From Quiet Luxury to French Style—6 Elegant All-Black Outfits to Try This Summer
As fashion editors, we don't follow many rules when it comes to experimenting with our style. Yes, you can wear socks and sandals (when styled right!). And yes, black is an all year-round colour and not just reserved for the cooler months. Naturally, the most stylish of women love to wear all black since it's so easy, but wearing the chic colour at the height of summer can prove to be a challenge when the temperatures are on the rise. Thankfully, there are plenty of heat stroke–free monochromatic outfits to take inspiration from hailing from all kinds of style aesthetics we're seeing take off this summer. From quintessential French-girl style to quiet-luxury looks, all-black outfits are proving to be the industry's go-to uniform once again.
Below, I've found six foolproof all-black outfits you'll want to wear on repeat throughout summer, and I've included quite a few of my favourite shopping brands I always rely on for classic staples.
Chic Black Summer Outfits to Try This Season:
1. Mini Dress + Mules
Style Notes: Is there anything chicer than a sleek '90s-inspired mini dress and kitten heels? Opt for this French girl–approved outfit combination next time you're deciding what to wear when meeting up for brunch with friends.
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It also comes in four other neutral shades. But of course it's black for the win.
2. Strappy Top + Linen Shorts
Style Notes: Summer calls for linen. Fact. And there's nothing better than a super comfy pair of stretch waist shorts paired with a humble skinny strap top. It's a formula to wear on repeat, will still keep you cool in the sun (even in black) and works for park trips to sunny city breaks.
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The raffia will add some interest to an otherwise tonal look.
3. T-shirt + Maxi Skirt
Style Notes: If you're a big fan of maxi skirts in the summer, this one is for you. Knit, satin, linen or crochet, anything goes as long as it's floor-skimming. A fashion way to wear it is by going back to basics with a great quality T-shirt, fisherman style sandals and minimal accessories to keep the look effortless—the French girl way.
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4. Waistcoat + Wide-leg Trousers
Style Notes: Quiet luxury is still sticking around for summer—and for good reason. Sometimes, the best outfits come from from the most simple seperates. While logo-less clothing and high-quality materials are what the movement is about, it's also important to pay attention to achieving the *vibe* through classic silhouettes and sharply tailored garments. This waistcoat-and-trouser pairing would undoubtable be a Sofia Richie Grainge–approved look.
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5. Maxi Dress + Bold Accessories
Style Notes: There's nothing better than a throw-on-and-go easy breezy dress, is there? You know, the one you can always rely on matter your plans. And for summer, it's all about the maxi. Aniyah is ticking off multiple mini trends by going for this bandeau, drop-waist, shirred detail iteration. If you want to add a splash of colour to your all-black look, I predict green will be the new red.
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I wear this every single day.
6. Loose Linen Top + Linen Trousers
Style Notes: If I could only live in one thing, I'd choose a matching set, hands down. Not only are they incredibly easy to style multiple ways, but they also feel polished and put-together. This top and trouser set looks just as good with a pair of ballet flats as it would with flip flops and a straw bag on holiday.
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You could also style these with a white vest top for a monochrome look.
Harriet Davey is a freelance fashion editor who has been part of Who What Wear's extended team since 2017. She previously worked in print at Look magazine and has since worked across print, digital and social for many other titles, including British Vogue, Stylist, Grazia, Refinery29 and Marie Claire. Also a stylist, Harriet has had the pleasure of producing cover shoots and editorials along with commercial shoots for brands including Boux Avenue, Watches of Switzerland, Benefit Cosmetics and Revolution. To add to this, Harriet also works in live TV styling for ITV’s This Morning.Back to Who What Wear. With hundreds of published stories on site, Harriet knows what the WWW reader wants. Keeping up to date with the latest It buys and runway trends, she can guarantee to keep you one step ahead of the most stylish people.When not writing or styling, Harriet loves to go shopping (yes, more fashion). If she’s not in a local Hackney bar or restaurant, you can find her forever searching for her next holiday destination.
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