Monday, August 22, 2011

Tone-On-Tone Dressing






"The best color in the world is the one that's right on you." So said Coco Channel.
A tone-on-tone outfit will always looked pulled-together, expensive and have depth. Tonal dressing is different from monochromatic dressing in that it is not necessarily one color from head to toe. Yet it is easy and fail-proof.

Here are two takes on the look:

1. Layering items of a wonderful flattering color near the face and enriching it with similarly colored accessories (slacks can still be black and jeans work too.) For example, this season Ulla is using raspberry and aubergine colors that have coordinating accessories like tonal impact necklaces, scarves, handbags and footwear. Necklaces and scarves are always a stylish way to bring colors together and draw the eye upward.

2. Working with a similar palette (not the exact same color or tone) head-to-toe. Select one of your most skin-flattering colors to create combinations that have the lightest tone at the top, a midtone meeting point and the darkest at the bottom. This could be a.) a light camisole, a midtone jacket and darker slacks, or b.) a tunic that gets deeper as the eye moves downward over dark slacks.

Darker at the bottom will ground your look and create a sleek pathway to your footwear. In fact, you can elongate your silhouette by choosing a shoe that matches your hem. Wear a black shoe or strong color when wearing dark slacks or jeans, the eye is drawn straight to the feet, inferring extra height.

How do you use tonal or monochromatic combinations?

Babe

Ulla Popken Stylist & Blogger


Be your personal best.



4 comments:

cbk said...

Personally I love to keep my clothing tonal. I find going lighter near my face and darker towards my " problem" areas makes me look and feel leaner. An brightly colored blouse might be too vivid for everyday, but that same bright
color in an ombre style can be wonderfully uplifting.

Anonymous said...

Hi cbk,
I know what you mean. I love ombre coloration too! Ulla uses a technique called "Dip Dye" that you might want to check out, 2 examples are:
style # 15540 and style # 14426.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for commenting,
Babe

~Laura~ said...

As with the other commenter I tend to go tonal too. However, i've lost a good bit of weight this past summer and feel more adventurous in the pieces I find myself gravitating too. I love patchwork type prints and pretty peasant type blouses with small prints.
I love Ulla Popken and have for years. It's always my go to spot when I need spmething special or just an everyday wardrobe piece.

Moe said...

Such pretty tones.