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Colors in your wardrobe

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Do you pay attention to a color scheme in your wardrobe? I have realized that I like mostly pale pink, purple, burgundy, grey, black and navy...however I have a couple of items that are primarily red (red corduroy jeans, a cream, red and green floral top, a red chiffon-trimmed cardigan). I'm considering removing these items because I feel like I'm maybe spread too thin, color-wise. Am I being silly? Does anyone else try to minimize the colors in their closet to a single, co-ordinated set?

Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from Janet

Aida

Veteran

No ma'am I buy colors that look good on me, that I love, and I don't really worry about whether they go with other colors I already have. Much of my wardrobe is neutral, so it's usually easy to integrate; and I can usually find ways to make colors work with other colors. I don't have a lot of options in my colors (1 or 2 items in each color) but I do have pretty much the full rainbow represented in my closet. I used to keep it minimized but... I've since realized that I just don't enjoy that. I DO keep my neutrals much more restricted though.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Aida, I just accidentally deleted your comment on my blog...*sob*

I do love to wear crazy colors together, but I'm feeling the more monochrome color look lately? Hm, maybe I'll just give my other colors a rest and see if I miss them...

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Also, I am totally into this blog:
http://theviviennefiles.blogspot.com/

Lantana

Veteran

I think it's fair enough to focus on a particular palette if you've discovered what suits you. That changes, of course, over the years, eg now I cant wear the yellow that I loved as a youngster, it is far too draining. I tried for a while to emulate the primarily black plus neutrals of an incredibly stylish GF. Minimizing to this palette didn't work for me. I realised that, while black is flattering to many older women, it isn't for me. I also realised that I love colour and that there are still plenty of colours that suit me. Now,having finished rambling, I think you should hang on to the items that are not in your preferred current palette IF you can still enjoy wearing them. If you're not enjoying them, well, they can go.

rachylou

Veteran

Well, I tried to do this capsule wardrobe thing where I limited my color palette when I moved to a tiny apartment. I picked blue, cognac/brown, purple/lavender, and grey; pulled all those items; then put everything else in storage. And then... the first thing I did after that was go buy something outside of my chosen colors! Haha!

But I have kinda stayed within those guidelines to a fair extent and feel it's simplified things for me a lot. I do have a black skirt and pants, and some splashes of teal, red/brick, burgundy.

Aida

Veteran

If you still love those items I think it's worth setting them aside. Come warmer weather you may want to wear them again You can do tonal color looks that are kind of the same vibe as monochrome looks, too! For myself, there are a handful of colors that will always be in my closet (red, turquoise/teal, olive, blue) and honestly all others will come and go. It sounds like you have a core set already, and I see no problem expanding off of that with a few additional colors here and there as long as your core doesn't lack.

(I recommented )

Kate

Veteran

Jeneva, I also love the Vivienne files, but I have had a somewhat opposite reaction to yours. I do keep to a pretty strict color palette, but what bugs me about the wardrobes she creates is just how limited the palette is. I loved the recent post http://theviviennefiles.blogsp.....ts-of.html because she showed just how much more versatile having one each of different colors can be - that purple blouse and green sweater save the wardrobe from becoming boring, in my opinion.

I have 12 different colors in my wardrobe (in order of prevalence: brown, tan, army green, black, dark denim, plum, mustard, olive green, tomato red, teal, orange, and terracotta). I can't wear all of the colors together, and some of the colors almost never get worn together (red and green screams Christmas to me, for example). But having at least one or two items in each of those colors doesn't make my wardrobe any less versatile, and it keeps me from getting bored.

So, if your reds are orphans that you never wear, then by all means move on. But if they're that breath of fresh air that's keeping you from going crazy as you cultivate your wardrobe, then keep them.

I'm not sure how else to explain it, but I've found that keeping some not 100% perfect match items can save me from that feeling that I'm "missing something" in my wardrobe. It's ok to hold onto a couple of challenging pieces, if only because they give me a hard time on the days when I want to put some extra effort figuring out what to wear, and prevent me from buying new challenging pieces.

Mander

(website)

Veteran

When I sorted my closet yesterday, I was a little surprised at the actual colors in there. I often say that my favorite color is red, but I only have three red items in reality. There was also a lot more "standard" blue, lime green, and grey than I realized, and hardly any purple.

A couple of months ago I got rid of most of the brown and pink things, because I really don't like either of these colors on me very much. In my online window shopping I've been avoiding brown and tan, even though there are lots of nice things in these colors. Hopefully this will help me keep things more cohesive in the future. But aside from that I don't think it's bad to have multiple colors, especially if some things can work as accents.

Anonymous

I stick to the colors that suit me, and make sure I buy things that coordinate with what I already have in my closet.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I'm a fairly monochromatic dresser - mostly black, white, grey, purple. I have a few red items and I'd like to introduce orange and navy. But I definitely choose colours that look good on me and don't stray too far from that.

