Every good wedding guest knows the golden dress code rule: “Don’t wear white to someone else’s big day.” And while it’s relatively easy to follow that directive, there are tons of other unspoken guidelines that can be tough to navigate when attending a wedding. For instance, did you know red is often frowned upon? (It’s often thought that if it’s too striking of a shade, it can easily steal attention away from the bride.) Or that you should try and avoid pastels so you don’t end up matching the all-too-common color palette of bridesmaids gowns? Black is also one of those tricky colors to pull off. While it undoubtedly looks great on everyone, sometimes wearing a black cocktail dress inevitably makes it look like you might be on your way to a funeral.

There are several foolproof ways to pull off an all noir look for a wedding though. For starters, accessories are key. Lighten up a dark outfit with some fun, colorful earrings, or pick an unusual silhouette, like a fringed jumpsuit or a lace-trimmed bell sleeved dress. Below, five ways you can wear black to a wedding and still look like the life of the party.