, the everlasting allure of black-and-white dresses captured the attention of fashion enthusiasts on the spring/summer 2025 runways. For example, Giambattista Valli showcased a whimsical feather-hemmed gown, Jil Sander presented a modern short-sleeved minidress, and Christian Siriano offered a striking strapless version.

With this in mind, continue scrolling to discover my curated selection of black-and-white dresses worth adding to your wardrobe.

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Associate Fashion Editor

Nikki Chwatt is an associate fashion editor based in New York City. She joined Who What Wear in 2024 after writing fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content for WWD, Well+Good, Editorialist, and more. With a passion for personal style and the creativity that comes with it, one of Chwatt's goals is to help others understand that there is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” style; it’s just about putting an outfit together that makes you feel confident in yourself. When she's not writing, you can find her taking a Pilates class, reading a powerful romance novel, or exploring a new wellness spot in Manhattan.