Flattering and festive – no wonder black is the colour of this party season

Tamara Abraham

Fashion’s least cheery shade comes into its own at this time of year, says

There is a reason why the stereotypical fashion editor always wears black. I am the living embodiment of that cliché.

My black Whistles blazer, charcoal Aethel roll-neck, carbon Raey jeans and onyx Russell & Bromley boots are the pieces on heaviest rotation in my wardrobe right now. They are warm. They look smart and elegant. And most of all, nobody can tell that I’m wearing them with such regularity – even, yes, at this time of year, when festive occasions usually call for a more frivolous, jolly approach to style.

In party season, my all-black wardrobe comes into its own. But beyond the obvious New Year’s Eve festivities, I’ve found it works for every occasion that comes up at this time of year – more so than any vivid tartan or glistening tinsel ever could.

As the celebrities confirm. At the Fashion Awards on Monday night, Kate Moss, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Charlotte Tilbury all made an impact in black dresses. Then there was Amal Clooney, the human rights lawyer who never fails to look like the coolest

Back to black: from left, Kate Moss, Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer and Phoebe Dynevor show their true colours

person in the room. Last weekend, with her husband George Clooney, she pulled off a black velvet two-piece with a corseted strapless top and tailored trousers. Teamed with a bold red lip, this quieter approach to eveningwear looked grown-up and effortless.

At the British Independent Film Awards, we saw Claire Foy, Jodie Comer and Katherine Waterston all looking elegant in black. On the other side of the Atlantic at the Academy Museum Gala there were even more inspiring takes courtesy of Jennifer Connelly, Meryl Streep, Sandra Oh, Olivia Wilde and actress Phoebe Dynevor.

Black has never been more indemand: “With the quiet luxury trend and emphasis on investment dressing, black is more popular than ever,” says Heather Gramston, senior head of mens and womenswear buying at Browns.

At John Lewis, one in three womenswear garments sold in autumn/ winter are black, and its women’s black cashmere roll-neck outsells the next best selling colour by 30 per cent.

And consider the most in-demand fashion brands right now. Swedish “It” label Toteme’s collection is largely

Chose bright or shiny accessories

Sculptural gold earrings, a contrasting fuchsia clutch, a silver lamé blazer draped over the shoulders, even a strong lipstick shade can make all-black look more festive.

Follow the lead of

co-host Claudia Winkleman who

uses defined silhouettes – such as structured shoulders or flared trousers – to make her usually-black looks come to spectacular life

on screen.

Choose fun

fabrics

A black suit can

look a little corporate for a party, but render it in velvet, sequins or jacquard and it’s gloriously festive. Me+Em’s velvet dress with lace sleeves (£250, meandem.com) also adds a bit of

fun.

Restoin Roitfeld uses a handsteamer and a de-bobbler to keep her black garments looking fresh without fading. “Look after your clothes well and they last for a much longer

time,” she says. made up of black separates. Ditto Phoebe Philo’s new eponymous brand. Then there’s Saint Laurent, Celine, Khaite, The Row… The message is clear: black is the new black.

While I need zero encouragement to don a little black dress for every festive occasion, I realise that it can be intimidating. It can be draining on some skin tones, and it can look funereal, which is not ideal at a celebratory time of year.

But even the brightest dressers are being drawn towards the dark side. Fashion entrepreneur Maria Kastani, known for her rainbow wardrobe, picked a head-to-toe black outfit comprising a Joseph jumper, faux leather Stella McCartney trousers and a coat by The Esthe for an event recently.

For creative director and avowed monochrome dresser Julia Restoin Roitfeld, black is a joyful colour. “At school people said: ‘Oh, you’re wearing black, it’s so sad,’ but for me black is one of the happiest colours,” she says. “There’s not one colour that doesn’t work with black, it makes every other colour appear even more beautiful; anything shine even brighter.”

It’s been almost a century since Coco Chanel gave the world the little black dress. Invest in one now, and you can be sure it’s not going to date anytime soon.