Black and white – pretty classic, right? And it’s also a bold and impactful combination since it’s high contrast. So if you’re not feeling all that bold and impactful on a daily basis, how about black and white for date night?
I recently realized that I’ve been on a roll lately with black and white date night looks. I’ve been utilizing clients’ simple black pants and pairing them with silky white and ivory tops, and I’ve also found myself combining black lace tops with white jeans as a fun ‘going out’ outfit. So among a few clients' closets and from July's blog posts, I ended up making bold and impactful outfits for a night out for five different clients! And I didn’t stop there – I looked back into my archives, and found two more black and white date night looks for a client from last summer. But even though the theme is the same - each client has a look that works for her own lifestyle and body type, that will surely grab her partner’s attention when they’re out for a special evening.
My client bought these amazing gold shoes, but she didn’t know what to do with them outside of a super dressy event. So, instead of letting them sit in her closet waiting for the next gala, I showed her how to wear them out to a nice dinner with her husband. The formality of black and white pairs perfectly with a simple silk top (that does double duty under a blazer for work), black crepe pants and a glittery clutch. Just add gold jewelry, and she’s good to go!
I created this look for Kate, as part of a refresh of her summer style that I recapped on the blog (see her other outfits here). I call it her ‘model off duty’ look, since it enhances her long and lean proportions in a cool but casual way – and it’s also ideal for an evening in San Francisco, where she’ll need the added layer.
This is a fun look I pulled together for Ginger (see her other summer looks here) – an open shoulder blouse allows her to show some skin but still be covered, and black ankle pants work with any heel height. Then the accessories join in on the color story, with some added warmth from a gold pendant necklace and an ever-versatile straw clutch. And don’t you love those snake print wedges???
I saw this adorable black lace off-the-shoulder top while shopping for my client, Ellen – but then I used it as part of Faye’s summer style refresh (see Faye’s other outfits here). I love the contrast of the black lace against stark white jeans – and then I again utilized accessories to enhance the black and white story. The printed heels, black and natural clutch and jewelry tie this look together in an amazing way – but they’re all incredibly versatile with other things in Faye’s closet, too.
This ‘blog to reality’ moment happened since the black lace off-the-shoulder top was from a shopping trip with Ellen – so I had to make Ellen an outfit with it, too! I essentially created the same amazing look with styles from Ellen’s closet – white jeans, bold gold jewelry and her killer black sandals. Check out more of Ellen’s wardrobe here and here.
I went into my archives, since I recollected a couple of looks I created for Cathy (see more of Cathy’s outfits here) – and as luck would have it, Cathy had some great black and white pieces for date nights as well. A textured top, black linen pants and gold earrings and bracelet are something above her everyday, ideal for a special evening with her husband. And the black open-toe booties are a sassy break from flats, that will take her right into fall!
I created another, slightly more casual look for Cathy that’s still a step above her daytime look, but is destined for one of those impromptu nights out without the kids. Black lace is a dressy go-to for many, but when partnered with simple white jeans (and a white tank to play up the lacey texture), it’s a way to step it up without feeling overdressed.
So what will you be wearing on your next date night? Let me know in the comments!
