Dark romance is a mix of gothic and floral fashion pieces that can easily be styled by layering. The concept of this trend is self-expression that pushes the boundaries of wearing sun dresses in bright colors with straw hats. Women who may have more of an edgy taste can create an emo vibe without taking away from their femininity.

Swipe ahead and discover how to create the dark romance look for yourself.

Black

The base of this look is black, which you can find virtually anywhere. When you keep the base a solid, neutral color, it is simple to add other small pops of color.

Photography: Boohoo

Jackets

Layers keep the trend intriguing since it’s unexpected to match items made of leather and twill with softer fabrics. Wear a motorcycle jacket with a ruched dress. Choose a twill jacket if you’re going for more of a chilling look, and soften it with a lace slip dress.

Photography: Fwrd

Brown

Brown is also an important part of the trend. Similar to black, you can style the color with bright shades like yellow or orange. You can also wear pink with this color, but keep it soft with a pastel or bubble gum pink.

Photography: Rixo London

Pleats

Pleats create a sharp look that contrasts with softer parts of this aesthetic. Wear your pleated piece with lace and ruffles to amp up the drama! Add layers to your outfit by wearing a pleated dress over black pants or jeans.

Photography: Neiman Marcus

Maxi

The length of your dress or skirt is important when pulling off the dark romance aesthetic. Maxi designs are long enough to cover the legs and create mystery when worn in dark colors. Choose a ruffled maxi dress made with delicate lace and finish your look with leather boots.

Photography: Pink Blush

Lace

Delicate lace looks can be worn in the form of a sheer top with jeans. Create a dramatic look with a long lace gown and a leather jacket, which will highlight the gothic aspect of the dark romance trend.

Photography: Punk Design

Ruffles

Ruffles brings some softer energy to the dark romance trend. You’ll want to wear pieces where the ruffles are the focal point. Choose textures at the shoulder or across the front of a dress. Ruffles work with dark romance if a piece is solid black, with texture only incorporated at the hem of a skirt or shirt.

Photography: Show Me Your Mumu

Hats

Hats add the most dramatic flair to dark romance looks. You can wear a feathered hat with a sheer top, black flare pants and pointed-toe pumps for a casual look. If you want to skip floral patterns when wearing the trend with a hat, try polka dots instead.

Photography: Fantasmagoria