Thanks, Angie...the fact that you're going to post an offshoot thread is a boost in itself.

Vix, I'm so sorry, I somehow missed your thoughtful post! When you say, regarding asking your honey to take pictures of you for this site,

"Trust me, you'd survive. Ask me how I know "

...OK, I'm interested! How do you know?

Great topic, Elisabeth! My wardrobe is full of neutrals - I love them - but my neutrals are beige, taupe, camel, white, and denim. Not everyone's cup of tea, I know, but I like them! I have stayed away from black, grey, and navy after wearing them too much to work for years because I was afraid to try anything else! I love brighter colours, but in smaller doses. But I don't think neutral vs bright defines what looks great; as others have said, the chemistry of an outfit depends on a lot more than hue!

I think like many things, this is true only in the broadest of generalities. Several years ago, I went through a Lilly Pulitzer phase (I know, I know...please don't revoke my YLF card.). I was bright and colorful and cheerful. But I was most emphatically not cool.

Neutrals may be easier to put together in a cool and chic way (my first thought is Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy), but they don't hold the trophy for cool. It's all in the nuances and the details of the outfit.

Elisabeth, I suspect Vix knows the same way I know: We've asked our hubbies to take our photos to post here, they're laughed hysterically at the very idea but cooperated nonetheless, and we've lived to tell the tale!

Mary, my DH has come such a long way that when I'm undecided about something he says, "well, do you think you should take a picture?"

This is silly- (I think) It all depends on soo many things.

You can not generalize and who gets to decide what is cool?

I think a great,stylish 80 year old grandmother in orange pumps with a teal outfit could be ultra cool. Depends on how she feels in it!

And I am Queen neutral!

Beth, my hubby has really come around, too. He is working out of town right now but is home for the weekend, and is just CRUSHED that he won't be around for Angie and Greg's visit to Pasadena! LOL He thinks ALL the YLF ladies are cool!

Hi, I haven't been here in a while; I came over from Sally's blog today.

I'm also always more interested in looking "cool". And I do think it has something to do with body type as well as personality. I don't feel comfortable in anything that I perceive as loud or busy. And whenever I see someone who looks "chic", she is always wearing black or understated solid colors.

I do like a printed scarf or ONE bright piece as an accent, but it's almost always against a backdrop of black, gray, camel, or taupe.

I don't think that prints or ruffles, etc. are unfashionable. I think that colorful looks suit some people really well. I'm just not one of those people.

rivoli, nice to meet ya! I'm with you on the one bright accent. Usually when I do that, it's my shoes, but sometimes it's a scarf.

This thread was a bit of a firestarter because I think I inadvertently suggested that people who like to wear bright colours are somehow less cool, which of course is not true. It's also possible that some of you inferred that I think I'm just the coolest gal in town, which is embarrassing because it just ain't so. My inner nerd is alive and well, and I'm in a constant battle to drown her out with new skills and experiences that give me confidence. Because that's the key to coolness: confidence. Dressing the part is only gravy.

Over at Already Pretty (where I usually don't comment but felt compelled to do so today, under the name Aziraphale, since I'd previously spent time thinking about the topic), I tried to make it clear that "coolness" is largely achieved by, well, achievement. People who are awesome at something have HUGE cool points in their favour. And also, although truly cool people do not, of course, lie awake at night thinking up new ways to look cool, they often have a bit of style and flair going on in the clothing department. Having appealing looks never hurts, either, although it's not a prerequisite to coolness. And then there's the confidence and aplomb, which is something you develop over time, and naturally rides on the coat-tails of learning how to be awesome at something.

Here's an example: the hysterically talented Tim Minchin (here's another plug for the guy, but we're going to his concert this Saturday in Seattle, so he's on my mind), who dazzles audiences with his cutting wit and spellbinding mastery of the piano. Now, HE'S cool. I'd think his hair was cool anyway, because it looks like a more demented version of my own. Hell, maybe if I had his musical talent and comedic timing, I'd wear my hair that crazy too. But I digress. My point is, if you saw Tim Minchin passing on the street, you might think he looked weird, or silly, or poseur-ish, but once you know what he can DO, then he doesn't seem like anything except cool.

Here's a link. Judge for yourself how cool he is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw

Love how he gives you the letters and you think he's spelling out the n-bomb....and then it's not.

Elizabeth, I hope you don't feel bad about this thread - it is fascinating, as are the comments on Sal's thread. I saw a reference made there to "media cool" and I think that's what you were talking about - the icons and imagery that convey cool to us: sunglasses, leather jackets, faded Levis. And certainly color is a part of that.

True cool, as you've said, goes far deeper and has little to do with appearance in my mind.