Nashmin It’s not as easy as it looks…
Monochrome style is set to be a big trend in 2018. Adidas’ new Adicolour line has some prime sportswear examples, but what happens when you don’t buy the whole outfit as a matching set? How easy is it to create a monochrome look out of what you already have in your closet? As someone who loves to dress in colour, I was more than up to the challenge. So, I set out to dress in monochrome outfits from Monday to Friday.
Day one: Black
I decided to start out with what I thought would be the easiest outfit…head-to-toe black. Surprisingly enough, it was actually pretty difficult for me. I found myself wanting to create extra depth in the outfit, but being unable to do so sans colour. It made me realise how much I depended on colour throughout my wardrobe.
Day Two: Pink
Day two was head-to-toe pink. Not the very cool soft easily wearable millennial pink. No…that would be too easy! Inspired by the fact that I found this vintage beret in the same colour of this button up, a more Fran Drescher & Pepto Bismol colour. The skirt is arguably more maroon than pink, but the effect is the same.
DAY THREE: GREEN
Green was, uh, interesting… As you’ll notice there are no photos of the green outfit published. It shall live on only as myth in the imagination of those who dare think of it. Needless to say. Head-to-toe green… not for me.
Day Four: Blue
Blue was something that I felt a little relieved to wear, because head-to-toe blue meant I could wear jeans! The overall effect of the outfit was definitely less eye-catching than the pink. But it gave me an excuse to wear a heavy shoulder pad blazer from the 80s that’s sat in my closet for the better part of a year. I was also able to layer somewhat successfully. This still wasn’t what I would call, ‘my style’ but I wasn’t mad about it.
DAY FIVE: WHITE
For the final day, I went with white. This was the outfit that I liked the most, and above all others this was something that I would actually wear even if there wasn’t a challenge! Soft shearling, a classic shirt, and ripped jeans, an eclectic mix that matches.
Final Thoughts
The main takeaway from this fashion experiment was actually really surprising. Days 1-4 I found myself having sub-par days. Not just stylistically, but I felt as if my overall mood was a little down. It wasn’t until the last day that I realised that the reason was something to do with the way I was dressed. Narcissistic or not, every day I felt conspicuous. At the very least I simply didn’t feel like myself. I was an imposter, lying to the world about who I was. Every stranger that took notice of me were left with an impression of me, that was clearly not me. I didn’t realise how much I valued authenticity in my style. How deeply I used it as a tool to express myself. It’s my way of wordlessly presenting myself to the world. Dressing in a way that I wouldn’t normally felt strangely dishonest. But readers, take what I say with a grain of salt, it wasn’t as if I was walking around moping all day(!)
Even with the slight mood dampening, I found the experiment fun and challenging, something I’d definitely try again. It pointed out a few holes in my wardrobe (I am now aware that I am in desperate need of bright coloured pants). Overall, I think it’s kind of difficult to dress successfully in a monochrome outfit. How about you guys, have you ever tried monochrome styling?Follow my blog with Bloglovin
