Black hues — Fashion — Stylin' Granny Mama

Webster defines the word monochrome as relating to or made with a single color or hue. Black-and-white photography is a form of monochromatic imagery called grayscale, using shades of gray with or without black and white. Now that I think of it, if you look at a black-and-white photograph like the one below, it really does look like varying shades of gray.

When we talk about a monochromatic outfit we are not only referring to those that might be black or gray, but to any outfit that contains a single hue. The monochrome look seems to be one that has been around forever and will continue to do so. The look is classic, effortless and can be dressed up or down.

Today's post centers around two outfits that I put together to show you a casual and a dressy monochrome look. The first outfit uses hues of salmon or coral or possibly both. You can decide.

Many of the things I have read about pulling off the monochrome look say to vary the textures of the pieces. As you can see I have a pair of skinny jeans which creates a smooth look on my bottom half (minus the pudgies - ha, ha). I got these at Dress Barn back in my home town when I was out shopping with my bestie! They were on clearance, so I think I paid about eight dollars for them. I love those kinds of sales.

On the top, I am wearing an asymmetrical hem (shark bite to be exact) short sleeve tee that I recently purchased from Kohl's. There are still plenty of colors here.

I also added my open weave tie front, short sleeve cardigan. I found this at a thrift store and pull it out every summer. It is a perfect topper for overly air conditioned restaurants, or for when the weather is just not quite warm enough. i love the texture of this sweater and the length is perfect if I am just having a bad "butt" day!

Rather than go for a contrasting color for my bag and shoes, I went for a more neutral, subdued tan that almost blends with the coral color. The loafers are thrifted and the leather and faux burlap bag I got when shopping a friend's closet.

I kept my jewelry understated, but shiny with the three strand gold necklace and the multi-strand beaded bracelet.

The next outfit might be something I would wear to a summer show or a nice dinner out. For this look I chose classic black.

This outfit consists of a long black knit maxi skirt that I got on the clearance rack at Kohl's a few summers ago. The weight of the material is somewhat thin, so you might notice underwear lines, but with it being black, I don't think it is that noticeable.

The top is a black lace short sleeve top that is rather short, but it works well for this all black look. I wore a black tank top underneath. I'm sorry, but I didn't change bras and you can still see a little bit of my purple blue one peeking out around the shoulders. If I was wearing this out in public, I would put a black bra on or a tank with fuller coverage. I just think it looks more polished if the bra straps aren't showing. It is one thing if that is the look you are going for. With all the pretty bras out there, why not show a little strap, but for a monochrome look, I personally feel black underwear would be better for this outfit.

For accessories I went with gold. Three gold bracelets. gold fringe statement necklace, gold woven clutch and my gold wedge sandals. Gold brings a touch of class and upscale to any outfit.

Me striking a striking pose. Ha, ha. I have the silliest time taking my own pictures. I forget to smile, forget to put on make up, forget to stand up straight or focus on my good side. When my daughters are involved they coach me and I don't have to worry about where the focus point is, if the picture is blurry, was I squinting, am I standing in the wrong spot. I just pose and try to look like I know what I am talking about. Whoo, hoo!

I hope you enjoyed this post on wearing a monochrome outfit. Monochrome is a great way to go if you love a particular color, if you want to elongate your body or if you are going for a classic, chic vibe that transcends all seasons. You can't go wrong with monochrome.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. I'd love to hear from you.

Have a great weekend.

Here are some possible monochrome looks to shop for. This post contains affiliate links, which means I get a little bit of an income if you shop through this post. All opinions are my own.

Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style, and Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge. Friday linking up with Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. Saturday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed As Lamb.