For reasons good and bad, menswear enthusiasts seem to hate the color black. Black suits, for example, are said to be too severe – making the wearer look like an undertaker, a hitman, or some other very serious person, such as a Model United Nations attendee. Black shoes, as well, are said to be not as good as brown. Whereas brown can build a deep, beautiful patina over time, black can only gleam. Plus, they’re often only kept to very “city” ensembles (navy or charcoal suits, white shirts, etc), making them a bit limited, although Pete gave once some great ideas on how to they can be used much more versatilely.
There are some things style enthusiasts often under appreciate about black. For example, it works really well on a solid-colored tie. Black grenadines, for example, can give some nice color variation to a navy suit and white shirt ensemble, whereas a navy grenadine might be too matching. And while black is indeed sometimes a serious color, you can see how good it looks above with a casual tan suit.
If you’re just building a new tie wardrobe, consider getting a couple of black options. Two is all you really need – the black grenadine and black silk knit. Those can be worn to great effect with dressy and casual ensembles respectively.
