If you know me, you know how rare it is to see me wearing a color that isn’t white, black or gray. I love neutrals because they’re easy to pair so my entire closet can be mixed, matched and layered. Mostly I stick to wearing all-black in the winter, and then all-white in the summer.
When I first saw MaxMara’s resort 2016 collection, I didn’t expect to like it. I have always favored more feminine looks, with some of my favorite designers being Giambattista Valli and Elie Saab. I am instantly attracted to curvy silhouettes and extravagant details like beading and feathers. The boxy, pinstriped looks from MaxMara were so different from what I usually like that I was caught off-guard by how much I enjoyed this collection. What initially drew my eye was the color palette. Of the 36 looks, the first 10 were all-black, and the last three were all-white. In between were more neutral shades as well as pops of yellow and bright pink. No matter what color, most looks were completely monochromatic. The clothes themselves were more masculine, with blouses tucked into high-waisted pants and blazers layered under long jackets. This show was closer to how I normally dress than my usual favorites. Although I prefer a skirt to slacks any day, I do love my monochromatic neutral looks.
Taking inspiration from MaxMara, I put together an all-black outfit and then added some white details. One thing that I observed from this show was the way that all-black made certain details pop, such as tiny pinstripes or oversized belts. I started with a black T-shirt and black cut-offs, adding a white harness to highlight the shoulder cut-outs in the shirt and make a more interesting look. For shoes, I kept it simple with white sandals.
Get My Look: 1. A plain black T-shirt. 2. Black shorts or pants. 3. A white harness.
