Dressing in Morandi Colors

Dressing in Morandi Colors

Dusty blue, sage, stone and taupe, the soft colors of a Giorgio Morandi still life, worn together. Here is how I would dress in that palette this fall without looking washed out.

Giorgio Morandi spent most of his life in an apartment on Via Fondazza in Bologna, painting the same bottles and jars over and over in dusty grays, ochres and beiges. Inspired by those still lifes, by a chalky plaster wall and by a cup of milky tea, this is his palette worn as clothes. It starts with a knit in one of those soft colors, like Toteme's light blue alpaca, Allude's sage cardigan or The Row's Sibem sweater.

Flat lay of light blue and sage knits, a stone wrap skirt, beige trousers, a taupe suede bag, a sand tote, a caramel shoulder bag, camel loafers and beige ballet flats on white.
Dusty blue, sage, stone and camel, laid out like a still life.

The trick with a palette this soft is to keep everything close in tone, so nothing jumps forward. A stone skirt or trouser sits under a pale blue or sage knit the way a bottle sits on a beige tabletop. Max Mara's wool and cashmere midi and Loewe's asymmetric cotton skirt are my picks for skirts. For trousers, Khaite's oatmeal Callum pant and Isabel Marant's Noanda wool pants are relaxed and clean. For a little contrast, Tibi's darker stone Stella pant does it.

Finish with bags and shoes a shade or two warmer, in taupe and camel, so the outfit has an anchor. Isabel Marant's Oskan Moon bag in smoky taupe and Cult Gaia's Ariella tote in sand sit right in the palette, and Gucci's Jordaan loafers add a touch of camel. Le Monde Béryl's velvet ballet flats are the quietest option. What I would skip: bright white sneakers and black leather, which cut straight through the softness.