Wearing COLOUR

How-to Wear the Most Elegant Monochrome Looks

What does monochromatic mean in fashion? A superfast way to change up your look, whilst remaining in trend, is to mix different gradients of one colour. Monochromatic dressing isn’t a new trend, as such, it’s been something many have chosen to wear since fashion began. Current key trending looks include bright shades of yellow, blue and green – and we love them all! The choice of wearing one colour may make you feel like a walking faux pas, but when done right it can look amazing. A few of our favourite looks hit the catwalk recently showcasing their monochromatic pairings. Images by Max Mara 2022 Spring Runway. Images showcasing Alexandre Vauthier 2022. Choosing your monochromatic spring look Before you throw on a solid colour, it’s a good idea to find out what colour is for you and works best for you. We all have different undertones in that just because you may have the same skin tone as someone it doesn't mean you have the same undertone. Skin tone can change in various ways, including lotions, sunlight, scarring etc. but the undertone will always remain the same. Sourcing what our undertone is allows us to pick the best clothes that complement our skin and therefore can make us feel confident in what we’re wearing. What colours suit my undertone? There are typically three undertones that we talk about when labelling what ‘group’ we belong to. Cool Neutral Warm There is a shade for everyone. Where you might find that you can look washed out when wearing, for example, a solid black colour, you might find that choosing a lighter black, like charcoal or even a darker grey, will work better for you depending on the undertone. So, how do I know if I have cool or warm undertones? Masterclass recently shared how they suggest you find out what your undertone is. Our favourite way, which is really simple to try, is using a white sheet of paper against your face whilst in front of a mirror. They say that you should be '...In a place with bright, natural light, [and] hold up a piece of printer paper and look at how your skin reacts to it. If your skin looks pinkish against the paper, you probably have cooler undertones; if your skin looks yellow against the paper, you’re probably a warm tone. If you do not see an undertone at all, you likely have neutral undertones.' Cool Under Tones Cool skin tones are best paired with colours that are, coincidentally, on the cool end of the colour spectrum. Colours that suit this type of skin tone include darker greens, deep purples as well as bright blues and pinks. What're more, lighter shades of yellow and red can pair perfectly too when going into spring and summer. Celebrities with cool under tones include Mindy Kaling and Anne Hathaway. Warm Undertones Warm skin tones are, naturally, best paired with colours on the warmer part of the colour spectrum. Additionally, they work best with earth shades when looking for the right colour. The best colours a warm undertone could wear would include the likes of deep green and mustard yellows. Of course, there are other shades on this spectrum that would work just as well, and these include coral within the cooler palette and darker shades like moss and olive when looking for warmer colours as we head away from summer and into Autumn/Winter. Celebrities with warm under tones include Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez. Neutral Undertones Having a neutral undertone is definitely the best of both worlds, it means your wardrobe can be flexible because any shade will suit you! You shouldn’t have to worry about looking washed out, as most colours will complement your tone. Just be sure to choose the right ones, especially when stepping away from clothing and choosing makeup – it’s essential that although you can choose any type, you want to make sure it is relative to the shade of your skin. Celebrities with neutral under tones include Kristen Stewart, Miranda Kerr, Kerry Washington, Selena Gomez and Julianne Moore. Another way to find out your undertone Another way to identify your under tones is by checking the inside of your wrist and the colours visible. Cool Undertone Monochromatic Looks Making the best looks using the cool undertone rulebook we took some items we loved. Here, we took our Branwell Pencil dress in Powder Blue, paired it with these Mango Audrey Asymmetric Stiletto Court shoes in blue (John Lewis). Adding to these two, we next chose our Weston Sleeved Bolero in the shade Cobalt Blue. And, finally, we got our eyes on this cute bright blue Ted Baker Bagira Leather Crossbody bag (£77 from John Lewis). Next up, is the prettiest colour of the season – purple. Combining our favourite looks, of different shades, can work perfectly when dressing formally or casually. Firstly, we chose this Rina Tank in shade Gentle Lavender from All Saints and paired it with these Hot Squash Purple Luxe-Lounge Wide Leg Crepe Trousers! Finishing the summer look with these Zara Lilac High-Heel Court Shoes (£29.99) complete the lilac look. For the perfect summer evening cover-up, we also loved the look of this lilac denim oversized shirt which is affordably cute at £25.99 from New Look. Warm Undertone Monochromatic Looks Following the suggestions above we’ve searched for some super cute, and chic, dark green and mustard wardrobe looks. To start, this Extro & Vert sweetheart bralette vest co-ord in dark green at ASOS for £15 and matching Extro & Vert oversize jersey blazer is on-trend right now. Pair these with the Extro & Vert wide leg jersey trouser co-ord to complete the look. Each image has the model pictured in various other garments, however, with these combined along with a relative shoe you're on your way to a stunning monochromatic combination. For footwear, we suggest these ASOS DESIGN Panda tie leg block heeled shoes in forest green for £32. We're loving the summer festival vibes with this strappy corset detail flippy mini dress in mustard yellow. You could pair it with sunflower yellow converse or go elegant in these high espadrille wedge sandals at £28 (Pre-sale: £50) Finally, pairing our Chesterton Swing dress with these dark olive wedge espadrilles (net-a-porter £85) is a cute way to make the dress work for you casually, whether it be as a wedding guest or out date night dinner. Both combined with this Whistles Bebe Leather (Selfridges, £59) purchase, you’re on to a winning green mixture. Neutral Undertone Monochromatic Looks If you have a neutral undertone then it should be the law that you must take full advantage of it! We adore the roaring trend of wearing bold red, and even more so when it is showcased in a winning statement suit. Here, we've found a leg-lengthening pair of super-high-waist wide-leg tailored trousers from Collusion (ASOS) that would pair perfectly with our Fulica Long Sleeve Jacket and these Simply Be Wedge Sandals. For our next neutral look, we decided to check out our favourite coral peach pieces. Here, we're going for the relaxed fit wardrobe that includes this Only Knitted Cardigan in a peachy shade. Under this, we felt this American Eagle Hi-Point Solid Vest top was pretty cute with these ASOS design straight leg peach trousers (note: we need everything in shade peach immediately!) Then, last but by no means least, we finish with these super cute ASOS Design France jelly flat sandals, also in peach. Have you enjoyed this article? Let us know on our social media feeds and we'll be sure to make more!

