Photo: Robert Trachtenberg 

Q. I wear head-to-toe black all year long. Is it wrong for summer?

A. Of course not. There are very few wrongs in life. Black is a universal, multiseason color; in warmer months, it just needs to feel lighter. My suggestions:

• Pick airy, diaphanous fabrics—voile, eyelet lace, chiffon.
• Avoid high collars and long sleeves or you'll look like a Sicilian widow. Better: a breezy shift dress.
• Relax with accessories in natural textures like raffia, wood, and leather.
• You're a true black wearer, so I won't suggest the old add-a-pop-of-color routine. Instead, try graphic combinations of black-and-white or khaki—I love, love, love this look.

A black shirt (Thomas Pink) gets a lift from a khaki skirt (Lauren by Ralph Lauren), woven purse (Hobo International), cuffs (R.J. Graziano and Ben Amun), and zebra-print shoes (Anne Klein).