AW19 TREND: BLACK & WHITE MONOCHROME

Black is back this AW19 – I will be styling it monochrome for that city chic vibe that’s on trend this season. Read on for my tips on how to achieve this look.

For me personally, I am happy to see that black has made a bit of a comeback this Autumn-Winter – you are probably thinking it’s always been in fashion, well last winter we were teased more with Khaki, Navy and Grey – but black is back and I’m pleased to see that it is!

What’s even better about AW19 trend black and white this season, is that it’s all about patterns and textures, especially faux leather, the houndstooth pattern, cashmere and checked – all to help create that monochromatic vibe of the simple black and white. Simply stylish, and simply my cup of tea!

 

HOW TO MAKE ALL-BLACK LOOK CHIC

 

• One of my biggest tips for styling black is making sure there is quality in the fabrics that you are wearing.
• Black garments are investment pieces, even down to the simple black polo neck – you should always be thinking quality when selecting black items, and asking yourself – will the colour last and be ‘as black’ after many washes
• Think about textures when buying black – this is where you can have a lot of fun playing with your wardrobe, there is a lot of choice out there say for trousers, that you don’t have to buy cheap polyester – invest in premium cotton, or a jacquard fabric, perhaps this season’s faux leather, or consider good faithful thick denim
• When wearing all black, you need to think about your silhouette – From what you are wearing from your neckline all the way to the end of your toes, the black needs to flow and the textures need to complement each other. The ‘column of colour’ technique will serve you well here; this is where you avoid horizontal gaps breaking up the black, the black needs to flow all across your body, e.g. your waist belt is black, your trousers and boots align so not showing any skin (or sock!!) – This is a great sliming technique that you can apply to any one-tone coloured look
• When wearing all black, you need to dial up your jewellery – this is when they get a chance to make the statement!
• And as for handbags – well for me this depends on my mood, sometimes I like a plain black bag to carry on the vibe or sometimes I like to go with red, or green or something else to make it really stand out.

 

 

STYLE INSPIRATION

 

 

All photos are from Pinterest

 

STYLING BLACK & WHITE

 

• Black is slimming and white is not – so if you are not dressing the ‘column of colour’ technique then put the black where you carry the most weight – for me as an hourglass, it would have it on the bottom half to minimise my thighs, if however you are an inverted triangle (or strawberry) you might want to consider putting the black on the top half of your body
• Pick the right white for you, especially if you are putting white right next to your face. For those of you that read this month’s Being Lizzi you would have seen my monochrome dress, this is a beige and black design, I have a warm skintone so a stark white can look harsh unless it’s a mixed pattern
• AW19 trend black and white means you can wear all white with a black jacket or coat; just make sure the white flows from the neckline down to your toes with no horizontal gaps
• As with black, think textures and make sure that the textures complement each other; my own look in this blogpost I have team the Kaleidoscope textured coat with a high-quality faux leather trouser from Oasis – the two textures are quite thick when you touch them which is also why I added the cashmere polo for extra snugness in the look

 

 

 

 

AW19 Trend black and white – WHAT I’M WEARING

 

 

Jacket – Fringe Textured Coat by Kaleidoscope – this item was gifted for AW19 (the link is not an affiliate link) – £89

(Special note: this jacket also has navy running through it, I like this, as I can achieve a similar look by wearing navy too – but to be clear it’s NOT 100% black and white – you can see this clearly in the close up images above)

Trousers – Faux Leather Leggings by Oasis – £38

Boots – Old boots from House of CB

Polo neck – Cashmere over 3 years old by Marks & Spencer – £89

Bangles – Dior Collection at V&A Gallery – not available online