BROWN Is The New Black...

Max Mara made their statement known at Milan Fashion Week at the end of February. Brown may very well be the new Black. With models taking to the catwalk showcasing a variety of designs and patterns the use of the colour brown was evident. Models walking the Max Mara Milan 2022 Fall Show There's a lot more to a brand using the brown shade than you may think. Whilst it seems to be the younger, less known sister of the Black palette it is making its reappearance as we look ahead to Autumn/Fall of 2022. Verywellmind.com shares how often the colour brown is "solid, much like the earth, and it's a colour often associated with resilience, dependability, security, and safety." Along with the surroundings of autumn offering shades from the brown and orange palette, having clothing to match can have a positive effect - just like how you may feel compelled to wear bright yellow shades in summer. The Continued Love for Teddy Fabric With the use of their beloved Teddy fabric in a cosy brown shade, it's not hard to see why brands like New Look, ASOS and Next have rolled out the much-loved fabric on items ranging from jumpers to handbags and hair accessories. If brown isn’t your chosen shade, then there are plenty of other colours to try out. All Shades of Brown With brown making its statement, lighter brown shade beige also made an appearance in full-autumn-cosy-wear. The Colour Psychology of Brown The colour brown is said to be a steady, grounded shade. With the colour being the shade of earth, of nature, it's understandable to see it less desirable than brighter colours like pink or blue. However, the power psychology of brown is more than you may think. Wearing the colour brown can aid in representing reliability and stability. Additionally, Brown is believed to be a relaxing colour. With the shade linking to an increase of tryptophan (related to sleep and our immune systems) and serotonin (linked to mood.) Also, in an article by Brightside, they share how "...people who like to wear the colour brown are slightly conservative, respect their elders and always look for peace, stability, and strength in everything". Incorporating Brown into Your Look Whilst wearing brown is not the hardest shade to wear, compared to bright yellows and neon greens, it can take some getting used to if you’re used to opting for black. Adding small amounts to your outfit can ease the doom of introducing any new colour to your palette. We took to Pinterest to find out favourite outfits that feature small introductions of brown without being overpowering. Here, for Max Mara again in Milan for Fashion Week we can see the much loved teddy fabric. In the chosen shade of brown, which they’ve used as an accompanying item instead of using it all over. Additionally, to the right, we have Vogue Williams showing how to perfectly pair the likes of a brown sweater with casual skinny jeans for a simple walk around town. Adding brown to your palette doesn’t have to be only in your clothing. Instead, you could incorporate the Autumn/Fall 2022 shade in with your accessories and footwear. To the right, model Emily Ratajkowski is pictured with her dog, wearing a light brown coat combined with a white top, blue jeans and stunning brown boots. Clothing, tick. Footwear, tick. Accessories, tick. Next? Makeup. You can calm the power of the standard smoky eye by using lighter shades. Shades like brown and cream, compared to the harshness of black which can be difficult to incorporate into daytime looks. Adding Brown to Nails Adding the colour brown to anything can be difficult at times, but more so with nails. With brown comes the instant thought of earth and dirt/soil. So, we suggest going for a mixture of shades like these below. Our Brown Dress Collection Adding brown to your wardrobe can start with small accessories or by adding the likes of a dress or skirt. In the video below we flip through all of our stunning products, in brown shades. You can get a hold of each of these items on our website. Can you wear black with brown? In short, absolutely. It may be though that with both brown and black being strong, independent shades, you should choose one as your outfit shade. