Not your average LBD

Aren’t we all in search of that one friend, who does not judge, stands by you in tough times and the two of you always look good together (on Instagram! haha)? You hang out with others, have fun too, but when all is said and done; you know there’s just that one person who is your undying advocate, has limitless morale boosting powers and won’t let you do anything stupid alone.

You’re probably already blessed with such a friend or your quest for this perfect person continues, when it comes to your wardrobe, look no further. Black has and will always be that timeless perfect friend that flatters, allures stands by you regardless of your size, shape & skin color.

Despite it’s appeal, I rarely wear black or at least all black. Living in the west, I find that more often than not, one ends up being a part of a sea of black overcoats, boots and little black dresses. I feel like it’s tough to stand out. Blame it on my zodiac sign or whatever else, standing out is a part of me. In all aspects of life, wether it’s professional work, cooking a meal or putting together an outfit, I work on and enjoy being different. So how then do you create an all black outfit that makes you stand out in this sea of black?

My fellow Philadelphia lover and fashion blogger friend – Andrea Cano of The Mannequin Tattoo and I were a part of the HMBalmaiNation frenzy (America does that to you 😀 ) and we bought ourselves each a piece from the collection.

We decided to style our BalmainxHM outfits to show off a couple of all black party outfit ideas for this season.

Play with textures: Our outfits have velvet, silk, & fur. You can wear black pants, velvet top & a silk blazer, or a lace dress with a crop leather jacket. The options are infinite.

Patterns: My outfit is self patterned & is instantly different from a regular LBD. Find mini skirts that are self pattered, pair them with with black stockings and a polo sweater. Add black loafers or booties and you have an instant casual yet alluring all black outfit.

Perfect canvas for make up: An all black outfit is a perfect canvas to experiment with make up and accessories. Try dramatic gold and cat eyes or rose gold blended smokey eye like Andrea. If you haven’t tried a rep lip yet, this could be your opportunity to give it to wear one. Our amazing make up was by Tiara Parker. Check her profile on Instagram and Facebook. Email her for inquiries on beautydefinebyt@gmail.com.

All photos by Brandon Wyche, check out his work on www.wychestudios.com and connect with him for lifestyle shoots on bwyche@wychestudios.com.