My style direction for fall -- feeling a move away from color - YouLookFab Forum

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My style direction for fall -- feeling a move away from color

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Maybe it's all the neon I've seen and experimented with this summer, plus the hoard of colored skinnies I wore this past spring. It could also simply be a yearning for cool weather, it's been a record-setting hot August. For whatever reason, I am feeling confused by and done with color. I mean, I'm still wearing it now ... but for the fall, I'm not excited about color.

Almost all of the clothes ... the looks I'm fantasizing about for fall, are in black or grey. Take a look at my pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/cocolion/coveting-a-w-2012/

They are also more minimal than I was feeling this spring and summer. Last autumn I also felt a pull towards minimalism. Which however was put aside come spring.

Here's the problem though: although black is so practical from a wardrobe coordination standpoint, it is simply no longer flattering against my aging skin.

WHAT should I do? Give in to this urge and give up flattery to satisfy my style yearnings? Or get myself back on the color program?

Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from MsMary

jen

We have a similar style and I also want to be an Emmanuella Alt! I don't wear black near my face anymore, but wear charcaol grey, light grey black and white zebra (like Alt) and navy. I wear a low black tank with a white or off white boyfriend blazer. I also wear khaki green.

On the bottom (I never wear dresses or skirts) I wear black jeans, grey jeans, blue jeans and black slouch tapered trousers all with the Alt black and gold belt. Hope I've helped.

jen

Oh and I wear black and white or navy and white tees also. No jewellery except for small gold studs and a gold watch and wedding ring.

Deborah

Veteran

Denise, I think I relate to what you are saying here. I would say I feel a little the same and have a bit of an inner battle taking place re color versus neutrals, particularly black. And I have noted that black is now looking a bit harsh against my face these days.

I have been thinking about simply adding the required color through accessories. Still keeping it minimal and perhaps utilizing statement Jewellery. You know, black dress with red necklace. Or a scarf? I think the black is softer on me if I have some skin showing i.e. no high necklines in black., do you feel the same way?

You mentioned grey and that is a softer color. What about more muted colors as opposed to bright and bold colors, to wear with the neutrals.? Tone on tone idea.

Vildy

Veteran

Black, I've been told, brings up my natural coloring, though I "theoretically" shouldn't wear it. I have noticed lately that all the black and dark tops that work best for me are scooped a little lower than a high neck. Otherwise, it's dulling my complexion. So, one suggestion is letting some skin show and another is that colors look different in different fabrications: matte, shiny, sheen, textured.... Sample them all next your face and see if one might work.

Vildy

Veteran

I took a look at some outfit posts to refresh my memory about your coloring. It's a lot like mine so I do think the greater upper chest exposure would balance the black. I wear lots of grey - I notice a lot of grey in your pinterest board faves.

Anonymous

Coco, I'm usually like that. I forget about color in fall and winter. It just tend to match the gloominess. I love your pinterest!

Astrid

Veteran

Denise, I feel the same way! It already started early this year, when I didn't want to wear my colored and high contrasting tights anymore. I much prefer neutral tights now or colored ones that blend with the rest of my outfit. I still wear a lot of color (if you compare it with the past), but with less contrast I guess. When I dicovered color for myself when I joined YLF, I went a bit color crazy. Now I feel like I want to buy neutrals. Not black, because it doesn't look that good on me either. But blues, greys, burgundys, purples and white.

Your pinterest board looks great! And I don't think it's a problem to crave more neutrals, because you won't buy it all and wear only the new stuff together, will you? I think these pieces would play well in your existing closet, and if you're really concerned about black - why not start with grey, since it's much softer than black?

Anonymous

I'm thinking go with your style yearnings in outfits and wear lots of color on your toes, fellow Taurus! ; )

You've gotten good suggestions about more open necklines with black. And maybe experiment with grays, browns, navy? Those can be softer than black.

Scarlet

Veteran

Fun pinterest board! I know what you mean about a love/hate relationship with black. Maybe focus on heathered/marled black or grays and muted colors like Deborah mentioned. Are you a mushroom person? I really enjoy mushrooms and grays as cold weather neutrals. Try some dark blue on top with black bottoms?

