In terms of light, black is not really a colour but an absence of colour that absorbs light, whereas white reflects light. Black clothes can have a similar effect - doesn't sound very appealing, does it?
When younger teenagers wear black, it is usually a statement, a style phase - and can look stunning! And there are a very few older women who can carry it off. For example, the famous little black dress created by Coco Chanel in 1926 - perfectly fitting, emphasising the shape of the torso, and wonderfully cut. For those with the right shape and colouring, it's a great look - especially with bright red lipstick.
But on most older women - and I'm talking over 25! - too much black usually just screams out, 'I'm frightened of colour and have lost my way'. It doesn't flatter either shape or colouring and has some pretty negative associations: black pariah, grim reaper, black crow, mourning!
Even the black business suit doesn't do anyone any favours; it's a bit like a lazy uniform that marks you out as having no imagination. It has taken women so long and such energy and determination to get into management positions in business, it makes no sense that women cast such a negative image of themselves by wearing all black.
Placed near the face, it is especially unforgiving. It drains your colour and casts a dark shadow upwards on to your features, highlighting your jowls, eye bags and chins and making you look old and tired.
So don't be lazy! Think about whether you should wear black at all and how to use it to best effect.
Who should wear black?
Only Category A women really look great in black because they can take strong colours and intense contrasts. If you belong to any of the other groups, use it sparingly as an accent colour - it's great for accessories - keep it away from your face and, better still, for 'black' substitute a dark colour that suits your tones.
Try it out. With no make-up and in good light, pull your hair off your face, as before, and then hold some black fabric up against your face followed by your category 'black' replacement. See the difference?
Is it slimming?
Everyone knows black is supposed to make you look thinner, and research has shown it can fractionally do this by up to 2mm. But that entirely depends on how you wear it. The mistake many women make is thinking that if black makes you look thinner, then you should wear head-to-toe black. All this achieves is someone looking as though they are trying to appear slim without actually looking any slimmer at all - if anything they look like a big black heap.
If you want to use black to look thinner, make sure your clothes skim your body and don't hang or cling. Use your black on just part of your body - so if you are wearing a cocktail dress you will need to have bare or sheer legs and bare arms to create a balance - or wear a black skirt with a different coloured top. Do avoid black and white unless you are confident of the statement you are making - or you're a waitress.