"Monochromatic" means wearing all one color and are generally avoided only because of the fallacy “monotone outfits look boring and it is not simple to carry them.” Monotone outfits are great to wear on special occasions if you pick an apt color and style it with ease, and it's one of the easiest ways to look chic and put together. A monotone look is a staple outfit formula for those with Sleek Chic or Minimalist style, but can work for basically every personal style type.

How to pull-off a monochrome look:

1. Mix Tones:

A color has various shades and tones, thus we can style a specific color in so many ways. Monotone outfits are great option not only for the casual wear but also for outings. For example, if you are wearing a darker yellow kurta, team it with a softer yellow palazzo, round it off with beige juttis and you are spot on with your spring-summer-friendly monotone look! This way you can play around with a whole lot of colors.

2. Mix Textures In Your Monochrome Outfit

You want to add visual interest, depth, and dimension to your look so it’s not one-dimensional or boring. Using one color, play with the fabrics and textures to add interest. If your monochromatic outfit were comprised of the same fabric throughout, it would likely come off looking dull. Suppose you are wearing a powder blue kurta in cotton, pair it with linen trousers or wear a khadi jacket to add to the entire ensemble, it is such a refreshing way to upgrade your outfit, wear monotone and do not let it look well, any less interesting! 

3. Select The Right Monochromatic Colors

It’s important to select a color that looks great against your skin tone and hair. For example: If your complexion is very fair and you have blonde hair, opt to wear navy instead of harsh black. Women with tanned skin and dark hair could opt for a deeper color like burgundy or eggplant.

 If you’re new to monochromatic outfits and not sure what color, to begin with, start with dark neutrals, like black, navy, gray, and brown. If you are feeling brave, you can also try darker richer monochromatic colors, like burgundy, eggplant, and hunter green. These are the best colors to play with and most likely you already own clothing in these neutral colors.

Seasons could also play a part while choosing a monochromatic outfit. While winters call for a moody color, in the summer you could choose a brighter color; you can go for pastels in the spring, and the fall calls for rich royal jewel tones.

4. Choose accessories in neutral shade or in a contrasting hue

Now we have accessories to bring significance to this overall monotone look. To justify the simplicity of this look, you can grab a statement piece of chunk jewelry with colorful crystals. If you want to keep the overall look even simpler, you can look for a sassy headpiece. The color of the accessory you are pairing with the outfit should be in any neutral color or in a contrasting shade. Avoid pairing the accessories of the same color that matches to that of the outfit. Mustard yellow with royal blue, teal blue with wine red and emerald green with soft pink are one of the popular contrasts that you can try.

5. Add some shimmer and shine

Breaking the monotony has its own delectation. By adding some bling (certainly colorful bling), you can look even more enticing in the monotone apparel. From your nail polish to your clutch/hand bag, you can incorporate the glitter to any of the portion. You can do the same with your accessories, if you do not prefer the glitz on your hand bag. Neutral colors work well with single colors so does, shimmery metallic colors, especially gold, silver, and beige. And this is so party-worthy! If you are fond of whites, wear it but team it with silver stilettos and add an interesting blend of accessories and you are all set to stand out in a crowd of different prints and stripes. Similarly, you can amp up your outfit with gold, bronze

6. Achieve Balance

Remember balance when combining pieces. This is a rule for every outfit, not just monochromatic ones. You don’t want the one color to overwhelm you. Quite the contrary, you want it to make you look tall and lean. To achieve this, play with proportions.

For example, if you’re wearing a billowy kurti, make sure to pair it with fitted bottoms. With a full A-line lehenga wear a form-fitting choli.

7. Accentuate The Right Areas

Accentuate the right areas of your body using the right color. When wearing the same color in different tints and shades, you want to pay attention to how dark or light each piece is.

For example: If you have very wide hips and want to deemphasize them, you wouldn’t wear light-colored ??. More flattering would be the dark shade of the color on the bottom half and the lighter tint on top.

8. Play with some patterns

Monochromatic outfits don’t just have to be made up of solid pieces; you can incorporate patterns or prints but be warned it would be a little more difficult to find a pattern that matches your color scheme.

To add visual interest and to break up the solid blocks of color, add a print piece made up of the same color you’re working with. You can try adding a patterned shawl, scarf, printed belt or bag, or shoes! Try leafy tropical prints, flower prints or digital prints, they all make it look super cool. Blend it so well that it adds that extra drama to your monotone outfit.

9. Wear light to moderate makeup

Makeup plays an essential role carrying a particular look. Your makeup shall either make you stand out of the rush or it will ruin it all. Monotone outfits are prone to get attention as compared to other patterns. So, while wearing a monotone dress, your makeup should be light to moderate.

10. You can never go wrong with black!

Black always matches black. It never looks too showy or too boring. This also applies to whatever your “black” is, depending on your Color Type. Remember, black isn’t universally flattering. In fact, true black only works on one color type (True Winter). However, every type has their version of black, whether it’s charcoal gray, chocolate brown, or navy. I'd still recommend mixing up the textures and/or shapes, but overall, when in doubt, make it “black”.

We hope to see your monochromatic looks this spring. Priya K Collections offers monochromatic outfits which can be styled fabulously. Check our collection out to see what we mean!