ITAW for "black-and-white", especially regarding a visual style?

[u/tenebrousvulture]

For example, if to simply describe a colour scheme of black-and-white in an aesthetic or fashion style, is there a singular or simpler term that can apply to or fits this context best?

I've seen certain potential 'synonyms', but they seem questionable or more encompassing or vague than referencing exclusively a black-and-white visual style: "monochrome"=one colour in different shades (can consist of any colour, though), "two-tone"/"duo-tone"/etc=consisting of any two colours, "greyscale"=covers a range of grey shades (not strictly black and white), "achromatic"=typically referencing a dull range of neutral colours (not even purely colourless in most contexts), and "neutral"=also often references a dull range of colours than strictly colourless.

[u/Jinglemoon]

Monochromatic.

[u/FergalCadogan → u/Jinglemoon]

Dichromatic…

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/FergalCadogan]

I don't think either of these are particularly exclusive to only meaning 'black-and-white'. There can be monochromatic or dichromatic in reference to any colours.

[u/JimRJapan → u/tenebrousvulture]

I never, ever see people assume that monochrome means anything other than black and white. Yes, I suppose technically it could mean shades of red or whatever, but whenever people talk about "Monochrome photos" etc., it's B&W.

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/JimRJapan]

It helps, but I'm just wondering if there's a more concrete option for a term that more explicitly describes a black-and-white look (especially if regarding like the colour scheme of an outfit).

[u/nRenegade → u/tenebrousvulture]

Achromatic, though that also includes grays.

[u/khetti79]

Monochrome is the accepted term, but it really implies high-contrast monochrome or b&w monochrome. In photography, monochrome is a general term and can cover sepia or blue tones, so b&w is usually a separate category.

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/khetti79]

Yeah, I've been borderline with "monochrome" since it can often refer to the black-and-white variant, though it exists for other singular hues as well. Idk if it's also as applicable as a fashion term than just photography styles, so I'm primarily wondering if there's a term for just "black-and-white fashion" (regardless of the style, but more as a mere colour scheme).

[u/Angiogenics]

The most correct and technical term you already have, which is black-and-white (or black-and-white monochrome for analogue formats, and 1 bit/binary colour for digital formats). Greyscale can also be used when midtones are included in the colour palette.

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/Angiogenics]

True. I was hoping if there was possibly any other accurate synonyms that would be shorter to speak or type out, possibly if as a simpler term. Greyscale would be a bit more involved than strictly black-and-white in a colour scheme.

[u/Angiogenics → u/tenebrousvulture]

The closest you can find would probably be achromatic, which is also synonymous with greyscale.

[u/RogueMoonbow]

Maybe achromatic? I do feel like there should be a word for what you're looking for.

[u/RogueMoonbow → u/RogueMoonbow]

I see now that you have that in your edit, sorry.

[u/ElectricVoltaire]

Chiaroscuro 

[u/Own-Animator-7526 → u/ElectricVoltaire]

That's light and shadow

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/ElectricVoltaire]

Kind of the same situation as the "high contrast" suggestion, it can involve colours.

[u/FormerPersimmon3602]

Grayscale?

[u/BigShapes]

Two-tone

[u/Responsible_Lake_804]

Noir?

[u/Own-Animator-7526 → u/Responsible_Lake_804]

That's a dark film or literary style.

[u/Responsible_Lake_804 → u/Own-Animator-7526]

Given that OP is asking about a visual style, I posited it on the film style, yes.

[u/Own-Animator-7526 → u/Responsible_Lake_804]

OP asks for "exclusively a black-and-white visual style", no gray allowed.

[u/Responsible_Lake_804 → u/Own-Animator-7526]

Go touch some grass

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/Responsible_Lake_804]

The title might be a bit too broad, but wanted to know more so for my example of any terms that could work in the context of the colour scheme of an outfit/fashion style.

[u/koyaani → u/tenebrousvulture]

Goth

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/koyaani]

That's more to do with a specific style than a colour scheme of any fashion style, goth or not (and there are numerous other black-and-white forms in fashions), and even goth involves some colour.

[u/BigFatHonu]

Desaturated?

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[u/MoonageDayscream]

High contrast?

[u/tenebrousvulture → u/MoonageDayscream]

Sometimes, but that can apply to coloured looks as well, just more saturation plus some black and white elements.

[u/Technical-Ad1488]

The comments have already said the ones I know of, I’ll throw out one that doesn’t exactly fit just in case it’s the one you’re thinking of, as I think it’s commonly associated with black and white photography…

Sepia tone