Go Ahead and Mix Black & Brown!

I've always thought to mix black and brown, both in makeup and in fashion. Eighty percent of my wardrobe is comprised of black and brown, for all seasons. It never occurred to me that not everyone thought this was okay to do, until I read the August In Style Magazine. First I'm reading the Mail section on page 40, where a reader is thanking In Style for introducing to her the concept of mixing brown eye shadow with black. Then on page 230, stylist Sarah Cobb suggests that it's beautiful to wear brown and black clothes together. Have no wardrobe second guessing, or hysteria over this concept.  

Individually both black and brown are fabulous, but together they make an even more exciting combination. When mixing them in clothing and in makeup too, try to mix up the textures and finishes. In clothing, find a tweed, put a leather vest on with a sweater skirt, add a cardigan to high leather boots, mix a tweed blazer with a silk blouse. The same with makeup. Don't go all matte and don't go all shimmer. One of my tricks in makeup is to line my eyes with a dark black liner and then smudge it sexy with a chocolate brown eye shadow. Or make a warm cocoa lid of a matte shadow and then come back over it with a slight shimmer eye crayon, like Sue Devitt's Eye Intensifier in color Tanzania.  Add in a shiny black liquid eye liner to really give a bit of pop.  And, in your clothing, if you're going to mix black and brown, please mix up the textures. But for sure, when you are doing the monochromatic look - all one color, DEFINITELY mix up the textures. Let the seasons accessories of leathers, suedes, metals and woods make your outfit have your unique personality.