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Hey y’all! I hope this Monday finds you well. Yesterday I played doubles tennis with some family members, and being the super pale person that I am, I got ROASTED. My back is so sun burnt! I’m sure I’ll be feeling it reallll soon… 😉 Anyway, I’m not here today to talk about the red color of my shoulders. Instead, I want to discuss the color blue, specifically blue with even more blue. (It’s one of my favorite colors to wear, if you haven’t noticed from this post, this one, or this one.)
Rocking a monochrome look can exude a very elevated and chic style, but if done incorrectly, the same color together can appear cheap. So what’s the deciding factor in making this trendy style work? Varying the shades.
There are two ways to dress monochromatically: wearing the exact same shade head-to-toe, or wearing the same general color with different hues, like I’ve done in this post. Wearing all the same shade in a single outfit is much harder to pull off, and for whatever reason, it often looks inexpensive (no bueno). The color itself also makes a huge difference. For example, I have tried wearing this blue blouse with pants in the same shade, and it looked really cheap. However, if I had picked a more luxe color like blush or forest green (or even black!), I would’ve had a better chance of pulling off the look.
If you feel really bold and want to try wearing all the same shade, here are my tips: Make sure the pieces you choose are visually interesting, with details like ruffles, rouching, beading, exposed zippers, or any other sort of applique. Since dressing in monochrome removes the style aspect of multiple colors/prints, you have to rely on other forms of design to make the outfit interesting. I also recommend wearing accessories in a different color than the monochrome clothing, such as floral heels or a statement necklace.
If you’re not as adventurous as that, you can still try the monochrome look by varying the shades of the color you’re wearing (which is much easier to pull off). For example, I paired this sky blue blouse with a navy skirt—both are shades of blue, but together, they add visual interest without looking cheap. Other colors that work great for this are a light and dark grey, a baby pink and magenta, and a lavender and eggplant (this would be especially trendy this year, considering that the Pantone Color of the Year is Ultra Violet).
Just because your clothing is monochrome, doesn’t mean your accessories have to be! I highly recommend adding some sort of sparkle, pattern, or texture through your accessories. I chose silver jewelry with an orange beaded purse to complement all the blue. Plus, my sunglasses have polka dots and my shoes are striped—don’t be afraid to add small unique details here and there. 🙂
What do you think, would you experiment with a monochrome outfit? I definitely want to try wearing all the same shade next time! This look would also make a pretty Easter outfit. Have a great Monday, and here’s to the start of an awesome week. 😉
Miles of smiles,
Grace
Blue Blouse: Nordstrom Rack, $20 // Navy Ribbed Skirt: Francesca’s, $20 // Navy Striped Heels: CL Laundry via DSW, $40, still available for purchase (and on sale!) // Polka Dot Sunglasses: unknown, $15 // Orange Beaded Purse: boutique in Las Vegas airport, $30