Monochrome outfits take color coordination to a whole new level, but it’s not always easy to pull monochrome off. Just a quick hint: you don’t have to wear things in the same exact shade for monochrome to work. Read below to find out how to wear monochrome and look stylish AF in your favorite color!
The color red represents excitement and passion. Naturally, it makes sense to go with bright and bold shades of red since it is such a powerful color. One of the easiest ways to wear monochrome is simply to wear a suit or matching set in the chosen color and accessorize it accordingly. (Remember, black and white go with pretty much everything.) Your outfit also doesn’t have to be completely in one color to be monochrome. The suit featured below is a simple and effective example of a monochrome look balanced with white detailing. You’ll certainly get noticed in this red-hot, fiery outfit!
Like red, orange is also an exciting and bold color. Sometimes it can represent danger (think construction signs), but it also represents warmth, friendliness, and creativity. Orange isn’t a very common color, so when it comes to wearing it, it’s go big or go home! Try matching different shades of orange together to offset some of the color’s flashiness. Lots of reddish and brownish colors often have orange undertones, and they can balance out your outfit when paired with brighter pieces. Try matching some toned-down tan pants with your neon top to really rock orange from head to toe!
Yellow! Yellow is the color of happiness, optimism, and basically all things good. It’s just a happy ray of sunshine, so your outfit should be too! Think about something that would make people smile. There’s not many hues of yellow anyways, so you’ll always end up with something bright. Try mixing solids with prints, as yellow is commonly featured in florals and other cute designs. The easiest of all ways to wear monochrome is to simply wear a dress, nothing else needed! Yellow sundresses are in abundance during the spring and summer months, so you should have no problem pulling off a yellow monochrome look with the right accessories.
Green is probably one of the most diverse colors on the color wheel as it comes in a wide variety of shades and hues, from neon lime to dark forest. Green is naturally (pun intended) the color of nature, and by extension, growth and freshness. Try to reconnect with the environment when planning a green monochrome outfit. Darker and natural hues pair together well for a simple and more subtle look. Olive green is especially versatile, as its brown undertones make it almost a neutral color, allowing it to pair with many things. Of course, intense neon greens are also super popular thanks to style superstars like Billie Eilish, so if that’s more your style, then go all in and embrace your electric creativity!
Blue is an incredibly diverse color, with vast arrays of shades and hues. Just think about the wide blue sea, the wild blue yonder, blue is everywhere so it should be in your wardrobe too! If you’ve ever owned a pair of jeans then you definitely have blue in your closet already. Denim is one of the easiest ways to wear monochrome blue, and thankfully denim on denim looks are making their return from fashion faux pas to fashion forward. Still, if you’re afraid of looking like an early 2000s Britney Spears or Justin Timberlake, then just pair your favorite pair of jeans with a nice blue top and you’re good to go!
Purple is a very deep, rich color, often symbolizing royalty, luxury, and nobility. Take these notions in strides when putting together a purple monochrome outfit; purple looks best on more specialty fabrics such as velvet and satin. Because it is so rich, it is also best to balance shades of purple against each other, for instance a dark violet against a pale lilac will contrast well and pull the look together. Contrasting shades is also generally just a good idea when wearing monochrome because the light and dark will balance each other out, almost like wearing two different colors!
Pink is a really fun color to do monochrome with, and luckily it has also been trending so pink items are in abundance! There’s really no way to go wrong when wearing monochrome in pink, so go for it and embrace your Barbie girl fantasy. The usual styling tips for monochrome still apply, so try to balance different shades and hues against each other, or accessorize a stand out piece with neutrals. Lots of fun materials come in pink too, like sequins, fur, and trims, so try contrasting different textures against each other to really make your outfit pop!
Who doesn’t love wearing black from head to toe occasionally? All black monochrome can be a pretty intense look, but it is super stylish and one of the easiest ways to wear monochrome. You can probably do it with items you already have in your closet. Try stepping up the look with black accessories like hats and sunglasses to add a little mystery, or wear your favorite jewelry to add a pop of color that will really stand out against the dark background!
Okay, so maybe you can’t wear white after labor day, but wearing white monochrome is still super stylish and a summer favorite because it keeps you cool and brightens in the sunlight. White is a very soft and pure color, so try wearing fabrics that would fit those ideals well, such as light linens and cotton. Like black, you really can’t go wrong with wearing all white, so just have fun with it and try all sorts of combinations to shake up your look!
Gray is a totally underrated color, often unfairly criticized for being dull and boring. In reality, gray is actually a very soothing color, representing security and reliability, as well as intellect. In fact, people who wear gray suits are often described as more knowledgeable and competent than people who wear navy or black. Gray still is a very understated and subtle color, but it’s a really great way to wear monochrome without being flashy. You can also pair gray pieces with black and white pieces to go for a full greyscale tonal look.
Browns and tans are another very slept on color. They are more natural and earthy than gray, but every bit as sophisticated. Khaki is one easy way to pull off a monochrome look in brown shades, and khaki suiting has been a major recent trend. One thing to be careful of though, is to make sure not to wear shades that are too similar. Often different khaki pieces are not the same exact shade, and will end up looking more mismatched than intentionally monochrome.
Bonus because metallics are more of a finish than a color themselves, but metallic outfits can still look really cool if done right. Just be careful not to look too much like a space robot (unless that’s your thing of course). Often many fabrics have details and accents of gold or silver incorporated, so they can be used to pull a monochrome look together really well. Sequin fabrics and lamé are also good fabric choices, and will make any outfit look glitzy and expensive. Just be careful not to overdo it, and remember head to toe gold or silver probably isn’t suited for most occasions.
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