Women’s All-Black Outfits: How to Rock Dark Glam

Leather, lace, mesh, chain, fishnet hosiery, tulle, and chiffon. All these are elements of dark glam, an aesthetic enjoying a serious resurgence in fashion right now. Dark glam is nothing new. In fact, it’s the revival of an impulse started by a famous fashion designer. Are you ready to style an all-black outfit that rocks women’s party and evening wear with a jolt of luxe texture and dangerous sensuality?

Dark glam as it’s emerging now derives directly from fashion’s once-master of the macabre, Alexander McQueen. His collections were about a lot more than uber-sexy, all-black party outfits but dark glam is unmistakably born from the savage beauty of McQueen’s designs.

Let’s take a look at dark glam and how to rock dark fashion as a glamorous aesthetic with a luxurious vibe. Turn up the bass and bust out the Chanel Rouge Noir lipstick. We’re about to rock into the oh-so-enticing world of dark glam, pairing some luxurious looks with sequined and all-blackpurses to add fashion interest and unapologetic trendiness. 

Paint It Black

Black is the sum of all colors, so our fascination with it as a sartorial choice is understandable. Women wear all-black outfits both to mourn and to party (the Little Black Dress). 

Dark glam takes the color black and adds luxurious textures in fabrics and embellishments, creating a vision of unreserved luxury that extends to flawless makeup. Eyes are smoky. Lips are darkly pouty in blue-black and red-black tones. The hair sports opulent accessories and, more importantly, shines.

Dark glam means painting it black with exceptional attention to the luxe details. How does a lace or mesh fabric appear against the skin? How does it interact with a flocked garment layered on top, like a jacket? How smoky can you go with the eye? 

Dark glam is a complex, layered look for women who not only love all-black outfits but who know how to rock an elevated look like dark glam. This aesthetic appeals to fashion divas with a sartorial tale to tell. Let’s talk about how you can tell your story. 

Venus In Furs

Dark glam’s objective is to infuse luxury into every component of an outfit for a stunning result. This means that successful dark glam relies heavily on understanding the interplay of fabrics and textures, patterns, and embellishments. 

Envision a black faux fur vest worn with a full, floor-length organza skirt, dotted with reflective embellishments. A statement necklace fit for a palace graces the vest’s neckline in silver metal and black stone (onyx or obsidian). You tower on blinged-out black heels, your hair swept back from your face, fearlessly bold. Hung over your wrist is a glittering black rhinestone evening purse, shimmering subtly. Women dressed in this style of all-black outfit with an all-black purse are impossible to ignore at the party or gala event they’re gracing.

Reflecting Light In the Darkness

The role of sequins in the dark glam look is to provide reflective texture to women’s all-black outfits. Sequins in dark colors that “aren’t quite black,” like gunmetal or pewter, add the visual variety of light and shadow. Wearing different shapes or sizes of sequins in the same outfit brings this look luxurious depth and intricacy—a hallmark of dark glam. Adding texture to an all-black party outfit, sequins do more than shine.

Defining the outfit’s waist is a leather cumberbund. The knee-length skirt is a fitted pencil shape covered in oblong, pewter sequins. The bodice features round pewter sequins, creating a sensuous fish scale effect. The sleeves of the backless bodice are ¾ length black lace. High-heeled, matte black Mary-Janes complete the look. 

This outfit is a richly layered approach to glamor that presents it as living film noir. All the women present will wonder where you got that “not quite all-black” women’s outfit! Now, add a gorgeous sparkle purse, flashing its message to the world in the darkness it’s part of.

Studio 54 Dark Glam

Imagine you’ve time-traveled to Studio 54. You’ve gotten past the doorman because you’re so fabulous you couldn’t possibly be turned away. Your jumpsuit is not only a women’s all-black outfit, it’s sparkly and body-hugging, earning the side eye from party-goers who wish they were you. 

Your hair is slicked back from a side part, bursting forth in curls at the ears. You’re a disco queen in head-to-toe sequins, slinking into view as you sparkle wildly in your long-sleeve, shoulder-padded jumpsuit.

You can’t hear it over the pounding bass, but you know people are gasping as you glide past on black patent platforms. Around your waist, a black trendy belt bag, sparkling with rhinestones. You came to dance!

Dark glam is a gorgeous aesthetic made even better with vegan purses from Urban Expressions. Our stunning, luxury purses bring ethical beauty to all-black outfits for a party, for work, and so much more. Explore our all-black purses today!