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. You can combine black with brown in various ways, whether it is brown shoes and black tops or a brown coat with black boots. Here we go through a few of our favourite brown/black combo outfits that we’re sure you’ll get some inspo from. Long Sleeved Brown Dresses Wearing long sleeved dresses isn’t exclusive to winter. Our Marsala Brown Athalia dress is available in an additional four shades, including beet red, cobalt blue, scarlet red and navy blue. Perfect to take you from the office to the weekend wedding guest dress. Our Athalia dress pairs perfectly with these Page Chain Stiletto Court shoes. Our Elodie pencil dress shouts all kinds of power. The dress features a rounded neckline with a side button detail, as well as pleating going across the body in a tailored flattering fit. We think that these passion stiletto court shoes would work perfectly with this power dress. You can wear our next favourite (the peppercorn brown Padstow Midi Swing dress) either casual or formal. As well as our peppercorn brown shade, it is also available in black, navy blue, passion red, hunter green, spectrum indigo and dark mauve. We suggest that when wearing this dress for a casual feel that you pair them with these adorable London Rebel double buckle sandals. Sleeveless Brown Dresses One of our favourites is the Seed Fitzrovia Sleeveless dress. This dress comes in a variety of shades, including pacific green, navy blue, sandy cream, crimson pink, garnet red and daffodil yellow. With a total of 16 complete shades to try out you have the option to wear a new colour each day for the fortnight ahead! Our sleeveless SEED Fitzrovia is perfect to go from office to event, to bar. We love the fitting on this dress (as well as the short and long sleeve versions) and how versatile it is to wear. You can take this cute dress from daytime coffee straight to the office and out for dinner. Like all of our dresses we design and make each in England. What’s more, we create each Fitzrovia using a couture stretch fabric tailored for a flattering fit and, essentially, it comes with a concealed zip and vent (within centre back) to allow ease of movement. Wearing Gilets With it being March the sun may be shining but it is not without a slight nip in the air! Wearing a coat can feel heavy, weighing you down. So, we suggest you opt for a gilet which can come in various designs (whether casual or formal) and shades. A few our of favourite brown gilets include: This super cute Teddy coat from ASOS offers comfort and style all-in-one. You can get your hands on it for £35.99 here. This comfortable yet statement coat is perfect for the beginnings of Spring and those cooler Summer days before we settle back into Autumn. Why do we suggest it today, you ask? Well, it's online at ASOS for £36 - saving you 37%. You're welcome! Next to last, but my no means least, is a cute Joules Gilet at Next that you can get your hands on for only £55. It may look light, but it is guaranteed to fight off any extra chill in the air as well as fitting the body and figure in a flattering note. And finally, we couldn't go through our favourite gilet-style coats and not mention our very own Sleeveless Harvard Coat! It comes in seven cute shades, including Acorn Brown. Brown Coats All Year Round The perfect coat is one you can wear all year round, whether it’s cool spring or heatwave summer. Our SEED Raquella long coat is a firm favourite. The A-line acorn brown Raquella coat comes in an additional 9 stunning shades, to flatter any body shape. What’s more, each of the shades come with a collar and pockets, adding to the beautiful hourglass shape of the coat. See also, our Silverstone Long Sleeve Coat! Have you enjoyed this article? Let us know on our social media feeds and we'll be sure to make more!

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Wearing COLOUR

How-to Wear the Most Elegant Monochrome Looks

BROWN Is The New Black...