Monochrome

I took another browse at the S/S 2011 runways and the one trend that definitely caught my eye was monochrome ensembles.

Again, I'm not sure if you can even call this a trend, since it's just a color choice, but it does play nicely with the whole "minimalism" trend that is resurfacing with the 90's.

I've already complained before about people who matchy-matchy match, such as one person who told me "I have a pair of gold earrings and I need to find a gold top to match".
Or my clients who still insist that you cannot pair a pink blouse with a pair of brown pants. No, they insist, the blouse, the cardigan, the shoes and the pants must all match in the exact same shade of brown.

Ugh.

So how do you pull off a monochrome ensemble and avoid looking like a color-coordinated soccer mom?

Texture, proportions, and knowing when to call it quits.

As I mentioned in my post on how to pull off minimalism, since you no longer have color to add interest to an outfit, texture and proportions become your new best friends.

Mix leather with jersey, silk with boucle, wool with linen.

texture by erind90 featuring a fur vest

Or, play with proportion. A maxi skirt with a shrunken jacket, or a long boyfriend jacket with a micro mini. Wide leg pants and a cropped top. Asymmetrical hems and architectural details are always a plus.

proportions by erind90 featuring a round toe heel

Of course, another way to do monochrome is to pick a color and stay within that color family. For example, this would still be considered a monochrome outfit, but the different shades make it interesting.

tones by erind90 featuring a round toe heel

Or mix in a big piece of gold or silver jewelery, just to break it up a little bit.

Or be a little loose with the idea of monochrome and add one pop of color, a look that is a personal favorite of mine.

color by erind90 featuring slim pants

Photos thanks to Style.com. From left to right: Acne, Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta, Helmut Lang