Black is the New Black

FOR WOMEN

Not since the early 1990s has black so dominated fashion runways, but this year's resurgence is no trip down memory lane. Forget the solemn, monastic styles of the last decade and the hard-edged, structured shapes of the 1980s. This is more an Alfred Hitchcock moment in fashion - dark but intriguing, with dramatic elements that sneak up on you, such as an asymmetrical ruffled collar, balloon-shaped skirt, or a mix of matte and shiny fabrics. And, like the best of Hitchcock's films, the mood is surprisingly romantic.

"Black now has a sense of warmth that broadens its appeal," says Dava Muramatsu, owner of Matsu on Newbury Street. "It can actually be dreamy," she says, citing the softer, rounder silhouettes and abundance of fabrics like tulle, wool, and velvet. These clothes, especially the dresses, are also deceptively simple. Designers are using masterful cutting and shaping techniques to make women look sexy and alluring without an obvious display of skin.

Don't forget a sense of humor, advises Be Bilzerian, fashion director and co-owner of Alan Bilzerian boutiques on Newbury Street and in Newton. Try wearing a sheer black skirt with a red slip underneath or pairing purple pumps with a black dress. "Always give it a twist, a way of making it your own," she says.

While black is represented in most of the fall collections, it is by no means the only color out there. When looking to accent your jet wardrobe, think rich and glamorous colors, such as lush wines, midnight blues, and chalky whites.

So, go ahead: Make Hitchcock proud this fall.

FOR MEN

Step away from the orange shirt. Put that yellow tie back in the closet. The fashion pendulum is swinging to the dark side for fall, with a palette seemingly inspired by Edgar Allen Poe. Need a new coat? Buy one in black. Blue jeans looking a bit shabby? Replace them with black. In fact, any fall clothing purchase should first be considered in black.

This is no midnight-dreary trend, though. Designers are using chic black clothing as a wakeup call to men whose wardrobes have become predominantly casual or downright sloppy. It's time to dress up again, and black brings a certain authority and sophistication to clothes. A black turtleneck and slacks, for example, are fashion worlds away from a baby-blue sweater and khakis, and a sport jacket in black cashmere oozes a refined elegance sadly lacking in a rumpled brown tweed. Even casual fabrics, like corduroy, look smarter in black.

But black head-to-toe isn't the only way to go. Debi Greenberg, owner of Louis Boston on Berkeley Street, recommends pairing a black suit with a shirt and tie in subtle pattern-on-pattern mixes combining white with beige. She also suggests inky darks to expand the obsidian palette, such as colors that look like black from a distance, but are really blackened blue, burgundy, and brown when seen up close.

As for those cheery bright shirts and ties - nevermore. Which, in fashion parlance, means about six months from now.

Tina Sutton writes ''The Clothes We Wear'' and ''Trend Watch'' each week in the Globe Magazine.