Jump to category:
Back To Top

Monochrome is everywhere this season - here’s how I wear it without looking severe

A timeless colour combination, when it comes to black and white looks, here's how I make it chic, not harsh

Rivkie Baum's avatar
By
published
in Features
Rivkie Baum in 4 monochrome outfits
(Image credit: Rivkie Baum)
Jump to category:

Monochrome is probably one of the most enduring looks when it comes to styling an outfit. Always available, easy to style and timeless, curating a spring capsule wardrobe in monochromatic pieces will make getting dressed a breeze. However, as quite a stark colour contrast, and with black having the potential to be draining, this look can become severe, but it doesn't have to be.

Although there are different interpretations of monochrome, when it comes to fashion, monochromatic looks focus on outfits involving black and white, rather than a singular mono colour look. This can be done in block coloured pieces, eg, a white t-shirt and black trousers, or it can be centred around a print, such as black and white stripes, or monochromatic florals.

How to wear monochrome without looking severe

If you want to embrace a minimalistic way of dressing, leaning into the neutral, easy-to-style properties of black and white outfits is an excellent choice. But if you want to wear monochrome outfits without looking severe, there are a few easy rules to follow.

1. Add lightness near your face

Rivkie Baum in a black leather dress and white boots

(Image credit: Rivkie Baum)

Black can be draining, so in a monochromatic look, always keep lighter colours next to your face. That doesn't mean that you can't wear, say, a black roll neck, but if you do, try adding a big statement necklace in a colour over the top, or tie a white or brighter scarf around your neck. This throws light back to your face, ensuring that you'll still have plenty of brightness in your complexion.

Equally, you could go for an all black look with just a hint of white, such as a statement white colour peeking out from underneath a black sweater and trouser combination. The lighter hue close to your face pulls the focus upwards and adds much-needed brightness. It's so simple, but highly effective.

2. Layer textures

rivkie baum in a white jumper over a black dress

(Image credit: Rivkie Baum)

Using various textures and tones, yes, even in an all black look, will help to lift your outfit and make it appear playful and thought through, as oppose to severe. This can be anything from a black print on a black base, to adding sheer black pieces to an otherwise opaque black outfit.

Getting creative with texture as oppose to tone works because the light will hit the different fabrics in your look different and add enough depth and interest to ensure your look feels purposeful, as opposed to forgettable.

3. Consider cuts and shapes

rivkie baum in a blazer and dress

(Image credit: Rivkie Baum)

Removing bright colour from the equation, there is no where to hide, which means the cut of your garment is central to making a monochrome outfit successful. To look stylish, rather than severe, think about what shapes suit you best, and even if that means sharp tailoring, think about how well the silhouette works for your shape, and how you can soften the look overall.

That might mean taking a well-tailored blazer and layering it over a softer, more fluid draped top, or a lace trimmed camisole, so that your overall look feels less or a 'uniform' and more styled.

And while cut is really important in making your monochrome look sing, the earlier points of adding a splash of colour and texture still stand as a way of making your black and white look chic rather than severe.

4. Accessorise

Rivkie wearing a black dress and orange handbag

(Image credit: Rivkie Baum)

Do not forget the importance of accessorising your monochromatic outfit. This is perhaps the easiest and speediest way to stop an outfit from looking severe. Whether you choose to lean into the jewellery trends of 2026 with statement gold or silver jewellery, or want to add a little fun with colourful costume styles, adding accessories to your monochrome outfit will not only add lightness but also make everything more considered.

Earrings and necklaces are ideal when your outfit has the black part of your outfit up close to your face, as these will help to catch the light and add brightness back to your complexion and stop the black draining your appearance. However, you can also use bold cuffs over a jacket or jumper, or on a bare arm to add interest to your look.

As with the above, a colourful or white scarf, if you're being rigid to the black and white look, will also help to lighten the area around your face and make your outfit more flattering.

Alternatively, remove the severity of a monochrome outfit by adding a splash of colour. This can be done with a bold shoe or a contrasting handbag (if you have an all-black outfit, try just a white handbag for a statement finish). For those unsure about wearing maximalist hues, this is often the easiest way to explore brighter shades, and it can be incredibly effective in adding personality to a look.

Set to be a big trend for the current season, while monochrome never really falls out of fashion, it was a look heavily featured on the runways, including at mainstay fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors, which means we can expect the high street to really champion this look in the coming months.

While black may be seen as the eternal fashion colour, it can get a bit of a bad rep as a severe and draining shade, but that doesn't have to be the case. Well-styled, black, and black and white outfits can be extremely elegant, and the joy of only working in a monochrome colour palette is that you know you have a capsule wardrobe that should easily come together.

The key here is to really hone in on the details, as that's what we have once bolder colours are removed. That means thinking about the cut, the hemlines and how well those items fit, as well as how the fabric fits and falls, as it is these aspects that will make your outfit feel stylish and well-thought out, without using colour as a crutch or distraction.

And don't forget the power of accessorising. It really does have the power to take a look from severe to sleek, and choosing your accessories based on the outfit and the situation is how to pull it all together. For smart office-ready looks, look to affordable jewellery brands and lean into statement silver and gold pieces for a strong, rather than severe finish. Whereas more weekend or evening looks can probably take some bolder colours and shapes, such as fun cocktail rings or costume pieces, to lighten your look and add personality.

When it comes to dressing monochromatically, the severity largely comes from black draining the colour from your complexion, so investing in these tips and style ideas will help you avoid falling into this trap, while ultimately keeping your wardrobe easy to style.

Rivkie Baum
Rivkie Baum
Fashion channel editor

Rivkie is a fashion editor, writer and stylist with twenty years' experience in the industry. Rivkie studied design and pattern cutting at the London College of Fashion, and fell in love with styling and journalism, and has covered fashion weeks in London, Paris and New York, as well as shooting editorial all over the world.


Specialising in plus size fashion, Rivkie has long championed that style is for everyBODY and has appeared on a host of radio stations and television shows, pushing for greater representation for plus size women and fashion throughout her career. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Back To Top