Trending Now: Your Guide To Tonal Dressing

Tonal dressing and tonal fashion have well and truly returned to the fore. From the recent street style and runway looks of Copenhagen Fashion Week to the flowy and free tonal outfits worn by Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Em Rata. Tonal dressing is a head-to-toe fashion strategy that blends similar colours and their varying shades within that colour palette.

From classic all-black outfits to bright orange and lemon yellow tonal outfits a la Ganni, sky blue sets via Christopher John Rogers and Dion Lee, and khaki everything - we see you Latimmier - tonal dressing is enjoying a hot moment in the sunshine, and we’re here for it. Especially as fashion weeks, runways, festivals and crowded streets return to a pre-Covid buzz.

Ton-sur-ton, tone-on-tone, neutral-on-neutral, bright-on-bright, whatever you call it and however you choose to wear it. Tonal outfits and tonal clothes cut a statement silhouette, a classic go-to for a sleek and sophisticated look.

What is a Tonal Outfit?

In essence, tonal dressing is all about wearing the same colour in different hues, styling each piece for a head-to-toe outfit of various tones and shades. Or, just one block colour, all put together.

Easy on the eye and a refreshing way to pair wardrobe favourites together, tonal fashion creates an instantly put-together look. Tonal outfits are a seamless choice since each piece you pick is a true aesthetic match for the other.

Take an all-black activewear look – one of the easiest tonal fashion colourways and an instant fail-safe option. First, team the Dynamic Sports Bra and Dynamic Legging, then tie them together with the Heads Up Sweat in Black. Now you have an elevated tonal outfit that works in the studio just as much as it does on the street – from running errands to dressing for casual Fridays in the office.

Monochromatic dressing

You might think tonal dressing is a new approach for you. Yet, many of us have been practising this monochromatic dress style without realising it. Maybe you’ve reached for a white pair of jeans and styled them with a comfortable white shirt or silk top. Or you’ve needed a power dressing outfit for the office and chosen an all-black jacket and pants combo to bring confidence to an interview or presentation.

Essentially, these are all classified as tonal outfits. It’s a look that combines simplicity and sophistication - this is what tonal dressing is all about.

If you prefer neutral tones and most of your wardrobe revolves around black, white, cream, grey and tan colourways, then monochromatic dressing is the perfect place to start.

Tonal dressing isn’t just ideal for formal looks and powerful office outfits. It’s also the perfect solution for off-duty days, women's loungewear looks and, of course, the ideal training day outfits to wear inside and outside the gym. Personally, we’d pair the Grey Grand Stand Trackpant with the matching Endurance Hoodie for an elevated loungewear combination.

Another monochromatic outfit ideal for gym training uses our beloved Phased Legging and Sports Bra in Warm Grey Marl. Both have an off-white tone with hints of very pale blush pink, adding a little warmth and diversity to a neutral look. Top it off with the Courtside Cap in Taupe or the Layback Beanie in Winter White, depending on the moment.

Men's Monochromatic Outfits

There are plenty of monochrome outfits men can wear using men’s activewear fashion must-haves. Here’s our version of a men’s recovery day outfit to get you started. It all comes together by pairing the Fortitude Trackpant in Grey (or Black) with its matching Fortitude Sweat or Hoodie.

Why P.E Nation collections are suitable for Tonal Dressing

P.E Nation takes cues from global fashion trends and moments, fusing them with premium performance styles in sustainable-focused fabrics. Our collections are purpose-driven: to work across every part of your day, to fit every aspect of your world.  

A blend of activewear, loungewear and streetwear designed to wear your way, P.E Nation collections centre around our signature colour combinations and confident all-sports origins. Each seasonal collection delivers a complete wardrobe solution in fresh prints and colours to be worn in multiple ways.

Colour is a huge part of our collections. One of the primary design considerations for each season is how we incorporate the same colours and highlights across the entire range, from loungewear to studio fashion and streetwear. We want to make it as easy as possible to mix and clash your P.E wardrobe to suit your personal taste.

The seamless nature of P.E Nation means you’ll always notice the same colour themes throughout a season. Match a sports crop with its specific legging to make a matching workout set, only to discover it complements the entire range. Tonal outfits are a huge inspiration for us and an essential aesthetic for which P.E Nation has become renowned.

Our Lookbooks are available to help you understand the colour themes of each collection. For styling inspiration each season, gain insights into how P.E Nation tonal outfits can be assembled.

We see our collections as life armour that looks good and is ideally suited to the given moment. Fashion that makes the wearer steadfast and true to their inner beat. Outfits that speak to our universal desires–to be fearless, stand-up, disrupt, and trust their gut. Our collections are designed for all of us to level up.

Tonal fashion can play a big part in this. When we look good, we feel good; when we feel good, that energy reverberates throughout our days. For tonal outfits and P.E style, start with the Baseline Collection and the Base Colour Collection, where pairing colours and tones are super easy. From there, take inspiration from our New Arrivals, adding hints of print and out-there colour palettes to create tonal dressing statement outfits you can wear daily.

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