Blending Beige: Working with Neutral Tones on a Brown Complexion

Being 5ft on the dot, it’s clear to see I have a petite frame. So wearing bright colours, big patterns and heavy fabrics isn’t really an option for me – I feel like they tend to drown me out and depending on the shade, don’t always compliment my brown skin tone. And though I do lace the odd bold piece through my otherwise neutral wardrobe, I find the versatility of minimalist pieces much easier to style together seamlessly and layer effortlessly. From creamy whites to dark blacks and all the beige browns in-between, neutral outfits tend to be my go-to. Especially monochromatic outfits; layering the same shade in various textures always looks super chic to me. I wasn’t always a fan of layering, mostly because I never quite got it right. But plenty of practice and taking the time to understand my own figure has helped over the years. And learning to show a little skin has also contributed greatly to completing these outfits. From a deeper neckline to rolled up sleeves, a sliver of skin breaks up all the heavy layers for a little added sexiness too.

And the second way I add interest to an otherwise plain look, are the accessories. While my outfit may be simple I adore statement accessories to bring a little boldness to it all. Belts are especially useful on a smaller figure to cinch in the waist and create some shape as layers of fabric can drown a petite figure. I also adore statement heels on looks like this one. As well as bringing me a little bit of height to elongate my figure, they add pockets of patterns and textures to break up the mono-tonality of this whole outfit.