In 1917 Converse sold a basketball shoe called the Non-Skid. Two years later it was renamed the All Star, and in 1922 a salesman named Chuck Taylor joined the company and spent years driving it from gym to gym. His signature went on the ankle patch in 1934. That is the start of the idea that a plain rubber-soled shoe could be worn by almost anyone, anywhere.

A century later the black sneakers women wear most are a little dressier. A black leather sneaker goes with tailoring, jeans and dresses, and it hides city dirt better than any white pair.

The first grid is leather. Saint Laurent's Lewis is the sleek one I would wear with a suit. Dries Van Noten makes two here, a clean leather pair and a snake-effect version for texture. The McQueen exaggerated-sole sneaker is the chunky one that gives you height. Golden Goose's Super-Star Sabot is a slip-on lined with shearling, a winter shoe you can kick off at the door. Rick Owens' Minimal Sneaks mix calf hair and leather. Then two adidas collaborations: the HArtcopy BW Army is a clean retro trainer, and Simone Rocha's Clima adds lace and embellishment, which is the most romantic sneaker on this page.

Polish black leather sneakers like shoes, with a black cream, once a month.

Suede is softer and warmer than leather, and in black it looks almost velvety. It is also the material that most of the low, flat sneakers of the last few years are made in.

PUMA's Speedcat is the slim racing shape, low and narrow, and it looks great with a long skirt. Maison Margiela's Replica in black suede is the quiet one that looks good with everything. Isabel Marant's Senny has perforated suede and a slightly bigger sole. Reebok's Club C LTD in suede is the classic tennis shoe in a softer finish, and Dries Van Noten's black suede sneaker is the most refined.

From adidas there is the Handball Spezial in black suede with a gum sole, and the BW Army with suede trim. Rick Owens' suede platform is the statement, tall and dramatic.

Suede needs a protective spray before you wear it outside. Do it on the first day, again every few months, and brush the nap back up after rain.

What I would skip: black suede in deep snow. Salt leaves white rings that never quite come out.

Comme des Garçons PLAY started making Converse with Filip Pagowski's heart with eyes in 2009, and it became Converse's longest running modern collaboration. The black high-top in this grid is that shoe, and it is still the easiest way to wear a sneaker with a joke on it.

Canvas is light, breathable and easy in summer. The Row's Fynn in black cotton canvas is the grown-up version. The Row was founded in 2006 by Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen and named after Savile Row, and the Fynn shows that same tailoring mood in a plain sneaker. adidas' Tokyo MJ in quilted canvas is a Mary Jane with stitching, and Skall's Jasper with KEEN is a soft canvas shoe made for walking.

Neous' Berenices mixes canvas with suede and leather. Moncler's Trailgrip in stretch knit looks technical, and Loewe's Cloudtilt with On is the fashion runner. Rick Owens' Geobasket is the tall, sculpted high-top that has its own cult.

Canvas can go in a washing bag on a cold cycle, but let it air dry. A dryer shrinks the canvas and warps the sole.

What I would skip: a black canvas high-top with a long dress. It cuts the leg.

Black is the easiest colour for runners and hikers, because it does not show mud. Now the same shoes turn up with tailored trousers and long coats, and the technical look reads as modern.

Salomon is the leader here. The RX MOC 3.0 is a slip-on recovery shoe that is very comfortable on a plane, and the MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon XT is the trail shoe made strange by a fashion house. On's Cloudmonster in black is the cushioned runner, and Nike's FS Run in black metallic is slim and quick.

Then the designer takes. Rick Owens and Moncler made the Trailgrip Megalace, with its tall sole and lace wrap. Miu Miu's Rete Tech is a sleek runner with a fashion edge. TOTEME's Sport Sneaker is the most minimal, very Scandinavian in its calm. adidas' Tokyo W with Song for the Mute is a mesh runner with suede trim that looks like a vintage find.

With a black trail sneaker, wear a long coat and slim or straight trousers. The contrast between the technical shoe and the soft coat is the look.

What I would skip: a technical runner with a formal dress. It looks like you changed shoes on the train.

The newest black sneaker looks like a ballet flat. It caught on fast, because it is the comfortable answer for anyone who loves flats but hates blisters, and black makes it easy to wear to work.

PUMA leads with two. The H-Street Ballet is a runner turned into a flat, and the Speedcat Ballet Etoile adds a strap to the slim racing shape. adidas has the Tokyo MJ, a black Mary Jane with stripes, and the Superstar SQ Ballet made with Jennie, which turns the shell-toe into a slipper. Dries Van Noten's Ballet Sneaker is the most refined of all.

Then the unusual ones. Nike's Air Rift is the split-toe sneaker, here in black calf hair, and it divides people. Loewe's Ballet Runner 2.0 mixes leather, shell and suede, and Alaïa's Petal sneaker is the softest, closest to a real ballet shoe.

A ballet sneaker looks best with a little bare ankle, or with a sheer black sock. Thick socks hide the shape.

What I would skip: split toes with tights or thick socks. It does not work, and you will spend the whole day fixing them.

I would start with one leather pair for work, a Lewis or a Dries Van Noten. Then one suede pair for weekends, a Speedcat or a Replica. If I walked a lot, I would add a black trail shoe like the Salomon, and if I loved flats, a ballet sneaker like the PUMA H-Street.

Black hides wear, goes with every colour and makes a casual outfit look a little more serious. Chuck Taylor would probably not recognise most of these shoes, but the idea is the same one he spent his life selling. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Ballet Flats Black Enough To Wear Everywhere and Suede Sneakers Beyond The Basic White.