3 Summery Substitutes for the Little Black Dress
The little black dress is a fashion staple, and it's not going anywhere any time soon. Still, basic black can feel awfully serious for lighthearted summer soirees. Not to mention the practical considerations; a lot of summer season events take place partly or mostly outdoors, and black attracts heat. Why be miserable in the sweltering summer heat when you can stay cool as a cucumber in a color that's more summer weather-friendly?
What you need is a summer season go-to outfit. Move the little black dress to the back of your closet and read more about three hot summery substitutes.
The Little Gray Dress
The whole reason that the little black dress is so popular is because it's a neutral color that works for nearly everyone, and you can dress it up with accessories that showcase your own unique style, without worrying that you're straying too far away from what's fashionable. But there's another neutral color that works just as well as a blank fashion canvas for you to decorate: gray.
The color gray was making a splash on the runway even before 50 Shades of Grey. This color can give you a lot of shading options to choose from while remaining a neutral color. The variety of shades, from very pale to nearly black, with a bright, silvery gray color somewhere in the middle, ensures that you can choose a shade that suits you and that your go-to little gray dress isn't likely to look just like everyone else's go-to gray dress. For a classy, upscale look, accessorize with silver jewelry and shoes for a monochrome effect.
The Whimsical White Dress
If you really want to mix things up for the summer, abandon color entirely in favor of a pure white dress. A white dress that's light and loose or floaty will hide more flaws than a dress that's stiff or tight, and it will also be comfortable in almost any setting. Just avoid the white dress at a traditional wedding or at any event where you're likely to get dirty. Otherwise, the white dress is a great alternative for the black dress.
There are any number of ways to go about accessorizing a white dress. For an outdoor, daytime affair, wear cute wooden beads or turquoise jewelry and sandals for dressy-casual, natural look. For an indoor evening event, choose chunky gold jewelry and classic high heels. Headed to a birthday party or another celebration? Add some color with a cherry-red scarf or a bright yellow hat.
The Trendy Tan Dress
If you need a neutral tone, but you want to show up in one of the latest trendy shades that hit the runways, then tan shades are your best friend this season as well. While the other trendy summer tones, like aquamarine on the cool side and tangerine on the warm side, are not neutral enough to be options for everyone, the toasted almond shade of tan that showed up in 12 percent of runway shows this spring is a great trendy neutral that can work for almost anyone.
While a simple tan dress and cute strappy sandals can be a good choice for almost any type of event, you're also not limited to one-piece dresses. Pair a toasted almond blouse with an ice blue or mint green skirt for a cool look, or a tan leather skirt with a rose or orange top for a warm look.
Adding some little black dress alternatives to your wardrobe this summer can help you stand out from the crowd wherever you happen to go this summer. Take this excuse to go dress shopping and broaden your wardrobe horizons this season.
