It’s Time to Pull Out Those Monochromatic Looks

It’s Time to Pull Out Those Monochromatic Looks

Wearing solids through every season

It may be Winter, but that doesn’t mean you just have to stick with the “I only wear black all winter long!” attitude. The other day I was in a meeting and a woman came up to me and mentioned how she is exhausted with wearing only black and grey pieces in the winter months. “Typically, I will just wear black all winter long, since I’m bundled up under my coat and no one can see my outfits anyway!” With it being cold and sometimes unbearable outside, that doesn’t mean that we should neglect our fashionable looks. After having this conversation, I sat down and thought about some basic pieces each and every woman may have in their closets, that may be easy to pull out and wear during seasonable times like this. The more and more I thought about it, a light bulb went off in my head and I thought about solids. I thought about all the colorful solid turtlenecks, sweaters, and blouses I have in my closet that I’m just dying to pull out and style. Have you heard of the term monochromatic?

According to Wikipedia, this term can be defined as, “color schemes derived from a single base hue and extended using its shades, tones, and tents.” The use of a monochromatic color provides a strong sense of visual cohesion and can help support communication objectives through the use of connotative color.” The term itself refers to a single colored solid shade of which can be paired with the same shade or hue of color, to create a cohesive look. For example, if I have a solid red turtleneck in my closet, I can pair it with red slacks or a similar color in the same “family” of red to create a completed monochromatic look. A similar color may be a light dusty pink or a lighter red tint. Another example is a pair of hot pink slacks, I might pair with a light blush pink sweater to again create an overall cohesive look. Having solid colors in your wardrobe can allow you to easily pair monochromatic colors within their categorized families. While I never limit myself to which colors to wear based on the season, some of my favorite monochromatic colors to wear during this season include winter white, red, pink, and canary yellow. Throughout the Spring and Summer months, I enjoy wearing a variety of monochromatic themed outfits of which include lilac purple, bright orange, and also turquoise.

If you don’t consider yourself someone who loves bright colors, don’t worry! Who said monochromatic outfits strictly have to apply to bright colors? If you tend to favor neutrals, that is alright too! If this is you, consider monochromatic looks that include grey, brown, cream, or navy blue. Just like colorful looks, neutral monochromatic looks can apply throughout any season of the year and look great on everyone! 

The last styling tip I will leave you with when it comes to styling monochromatic looks is to consider pairing your look with accessories. If you’re wearing an entire bright pink outfit, consider pairing hot pink accessories with your outfit (earrings & purse). On the last note, monochromatic looks can be worn to the office, brunch, out for a night on the town, or to a weekend coffee date.

I challenge you bright color lovers and neutral folks to give the monochromatic look a try! Step outside your comfort zone to go beyond the typical winter black wardrobe and pull out those solids you haven’t worn in years to create a monochromatic look just for you. This theme is timeless and it’s here to stay!