We’re all guilty of it. We have plans to go out at night. We head to our closets and look for the perfect”night out on the town? outfit. We pull out…something black.

Black is the most notorious “nighttime” color there is. There’s the LBD, the black skirt, the black v-neck or polo for guys. It’s not like you can wear white, or pastel colors, at night. But what about other dark colors?

I love wearing maroon at night because it’s still an appropriately dark color, but it’s also fun and unexpected. Maroon is a beautiful color, seasonally appropriate, and goes with so many different things.

This long-sleeved slightly shiny maroon dress is from Forever 21. I also have it in black – see here. The fit is great – the tailored shoulders and arms are flattering, the waist nips in and the zipper in the back helps you get in and out. The dress is a little short, so it’s a little more appropriate for a date or a night out on the town, rather than a work event.

The best part about maroon is that it is a warm color, meaning you can pair it with gold and other warm accessories. I have gold snakeskin heels from bebe I was considering pairing it with, and probably will in the future. This time, I opted for my favorite black suede platform wedges from Payless ShoeSource. See, you don’t have to completely eschew black at night when you wear a color!

Last but not least I added my classic sterling silver Tiffany’s heart necklace. Next time when I go with my gold bebe snakeskin heels, I’ll opt for a gold necklace. That’s the beauty of a versatile color like maroon!