I have been looking through fashion magazines and on websites at the new Fall offerings recently, and have noticed a heavy lean toward an entirely black outfit, from head to toe.

While that is a nice, clean, look that I would have embraced back in high school when I used to sit and listen to the Cure in a darkened room, nowadays, I like a bit of color. In fact, I think most of us like a little variety in our wardrobes. It’s very easy to incorporate some color while still keeping the overall outfit black.

Throw on a brightly colored coat over the black outfit:

Above: B.B. Dakota Coat found at Lulus.com.

Add a bright t-shirt as a foundation piece and make it the burst of color in your outfit:

Above: LnA tee found at Bluefly.com.

Find a sweater that has a bright color fading to a neutral:

Above: Hayden sweater found at Bluefly.com.

Or make a statement with a pair of brightly colored shoes like these pumps:

Above: Boutique 9 violet suede platform pumps at Bluefly.com.

If you prefer shiny and more subtle, you may want to head toward the metallics to brighten that black outfit up:

Above: Gold fish scale shoes by finsk at Oaknyc.com.

Bright accessories also can bring some life to an dark outfit, like this sangria-hued handbag:

Above: Sangria Hobo by Joe’s Jeans at Revolve Clothing.

Don’t be afraid to be a bit bold and add some color to your black outfits. Take notes from nature who dons itself in brightly colored leaves in the autumn months as the world darkens.

Have fun with fashion and experiment!