Weathered Blues
*This post is written in partnership with Polo Ralph Lauren. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own, as always. ;)
Let's talk about 'indigo dye' for a second... What is it? How is it different than other dyes? Why do you need it? And why does it rub off on everything?
First of all, I'm obsessed with anything indigo. Polo Ralph Lauren has an entire 'weathered blues' collection. When you shop in the blue room in their mansion on Madison Ave, it's like stepping into a Hawaiian beach vacation. It's a mix of denim, washed and embroidered indigo pieces and deep dyed navy classics.
It has my name written all over it! Just look at the texture and details in this look. <3
There are certain cyclical trends in fashion that you can always count on. Resortwear collections that come out in the dead of winter are always grounded in nautical escapism. There are anchors on everything, navy and white stripes abound and every model is wearing a giant floppy hat. Right when spring actually hits, almost all retail stores have a room dedicated to white on white. It beckons in the warmer weather with it's 'haute white'.
A newer trend of the last decade is a commitment to natural fibers. All you want to wear is linen, 100% cotton, canvas and silk. I think it's because we're all tired of poly-blends. If our food can be farm-to-table, our clothing should be farm-to-closet. More and more retailers offer natural lines or have made them a baseline in their collections.
It's refreshing and I'm here for it.
I think Indigo goes hand-in-hand with that desire to stick to natural materials. Indigo Dye isn't like other dyes. It doesn't form a chemical bond with the fabric, the indigo molecules form a physical bond. That means your it won't fade in the sunlight (like other dyed fabric), but it will fade where it's physically rubbed. It's called frocking, and most indigo clothing will come with a little hang tag to tell you to watch out for it.
That's kind of my favorite part though! Not the turning other things blue part... but the fact that your clothing will age with your movements. It will grow more and more personal as you wear it. Just think about a classic pair of raw indigo denim. Denim addicts out there work for YEARS to get the perfect wallet outline on their back pocket and the perfect whiskering on the front.
When doing a monochromatic look, texture is so important, and I love the way the indigo varies throughout these pieces. This work shirt was dyed in indigo, and then washed to give it a live-in feel. It looks like I have owned it for years. It has character! This rollneck sweater has a laid back ease to it because of the dying process. The best part about this look it that I can wear it a ton of different ways! I can ditch the jacket, the sweater, the shirt, or do any combination of the three.
In case you can't tell, I geek out over fabrics and trends, but this is a concept you should totally jump on board for this Summer! Shop my full Polo Ralph Lauren indigo look below, and then scroll down to see more of my weather blues favorites.
P.S. Part of what makes this monochromatic look work is the pop of white. I always try to incorporate a little pop to differentiate the layers and add a more dimension. Even a crisp white trim on a sneaker goes a long way.
SHOP THE LOOK:
