Monochromatic outfits look very simple and clean. When you find the right color for your skin tone, you look even more illuminating. Contrary to what you might think, monochrome is not boring. It can be quite fun and it can make building a wardrobe a breeze once you’ve narrowed down your look.
A monochrome wardrobe is often synonymous with a capsule wardrobe, which can help create a simplistic closet that maximizes the use of your clothes. If you’re considering building a monochrome wardrobe, read on to learn what to fill your closet with everything from white dresses to bold patterns.
What is Monochrome?
When you break it down, the word mono means one while chrome means color, so the phrase monochrome means one color. Creating a monochrome look doesn’t mean only wearing the same shade of one color. Monochrome outfits take one color and mix shades, tints, and patterns for a clean look.
You can take a white dress (like the Lucila Linen Dress from Reformation) and pair it with a cream-colored cardigan or blazer. You can mix a light blue blouse with navy slacks. One of the reasons monochrome goes well with a capsule wardrobe is that your pieces become versatile. You can mix and match almost anything, which means no piece of clothing is neglected. Now, it’s time to build a wardrobe with must-have tips.
Lucila Linen Dress
1. Practice Makes Perfect
Building a monochrome wardrobe is not going to happen overnight. It takes research and practice to get the right look for you. You will test out different colors that match well with your skin, define your personal style, determine the function of your outfits, and more.
Shopping with specific definitions in mind can feel overwhelming at first. You may be used to shopping based on what you liked or what looks good. Now, you’ll be keeping in mind so much more. Be gentle with yourself as you’re starting out. It can feel frustrating in the beginning, but once you’ve mastered your look, building out your wardrobe will be a breeze.
2. Define Your Personal Style
In building your wardrobe, you want to fill it with pieces that you feel comfortable in, flatter your body, and are functional for your life. Think about what types of clothes you wear for work, hanging out with friends, lounging around at home, working out, etc. The pieces you choose should fit into your lifestyle.
While it’s tempting to follow trends, you want to primarily concern yourself with what you like and know you will wear. A capsule wardrobe, above all else, is for functionality and longevity. Opt for pieces you love that you can style in versatile ways. The Taylen Knit Dress from Reformation is a great example of a piece you can dress up or down. Add a cream-colored blazer or sweater or pair it with a nude statement belt.
If you aren’t sure what your personal style is, test it out. Go shopping and try on different styles of clothes. Take note of what feels comfortable and what you feel confident in.
Taylen Knit Dress
3. Choose Your Colors
This is the fun part and the primary step to building a monochromatic wardrobe: picking your colors. Choosing a color that you love to wear is the best way to start. If you love bold colors like pink or yellow because they brighten your mood, go with it. If you prefer neutral colors, stick with black or white. A white dress like Reformation’s Alden Knit Dress is a great example of a staple piece that can be dressed for any season.
Another method to follow when choosing your colors is to find colors that compliment your skin tone and hair color. The best way to do this is by looking at your veins to determine if you’re a cool or warm tone. If your veins are blue, opt for cool colors. If your veins are green, go with warm colors.
Above all, you want to be comfortable. Wearing colors that don’t make you feel good can dampen your mood or make you less than confident. You want to shine in these clothes so embrace what makes you happiest.
Alden Knit Dress
4. Don’t Shy Away From Patterns
There’s no need to ditch patterns when you build your wardrobe. A monochromatic wardrobe isn’t just about solids. Since a monochromatic wardrobe mixes similar shades of one color together, you can absolutely blend those varying shades to build an outfit with some minimal pattern. Clothes with stripes or polka dots can meld well with your monochromatic look.
You might find some difficulty in choosing patterns that go well with your color scheme depending on the colors within it. The key is to find a piece that has your color as the primary color with another color more minimal. For example, a white dress with a soft floral pattern or a red dress with small polka dots. From there, you can play up the color scheme with other pieces from your closet to maintain the monochromatic appearance. The Cressida dress from Reformation is a good example of a patterned dress that can meld well with a monochromatic closet.
Cressida Dress
5. Add Some Texture
Finally, to give your monochromatic outfits a bit of pizazz, add some texture. This step adds dimension and depth to your look to make it more interesting. Any addition to your outfit could be considered a texture like shoes, belts, jewelry, or a purse.
Adding texture doesn’t need to deviate from your monochromatic look. If you choose a white dress, you can easily pair it with gold or silver jewelry to play up the shades. If your closet is a blue color scheme, get a navy belt to add to your looks. Reformation’s Aida dress, for example, features a button-front that adds texture and pairs well with texture accessories like a purse and heels.
Aida Dress
Remember, your wardrobe is all about you. You will be wearing these looks every day. Make sure you feel confident in how you look and are comfortable as you strut through your day.