Anonymous

I used to wear all of *my* colors and limit myself to one main neutral. Now I have almost every neutral that looks good on me in my wardrobe with just a handfull of colors. Either way works. I also had the red/burgundy/pink issue and culled the red and most of the pink because they just don't look as good on me as burgundy/rasberry/mulberry colors.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Not specifically on purpose, but, yes, I tend to have the same 4 colors over and over in my closet. Purple, red, green, and blue.
I will say I did try this last year to gravitate towards black over brown, after reading here that making a choice between which grounding neutral makes the closet easier to deal with. Funny thing is, most of my top 4 colors will go equally well with black or brown, so I didn't really have to make that choice of one over the other. EDIT: I just realized I bought no less than 7 gray pieces last year, as well, so obviously I don't play favorites with my neutrals lol.
I have some stray pinks and a couple khaki pieces, along with a random silver blouse here, champagne/lime green skirt there; but I agree with Kate that they inject some oomph and I don't see them as problems that need to be purged. As long as I enjoy wearing them and they look good, I don't need for them to mix with all the other players to be a valued part of my wardobe.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I have a core set of colours in my closet too - just because those are my favourite colours. There is lots of colour in my wardrobe though - and it doesn't all match up. I wouldn't remove a colour that stands out, Jenava - if you love the garment.

Vix

Veteran

If you like and *wear* the standouts, the colors look good on you, they work with some of what you have, and you're not too squeezed for space then I'd keep them -- why not?

I do try to limit the colors I buy to what flatters and works with other items because:

1) I have sloooowly built up the colorful side of my closet and learned the hard way if I didn't purchase within certain shades I'd only be able to wear color with neutrals (due to a lack of some necessary other item)

2) I'm still trying to break a default buying habit of picking neutrals, and reminding myself how many ways I can wear a color-color item helps me be more balanced

Last year I took snapshots of my Year In Clothes Buying (ok, 373 Days).

I barely squeaked ahead with color-color, but aside from the hot pink patterned skirt you'll note a lot of similarities among the neutrals and colors....

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nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

I used to have a big problem with this in the past. I would pick up something in the store and immediately worry, "But what do i have to go with this in my closet?!" and a lot of times that would lead to me putting it back. ;_;

Now however, if i love it i bring it home. More times that not i have plenty of things that go that i just didn't think about at the store. And if not, well then you have found yourself a wardrobe hole and now have an excuse to buy something else! XD

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I have mostly aqua/teal and tan/browns, but absolutely fell in love with a unique gold/green color I saw in one of Greenglove's posts (we have similar coloring) and finally tracked down a piece! It is just a cardi, but I love it and am trying to find more things in this shade...

HelenInCanada

Veteran

I've noticed I have a lot of black, reds, purples and blues in my wardrobe (not counting outerwear). A couple of olive green tops. I am starting to add lighter neutrals such as grey and taupe, to make my other pieces integrate better. For some reason I find mixing blue denim with strong colours is a dull look on me! I want to try some even bolder, brighter colours for spring/summer, though! I'm so bored with my black/blue denim bottoms (pants)...definitely want to add colour and print to my bottom half. I have a red pair of skinny jeans but they haven't been worn much - they're not very comfy!

Jjsloane

Veteran

I go through color love phases. Sometimes seasonal, sometimes due to what I see in store and sometimes for no apparent reason. I am quite undescriminating and rarely take into account if it's a good color for me if I really like it. I have a virtual rainbow at my fingertips to suit any of my moods, but I am not at all on team minimal or organized or streamlined wardrobe. There are colors I NEVER buy because I am not attracted to them (pale pinks, most yellows, light blue other than denim)

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I don't think you're being silly, Jeneva. Just getting to know your own preferences and what works best for you. And some of it might be a sort of...I don't know...aesthetic itch? I'm talking about myself here, but sometimes if I look into my closet and I see competing colours or too much clashing pattern I feel as if it is visual noise!! I almost want my closet to be a pristine minimal calm space.

But that is sort of stupid, when you think about it, because I don't wear ALL those pieces together, only the ones that work together!

Still...there is something really valuable in identifying the colours and neutrals that work best for you. And in creating a wardrobe composed mostly of colours that work well with one another.

I still think if the outlyers look good on you, work with your other items (or some of them) and make you happy, you should keep them. Maybe put them in a part of the closet all together so they don't fight with the other pieces when you look inside?

Diana

Veteran

I have a whole rainbow - colorful is my color scheme! Most of my colors are more saturated and I tend to avoid beiges and pastels. I also don't have much pure white except in patterns. I still have a lot of black but far less than I used to.

