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Styles · An idea under Classic

Monochrome outfits for women

Single color coats, knitwear, shirts, and tailored trousers from independent boutiques for clean tonal dressing.

Monochrome outfits combine separate pieces of clothing in one uniform color from neck to floor. Wearing a single shade like black, grey, or navy lets texture and cut stand out without visual clutter. Different materials such as wool, cotton, and leather balance the silhouette while keeping the tone cohesive.

Japanese designers brought head to toe black to the Paris runways in the early eighties, and the minimal designers of the nineties kept colour to one tone. Rick Owens sculpts elongated dark layers in washed jersey, while Homme Plisse Issey Miyake builds precise shapes from pleats pressed in after each piece is sewn. RUOHAN cuts cocoon jackets, shirts and loose trousers in a single quiet shade.

Foundational pieces include tailored wool overcoats, wide leg pants, and plain cotton knits layered together. Toronto boutiques WDLT117, Due West, and Utopia selected relaxed suits, sculptural outerwear, and crisp tops that make single shade dressing sharp.

RUOHAN Loess Cocoon Jacket Beige, front view, at WDLT117 on within
RUOHAN
Loess Cocoon Jacket Beige
NZ$4,153Last one
WDLT117
RUOHAN Skara Jacket Dune in Beige at WDLT117 on within
RUOHAN
Skara Jacket Dune
NZ$1,882
WDLT117
Les Deux Wool Rib Roundneck Sweater in Ivory, front view, at Due West on within
Les Deux
Wool Rib Roundneck Sweater - Ivory
NZ$355
Due West
Ottolinger Strappy Knit Cardigan Grey, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Ottolinger
Strappy Knit Cardigan Grey
NZ$778NZ$1,240Last one
WDLT117
UJOH Belted Wide Pants Greige at WDLT117 on within
UJOH
Belted Wide Pants Greige
NZ$1,227Last one
WDLT117
UJOH Belted Wide Pants Sand at WDLT117 on within
UJOH
Belted Wide Pants Sand
NZ$1,324
WDLT117
RUOHAN Tarin Jacket Charcoal at WDLT117 on within
RUOHAN
Tarin Jacket Charcoal
NZ$1,681Last one
WDLT117
RUOHAN Cooperi Coat Taupe at WDLT117 on within
RUOHAN
Cooperi Coat Taupe
NZ$2,855Last one
WDLT117
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Basic Pleated Pullover Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Pleats Please Issey Miyake
Basic Pleated Pullover Black
NZ$552Last one
WDLT117
Coperni All-in-one Smock Top White at WDLT117 on within
Coperni
All-in-one Smock Top White
NZ$2,271
WDLT117
Giovanni Cavagna Shirt-detailed Pants Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Giovanni Cavagna
Shirt-detailed Pants Black
NZ$2,135Last one
WDLT117
INTO THE EAST Linen Interwoven Loose-fitting Wide- leg Pants Lt. Coffee in Brown, front view, at WDLT117 on within
INTO THE EAST
Linen Interwoven Loose-fitting Wide- leg Pants Lt. Coffee
NZ$1,227
WDLT117
Coperni Belted Suede Mini Dress Brown, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Coperni
Belted Suede Mini Dress Brown
NZ$2,044Last one
WDLT117
Coperni Double Zipped Jumpsuit Black at WDLT117 on within
Coperni
Double Zipped Jumpsuit Black
NZ$2,531Last one
WDLT117
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Basic Pleated Cardigan Black, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Pleats Please Issey Miyake
Basic Pleated Cardigan Black
NZ$773Last one
WDLT117
Song for the Mute Long L/S Shirt Charcoal at WDLT117 on within
Song for the Mute
Long L/S Shirt Charcoal
NZ$557NZ$980Last one
WDLT117
UJOH Slit 6BW Jacket Black at WDLT117 on within
UJOH
Slit 6BW Jacket Black
NZ$2,330Last one
WDLT117
UJOH Lines Big Vest Ecru, front view, at WDLT117 on within
UJOH
Lines Big Vest Ecru
NZ$1,201Last one
WDLT117
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Mellow Pleats Sleeveless High Neck Dress Charcoal at WDLT117 on within
Pleats Please Issey Miyake
Mellow Pleats Sleeveless High Neck Dress Charcoal
NZ$1,259
WDLT117
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Classic Pleated Midi-dress Greige at WDLT117 on within
Pleats Please Issey Miyake
Classic Pleated Midi-dress Greige
NZ$967
WDLT117
Ellery Faux Leather Flared Trousers Black at WDLT117 on within
Ellery
Faux Leather Flared Trousers Black
NZ$414NZ$1,681
WDLT117
INTO THE EAST Tweed Straight-Leg Trousers Brown at WDLT117 on within
INTO THE EAST
Tweed Straight-Leg Trousers Brown
NZ$902
WDLT117
Coperni Zip Ruffle Dress Black at WDLT117 on within
Coperni
Zip Ruffle Dress Black
NZ$946NZ$2,271Last one
WDLT117
Ottolinger Liberated Double Shirt Dress White, front view, at WDLT117 on within
Ottolinger
Liberated Double Shirt Dress White
NZ$869NZ$1,493Last one
WDLT117

Common questions

How do you style monochrome outfits without looking flat?
Mix contrasting textures like heavy wool, smooth leather, and fine silk within the same shade. Varying the weave and weight creates depth across the body even when every piece shares an identical tone.
Which designers focus on monochrome dressing?
Solid black, grey, and neutral palettes anchor collections by Rick Owens and Homme Plisse Issey Miyake. Both designers shape single tone fabrics with structural folds and draped layers.
Where did modern monochrome styling come from?
Japanese designers brought all black clothes to the Paris runways in the early eighties. Their work replaced decorative patterns with pure form, and the minimal designers of the nineties carried it on.