Black lipstick was once considered the sort of evil, work of the devil monstrosity that would be debated on Lorraine or protested against with laminated placards by religious cults in middle America. It stood for the most extreme form of beauty rebellion, and as such could be worn with equal amounts of rage by both men (Marilyn Manson) and women (Siouxie Sioux). 

And to be perfectly honest, even as teenagers none of us would have gone near it, unless we were intentionally stoking the fire of authority at home or at school. But then, it went all high fashion at Yves Saint Laurent's autumn/winter 2008 catwalk show and we collectively discovered something very special about black lipstick; it can also be pretty god damn beautiful.

This is probably among the reasons that Lorde, the cooler spectrum of pop's belle du jour, has selected it as part of her otherwise hippie-boarding-school-girl image for music video, Tennis Court. That striking rose-bud mouth of black tar was just enough of Grimes-style edge to keep Lorde's look. There is but one question that remains; will black lipstick become a de rigeur part of your make-up bag this autumn?

Click through the gallery of how black lipstick made it into the mainstream and then make up your mind...