Jjsloane

Veteran

I repinned a bunch of your pinterest items - some really great stuff. You have tops in other than black on there. Maybe try to keep patterns or softer blacks near the face? You can add a little oomph to your makeup on days you have a lot of black on (blush/BB cream, glowy stuff?, bronzer)

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Right there with you on the black. It's tough, REALLY tough.

Like others, I've found if I moderate black's influence near the face, that is better - either with a bit of skin, another colour or neutral (i.e. a blue grey tank with a black jacket) or by ensuring the black itself is rich or bright enough - that helps. (For me, nothing's worse than a dusty black. Why is that, when charcoal grey is GOOD? I guess many dusty blacks have warmer undertones? Not sure...).

You can, of course, indulge your love for black in bottoms. But that means ensuring that tops coordinate somehow or other. Which inevitably means more black in the wardrobe. I know. I tried to minimize my blacks...but they just keep creeping back in. So in the end I am telling myself, maybe I'm attracted to them or maybe they creep in for a good reason.

Hairstyle can also be important. Have you experimented with different ways to wear your hair when you are wearing black? Some may work better than others.

I have a related dilemma. It's not so much that I'm stuck on black, per se, as that many of the styles I admire come almost exclusively in black. More on that in another thread.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I know how you feel, but maybe it's just a transitional thing -- a reaction to all the brights -- and once fall is here for real, you will start feeling fall colors. I think you would look great in the wines/burgundies that everyone is showing for fall, and they are nice and dark, which might suit your mood without the concern about the starkness of the black. How about ink blue? Dark teal? Eggplant? When I've been black-rutting in the past, I've steered myself toward dark versions of my favorite colors and it never fails to work.

Lyrebirdgully

I'm right there with you Cocolion. Today I couldn't help myself from dropping into my favourite shop in town, where all the garments are either black, white or grey -- though I stuck firmly to my resolve not to buy any more black, and walked out emptyhanded.
The video in the link below shows their stock:
http://blog.studiocommercial.c.....ot-saxony/
I find I am steering these days towards black that is patterned/speckled with a lighter colour, or a black material that has a lighter appearance due to reflection, as Vildy said, e.g. some black leathers, metallic and coated fabrics which can have a blue-grey or silvery sheen. I note that my default neutral these days is taupe. Hope you enjoy the neutral colour schemes ( including lots of ecru - would that work with your colouring?)in Michael Kors FW 2010 http://www.style.com/fashionsh.....ewall=true
PS .love your pinterest board!

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

I don't have any advice but i just wanted to say i love everything on your board!!

And i love black too.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Ack, going to your pinterest board was like a wish list dream shopping trip! Must not track down all the Cheap Monday items . . . must be strong.
I remarked on Jayne's board that I only recently became aware of my color desires changing with the seasons. This makes perfect sense to me. I agree that even if you buy the dark moody neutrals only, they'll still mix fine with the colors you do still have and you won't end up head to toe black or ink, or mushroom or whatever, by default. I'd say go for the fall mood if you're feeling it!

Vildy

Veteran

Good point about the undertones! I once read that black is either purple black or green black, which you can sometimes see in the fading/running. It's what happens when you try to match blacks and can't always. And ever notice that if bleach gets dropped on black, it often goes to medium light brown?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This is so understandable, and I alluded to this feeling in a recent blog post. The same might be true for patterns.

I also wear more neutrals in Autumn & Winter, and more tailored clothing too. But I will not be giving up colour. You can't do that in Seattle because it's SO GREY all the time. You need colour to shock you back into happiness - or at least, I do

To answer your question Denise, wear black with other neutrals, and wear other neutrals too. There is neutral style life beyond black! Investigate slate, blues, browns, whites and greys.

