Thank you to ALL of you who answered the call for new Fashion Friday topics; I’ve got enough material to last two months, YAY!
This question came in a few weeks ago and is one I’ve confronted myself: What are matching guidelines? I was always taught not to wear black with brown, brown with gray, blue with black – but I see all of these things regularly and they (usually?) look good.
There are five basic neutrals (all of which you should have in your career wardrobe): ivory/white, gray (everything from dove to charcoal), black, navy, and brown (this is the messiest one to manage – from tan to taupe to chocolate).
Let’s tackle the easiest two first: gray and ivory. You can literally match any color, including any neutral, with these two neutrals. I’m particularly fond of the gray/black or gray/navy combo. It always reads super sophisticated. Also, most women look universally good in navy and yet, of all the neutrals, tend to have it in their closets the least. If you’ve wondered if you can mix neutrals with other neutrals, these two shades should put that worry to rest.
Are you dying over the gorgeous examples below that mix ALL these neutrals? This dove gray cardigan paired with a black belt, white button down and navy pencil skirt?!?! Then the buttoned up military inspired navy blouse with ivory pencil skirt and taupe accessories – mercy, it’s just perfection.
Next we’ll tackle black. I personally don’t love to pair navy with black, some folks do, because all too often the shades are so close that it just looks like you grabbed the wrong jacket when you were getting dressed in the dark. If it’s done intentionally in something like a cocktail dress (I’ve seen pretty pairings of midnight blue and black), then it’s easier to manage, but I don’t do it in separates.
My theory on black with other neutrals is contrast. If you can find a lighter shade neutral to pair your black piece with, so there’s a marked contrast between the shades, or even break it up with a bright color (like this green blouse breaking up the black jacket with taupe trouser), then that’s the best way to mix black with other neutrals.
Then we get to our pesky friend brown. Let me admit to a predisposition to dislike brown. I’ve never worn it much. Tan/khaki can come off bland and uninspired. Middle brown shades can read badly on an assortment of skin tones. Darker browns like cocoa are better but somehow hard to pull together in an outfit for me personally.
You see examples of way to mix browns and blacks above – I emphasized contrast. With this color, so much depends on the shade that works for you. It’s less important in bottoms, but it’s critical if you’re dressing your top half. Brown and black, in my humble opinion, is VERY shade dependent. If you’re pairing very dark brown with black you run into the same problem you do with navy. Yet I think taupe and navy or black combinations are incredibly sophisticated as are even lighter shades of brown paired with black.
But as these gorgeous ensembles illustrate, brown does work with virtually every other neutral if the shade is right (think this gorgeous caramel and navy dress, or using an animal print to bring a brown and black outfit together).
What say you? Sound off? How do you (or do you) pair neutrals?
What color shoes would she have worn in that first pic with the gray, white, black & navy? I have stayed clear of navy in the past because I never had a pair of navy shoes, but I do finally have a pair now. But good to know I could throw some navy in even without the navy shoes! My nickname in college was “Miss Color Coordinated” (NOT actually meant as a compliment by the way) because my scrunchy always had to match my shorts (which I could do because I made most my own clothes) and it’s still hard for me to get away from my “matchy matchy” instinct.
Linda – you could wear a number of shoes, you might even consider a burgundy with that particular outfit, I love my cranberry pair. But gray is always a safe bet b/c it coordinates with everything. I actually never (well, rarely) wear navy pants with navy shoes. I generally wear gray or red or taupe, something for contrast. I wear navy shoes with all sorts of other outfits though – gray, red, ivory, etc. You have to let me come do a makeover!
I AM absolutely going to have you come and do a closet makeover! I’m on a diet right now, though (13 pounds down in 4 weeks!) so I want to wait until I am at goal weight to reward myself with some new clothes. Right now I have to keep all the old ugly stuff as I (hopefully) move my way down the sizes. I did do a pretty decent closet clean-out this weekend (I had stuff in there I brought with me to the States when I came 14 years ago!) but all it did was highlight how few “nice” things I actually have. You would pretty much be starting from scratch with me so I need to “deserve” the financial outlay it would take for you to get my closest Gindi-worthy. 😉
I have so few neutrals in my closet. I have black, ivory/white, some grey and some navy. I don’t think I own anything brown right now. Oh wait. I do have two tan turtlenecks. One is lighter weight and heathered while the other is darker and heavier than the first with a totally different look to it. I love color so much that I tend to stay away from pairing neutrals.
You know Ashley, that is actually primarily how I dress. I pair my neutrals with bold colors. That’s why this question really opened my eyes to a new way of looking at things and I may actually try blending neutrals more now b/c it looks so sophisticated.