SEEING BLACK AND WHITE

Hey everyone. Do you think opposites attract? Or do your eyes glaze over and think ‘boring’ when you see monochromatic black and white? If so, think again.  Black and White is more than just an enduring, season-in, season-out trend, it’s also a palate cleanser of the highest order. T The Black and White Monochrome look is also one of the few real trends in women’s fashion. Monochrome is one of the simplest, most chic of looks to work whatever the year and never fails to gain attention when done well. Bright whites tempered with inky blacks can be used to create a truly bold statement. The fact that you probably already have a few black and white items hanging in your wardrobe makes a monochromatic look possibly one of the easiest summer trends to execute. The black and white trend is also the perfect opposite to the many feminine and colorful trends featured this season. Using black and white will help create an almost sculptured look, and definitely draw attention to you!

Black and White Monochrome is likewise easy—and ideal–for creating a fairly effortless travel wardrobe. This dark against light, black with white monochrome fashion look is classic, and the perfect choice right now for anyone with a financially critical wardrobe budget. Monochrome is capsule dressing and will stretch that tight budget. Long after all the colored garments from the past two seasons have faded into fashion’s oblivion, you will still be able to wear monochrome classics that stand the test of time. 

Oscar De Larenta

So, how does one wear the monochromatic black and white look? First, you must decide how much of each color you want to incorporate into your outfits. Are you going 50/50? Or are you leaning more towards the dark side? Or maybe mainly white is the right look for you? As with every trend in fashion, it’s really up to you on how you interpret and translate it into your personal style.

With the black & white trend, you can work the look with blocks of monochromatic color, say a white skirt with a column of tiny black boxes along the hemline. Or maybe a black top with a trio of thin white lines down the shoulders of the sleeves and/or going down the back of the spine. Or you can try black and white patterned items. This is where a black and white Chevron print skirt paired with a white top would work. It does brings to mind a Catholic School girl uniform but then again, the classics will never go out of style, no matter the origin.

For a second look, play with volume and proportions. If you have a fitted white shirt, you can pair it with black skinny jeans and/or leggings. You can turn the look around by swapping out the skinny pant with a wide leg trousers. Taking it a bit further, swap out your form-fitting top for a looser style but keep the skinny legging. Or, turn the entire outfit into an evening attire by pairing the wide leg trousers with a top that is a hybrid of the fitted top and its looser cousin, thus creating an outfit that is charity ball-ready. 

How does one accessorize a monochromatic black and white outfit? Well, it all depends on what the occasion is, the combination of black and white you are wearing and how bold you want to be. If it’s a white shirt paired with a black ballgown, then it’s easy: I would recommend a pair of gold earrings (nothing too flashy or oversized, smaller is better here), a gold evening watch and/or bracelet (again, keep it clean and classy, small is always better). Add a discreet gold necklace and you are good to go. If you do not like gold jewelry, then pair your outfit with silver, platinum or dark bronze. The point here is to always look classy in an understatedly sophisticated manner.

Solange Knowles