Anonymous

Denise, I love your Pinterest board! All of the edgy asymmetry is so cool in the neutral hues. I think it's only natural that your color focus is beginning to shift as we head towards fall. It's nice to have something different to look forward to wearing, and when it's so hot still, the only thing we *can* change is the color.

I've had similar feelings about the candy-colored brights I was so attracted to this spring. Now they just seem loud and obnoxious in my closet and I want to tone them down. Wearing black is tricky for me too. Yesterday I was lurking in the archives looking at Angie's outfits from way back. She wears a lot of black, and she is VERY careful and intentional about how she pulls it off. I was very inspired and came away with a lot of good ideas.

Jonesy

Veteran

I have nothing to add beyond what others have already said, but I do relate. The stuff on your Pinterest board is fab, and I do notice that it's not *all* black--lots of gray, light gray, silver (I LOVE those silver Opening Ceremony boots and have tried to no avail to track them down in the US in a size 41--I was intent on buying them!!). It makes sense to wear those lighter neutrals near your face, and toss on a black or dark gray topper.

Clarissa

I think you shouldn't cut out color completely. Just pick richer and deeper tones, like deep reds and greens, cobalt blues, etc. or pick neutrals with a colored scarf. I always think of deep hues when I think of winter and fall. My pinterest is still mostly spring/summer but I do have some fall items and am looking to get more, but it is still so hot over here! My style pinterest http://pinterest.com/clarissac.....st-closet/
I also have an accessories one. Feel free to check them out!

Kate

Veteran

I'm feeling the same way, CocoLion. With one exception, all of my NAS purchases were black. I love black and my closet used to be a black hole, but I have much more color now, especially for spring/summer. However, much as I love orange and blue, I will never give up neutrals. I find at 56 that a lot of black can be harsh against my skin, especially my face, so I use gray, in all its hues. I love gray and it plays well with a lot of the sour colors that I love to wear, especially in fall. I also love white, not cream, up by my face. And I wear a lot of scarves throughout the year, so they bring in color, when the rest of my clothes are neutral. I have found, thanks to Angie, the joy of bringing color to outerwear, and along with my scarves, that's where most of the color resides in my fall/winter wardrobe.

shiny

Veteran

As others suggested, lower necklines, scarves, all work. I find adding a string of pearls to a high black neckline also does wonders.

Otherwise, the way I look at it, I'm 47. My skin is never getting any younger. It is what it is. When I wear high black necklines I am most bothered by how it draws attention to the aging skin on my neck. But you know what? I am 47. Did I mention that? Ha ha. And I have the neck skin of a 47 year old. Acceptance is key to aging gracefully.

I'm not going to stop wearing certain colors or styles, or suddenly adopt turtlenecks and neck scarves, just to hide the skin on my neck. Instead I'm going to wear my saggy, waddling neck skin proudly! LOL

MNsara

Veteran

I'm coveting your coveting pinterest board! I hope you try out those Madison Hardy Ricky boots for me

You've gotten lots of great thoughts here, so I just want to reiterate that I think your shift away from color is perfectly understandable. If you were to follow through with minimalist dark neutrals this fall/winter, you'd probably be back to embracing color and some maximal when spring approaches.

Regarding black, I also vouch for dark greys and charcoals as a really good alternative. Your idea of mottled black does the same thing with breaking up the harshness but still keeping it dark and neutral.

And the further 'black' is from my face, the better! Supposedly, even adding the creaminess of a strand of pearls helps illuminate and soften the face. I think I'll be more analytical about this this year. But I tend to keep my darkest colors on bottom anyway.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Thanks ladies, so much great advice! I am taking this to heart. Do not wear high neck black tops -- I got it! And I love how Angie put it, "there is style life after black." Must remember.

I do love taupe and grey neutrals, as well as ecru. I have to remember that navy, burgundy and brown work as well and I have pieces from years past that I am sure will show up in my fall attire. But what is striking to me is that what I am coveting this year is all black and grey. Well except for this IRO leather jacket.

I do agree with Suz that in many of these cases, black is the only color the garment comes in.

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MsMary

Veteran

Oh! That jacket!!

*swoon*