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| Interior pic courtesy of http://thepursuitaesthetic.tumblr.com/ Outfit pic courtesy of http://stylelovely.com |
Out of all the color combos I've blogged about, this high contrast couple is a classic. It is also very visually effective and quite safe as it is difficult to get wrong. Fashion styling wise the most flattering proportion would be white on top and black on the bottom, one word of warning however - go for edgy and well tailored pieces, you want to avoid looking like a waitress. The examples above and below are a perfect mix, and I'm loving the white blazer to complement an otherwise very basic outfit.
For interiors black and white is also difficult to get wrong, think black floors and white walls as the black jeans and white blazer equivalent, chic and classy.
Like any colour combo or theme you can take it too far, and with a monochrome coupling I recommend using some other coloured accents. For outfits - gold and silver accessories or even red lippy are great complements. For interiors - I like the minimalistic accent of wood grain, but loads of options in terms of introducing pops of colour in accesories in the form of wall art, cushions, ornaments and light fittings.
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| Interior image courtesty of http://frenchbydesign.blogspot.co.nz Outfit image courtesy of theconfessionsofaproductjunkie.com |
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| Image courtesy of http://www.antoniobarrella.com/ |
The above and below examples demonstrate the drama and strong power that can be achieved with such a simple set of colours. It's association with the classic and formal tuxedo make it quite masculine and strong. But as Dita Von Teese also demonstrates in her dress below it can also be very feminine. I love her style, she always looks immaculate!
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| Image courtesy of tumbler.com |
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| Image courtesy of candy-mansion.com |
Such a versatile combination can be safe, but anything but boring. See some inspiring examples below:
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| So flipping the combo, this model has the legs to do it! Image courtesy of blog.stylesight.com |
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| Edgy with gold accessories and a pop of colour in the handbag = perfect! Image courtesy of calurivero.com |
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| A bit OTT with the monochrome theme, but great gold accents and a bit eccentric, which I like. Image courtesy of http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com |
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| Minimalist heaven, image courtesy of http://inredningsdesigner.blogspot.co.nz/ |
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| Some more minimalism. Very dramatic but could be a bit too cold. Image courtesy of http://www.bluesphere.be/ |
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| I'm crazy for chevron, I'm still trying to figure out how I can incorporate it into my house. Maybe I'll just buy a chevron scarf. Image courtesy of bellemaison23.com |
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| So opulent! Image courtesy of http://www.thedecorista.com |
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| Introducing pops of red in wall art and light fittings works very well in a monochrome space. Image courtesy of tumblr.com |
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| What a fun space! Mismatching chairs but all tied together with the black and white theme. Image courtesy of http://www.79ideas.org/ |
As an aside example, I was a bit paranoid about looking back on my wedding photos and regretting my fashion decisions, so I really wanted to go as classic as possible. I was a bit scarred by looking at some peoples 80s wedding pics and thinking, eeek! I didn't want to look back and think OMG what was I thinking. So I didn't want to be too fashionable and wanted to keep things classic. I believe nothing is more classic than black and white.
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| My wedding day 2008, our good looking bridal party in classic black and white |
And like the leopard print and green combo from a previous post, this colour combo is also endorsed by nature. Just think friesian cows, zebras and my super cute kitty Bambino.
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| Image courtesty of http://photos-for-you.com/ |
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| Image courtesy of jukani.co.za |
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| Image courtesy of weheartit.com |
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| My baby boy Bambino is naturally and beautifully monochrome |
So for a high contrast visual pleasure that nature endorses and can serve you very well in terms of being difficult to get wrong - go monochromatic. I bet you have loads of black and white pieces in your wardrobe right now, so go get them all out and mix and match. Have fun xxx