MsMary

Veteran

I have every color and every neutral, I think. In fact, my goal is to have every item in every color and I'm actually doing pretty well towards meeting that goal! I don't generally have closet orphans because I don't buy anything that won't go with sometihng I already have, unless I'm willing to buy the whole outfit to go with it. (Right now I am in the process of returning a beautiful Anthropologie silk blouse that just plain doesn't go with anything in the closet except jeans, and that isn't good enough for a piece that expensive. Because if I keep it, it will be an orphan. *sob*)

As for what you should do, I think it's a total YMMV thing. If it makes you happy to have a pared-down color scheme for your wardrobe, then go with that!

fern

Veteran

It is totally YMMV - and my M is what Suz & Angie already said...and Vivienne too. If I had more space, I might not be editing as tightly, but I am increasingly happy with my wardrobe.
I do have core colors and accessory colors. I am trying to keep my main clothes in the left column, but accessories and T-shirts are a wider range. So, a lot like Vivienne....
I keep this palette as a reminder in my wardrobe list (yes, my spreadsheet).

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Jyoti

(website)

Veteran

Like MaryK, I try to actually diversify my colour palette as much as I can. I feel like this is because at this point, I am feeling adventurous in my clothing choices, and want to EXPLORE! I try not to buy too much of one colour and try to limit more actual neutrals like black and grey because I have enough of that.

I do go through colour moods (right now it's green and orange), and I made myself a little garment rack so that I can create little weekly capsules based around a few colours for when I have to get dressed quickly.

If you like those items, I say keep them. But if you're feeling exasperated with them and can't utilize them properly within the rest of your wardrobe, that might be an indication to let them go.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Hi everyone, thanks for the very awesome responses! I do want to whittle down a few items in colors I know I don't love...I'll keep the red cords, as those do go with some of my pinks, blues and greens. I will probably NOT buy an orange item. I have an orange skirt I enjoyed last year that also goes with my pinks, blues and greens...but I also have a bright pink skirt I'll almost certainly get rid of. I've come to the following colors:

Purples, Greens, Blues, Burgundy, Plum, Muted Pinks with Black, Grey and Navy neutrals. I also have a few red, coral and brown items, and one orange skirt. But, I mix these colors with the other main colors in my repertoire. And, I also consider bright white and light cream to be supporting actors (-:

AJ

Veteran

I've thought many times about paring down my wardrobe and picking out a minimum number of colors to mix and match....but I just CAN NOT DO IT! I luv variety too much! It makes me happy to see a closet full of color and print. Whenever I travel, I am sad I can't take all my lovelies with me. : )

The colors you've decided on sound nice and 5 non neutrals is still quite a few to work with. Do you feel this will be the same with your spring and summer wardrobe as well?

shipskitty

Veteran

I'm trying to keep to a core base of neutrals (Navy, Grey, a little black) and then cool/light tones overall. I'm not worrying too much about specific colours other than that which gives me the freedom to see which of the colours that are "in" in any given season will fit within that - plus of course you can always "pop" the odd fun accessory in something different/complementary in most cases.

This is a new strategy for me though because before I was mostly black for neutral and accessories and didn't think too hard about what other colours suited me.

I love the vivienne files though I am not as devoted to minimalism as she is.

nancylee

Veteran

Jenava, I'm coming to the same conclusion as you about the ease of sticking to a color scheme. I have a core group of neutrals: browns, black, white/off-white, navy/denim. And my color group is pretty limited to: blues, oranges/corals, wines/purples. I have tried to introduce other colors like red, green, and yellow but I find it just makes things confusing when I'm trying to put together looks. Like Vix, I'm trying to break out of neutrals and up the amount of color in my wardrobe, and it's just easier at this point to make sure the colors can all play well together. I do allow myself the occasional straggler, though, if I love the color enough. For example, I really love green and have a green scarf and a green tunic top.

I just kicked grey out of my wardrobe since i had only one lone grey item (the cascading cardigan I gave to Suz) and I never felt it was a great color for me. And I'm also considering letting my one red shirt go since it's just not a color I love.

Do what works best for you! It sounds like we all have different strategies for color in our wardrobe.

Kristine

Veteran

I have grey, black, plum, blue and red for the most part. You can see that red doesn't really go with blue and plum and wasn't in my original plan, but I like it and have added more recently. The nice thing about a base of grey and black though is that you can add any color and I still have a small wardrobe. I definitely wouldn't take something out if you like it and it wear it!

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Oh, how interesting!

When I think about my wardrobe, I'd say I have a lot of red (oh, how I *love* the passion and power of that colour in my wardrobe!), jade green, navy blue, hot pink, deep purple, pale pink, black and cream in my wardrobe. I have very little grey, white, pale blue (currently), orange or brown.

Every now and then I get tempted by the "in" colours, but I have such a fair complexion that I worry about looking very drained if I am not careful. Me in coral or orange, for instance, is a very bad idea, however much I love the concept of the colour. I guess you can't have everything!

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