I am one of those people who wears black all year round. It's not that I don't like colourful clothes, it's just the safer option and the one I'm more comfortable in. If you see me around I'm usually in a dark band t-shirt and comfy trousers, not often in bold prints and flowy dresses.
That's even more so since the pandemic. I'm not sure if all the working from home has brainwashed me into making less of an effort, or that my clothe reflect a more reserved personality since 2020, but I think there is some correlation.
One brand who doesn't steer clear of the statement pieces and colourful fabrics, however, is Monki. And so when they released their latest summer pieces, I thought why not bite the bullet and challenge myself to banish the black, white and grey from my wardrobe (at least for a few days).
I was sent a selection of their most vibrant pieces to try and, upon opening the package, it was quite a shock to the system.
Pinks, oranges and abstract prints - a far cry from my monochrome work shirts and black hoodies.
I decided to dive right in and wear the abstract midi dress to a barbecue.
I found the fabric very light and floaty, perfect for the warmer weather. I was really impressed with the sizing too, although it might be something to note if you are interested in getting any of these pieces for yourself as it applies to everything I wore. I am a just shy of six foot tall and typically around a size 12.
Everything I received was in a size 'small' and fit perfectly. The dresses could even be classed as a smidge baggy on me. Make of that what you will.
When I say that I got so many compliments from this dress I mean I got SO MANY compliments. The word 'artsy' got thrown around a lot too. I really loved this dress and I think it was my favourite of the bunch. The pop of colour, with the black and white was a real winner for me and meant I could pair it with black shoes (ie, the only shoes I own) without it looking off.
Next I tried a jumpsuit and I will admit that typically me and jumpsuits fall into one of two camps, either looks fabulous or the sizing is entirely off and I look like a grown woman in a romper. Thankfully this outfit aligned to the former.
Again, the sizing was generous and although I'm not sure if the style was meant to be cropped at the ankle (which it ended up being on me) it certainly didn't look out of place.
The print is what I love about this suit, it's so 70s wallpaper. In fact I'm sure I've seen pictures of my mum's childhood bedroom in the exact same print. It's so vibrant and if it isn't what you would call a summer look I don't know what is.
My final outfit was an orange swirl print dress (Monki also do them in trousers ) paired with a pink crochet cropped cardigan. Both pieces were so pretty in their own right. I love the scalloped sleeves of the cardigan and it is so lightweight and yet warm it's the perfect throw-on piece for a cool evening.
The dress, like the abstract one, received a lot of compliments. I even had a lady stop me in the shop just to say she loved it. The material is much like the previous dress, very light and floaty.
One woman who complimented this dress asked me where I had got it, when I told her it was from Monki she said: "Oh, whenever I go in there I never leave with anything and yet when I ask people about their outfits they often say Monki."
And I think that's an interesting point. Monki often makes clothes that look really good on people, modelled in real life on people just going about their day, but sometimes their charm doesn't come across when on the hanger. It's definitely something I'm going to remember when on the hunt for new outfits - try them on and don't be afraid to pick out something a bit further out of my comfort zone.
All-in-all, I can't say I will be rushing out to donate all my monochrome clothes and reaching for the rainbow flares, but being a bit braver with my colour pallet is certainly a must, especially in the summer months.
Find Monki on ASOS here.
