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Statement Neutral....Discuss

Anonymous

Today the lovely Mona posted some fab WIW's and in them she was wearing a lot of white. Suz mentioned how great the colour white was for her and that it could be her 'statement neutral'.
I hope Suz, that you don't mind me piggy-backing a post off you, but it turned a little light on for me
Anyway, I have to say that I really like the sound of a 'statement neutral' and I wouldn't mind one for myself. Though at this point I'm a bit unsure as to what it would be. Do you think you have one? If you did would it be season-less, or would you perhaps have a different one for spring/summer to the one for autumn/winter? I wonder what wardrobe items it would best be suited to as well. What do you think?

29 replies

Latest reply was from cheryl

unfrumped

Veteran

I like that thought. I've been trying to get away from black but have a hard time committing to other colors--navy doesn't work, some grays don't work, chocolate brown is too...dark, so have considered colors such as sort of cool greigey-brown as what I wish I could build my main pieces around--pants, sweaters, toppers. It goes with raspberry and teal and yet can take either black or brown accents in shoes and accessories. However it's a hard color to find, and so I've considered that I've picked an unattainable color palette. The reason I picked it is that it's a color (or range of colors) I could see wearing as a column of color or monotone look and it's more flattering for tops than black or pure grays.

But that would be for clothing, and from your post, it's intriguing that one could have a statement neutral handbag color or shoe neutral like cognac (or pseudo-neutral like burgundy!).

I would like it to be seasonless (or 3 season--sometimes I'm ready to give up on summer) and so for me, something that could combine with bits of white and fruity colors, for summer, or with blacks/browns and jewel tones for winter, seems useful.

Anonymous

I have similar feelings to you about navy and brown. I hardly ever wear black except for accessories and I do wear navy and brown, I wear both, but I would prefer something a little lighter I was thinking about a light olivey/grey. I think a statement neutral could definitely be used in handbag or shoes too.

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

I probably wear light to medium grey most often for neutrals, but I like the idea of caramel as a year round statement neutral. Not too light, not too dark, but not as easy to find as some neutrals.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Diane, I like this question and have wondered it to myself. I wear navy a lot and love it. I also wear a med. charcoal gray quite a lot and own both summer and winter items in these "neutrals". I do wear black as well and have always received compliments when I do (even though I'm probably not supposed to wear black for my coloring). I guess those are my statement neutrals: Navy, Gray and then Black. But I do like chocolate brown too, esp. in fall.

JulieJohn

Veteran

I think taupe is Suz's statement neutral. Really going out on a limb here.

I think a statement neutral is a great way to anchor an outfit, if I understand the concept correctly. For instance, if I am wearing camel shoes / bag / accessories, I feel more pulled together, and sleeker. Is that the gist of a statement neutral?

Mona

Veteran

Diane, I picked up on that term too and was thinking about building more on my "statement neutral". Black is a big no no for me around my face so that is out. Also, I find that I look better in ivory or cream than bright white.

nancylee

Veteran

This is something I'm currently struggling with so I'm glad you asked this question. I think it's a good idea to have several go-to neutrals. In fact, I've read/heard that it's useful to have 3 or 4 neutrals in your wardrobe:

a light neutral (such as white or ivory)
a dark neutral (such as black, navy, charcoal, or brown)
two mid-tone neutrals (such as denim, olive, greys, or other colors specifically suited to your coloring)

I'm currently trying to identify my 4 go-to neutrals. All I'm sure of right now is ivory/eggshell for my light neutral!

Unfrumped, I'm like you in that I can't find a good go-to dark neutral that suits me. I've got a strange taupe-like grey purple in my wardrobe/color palette that works, but like your greigy tan it's hard to find!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Diane, it's funny you picked up on that phrase. I'm not even sure I knew what I meant when I used it!

But thinking it through, I guess what makes white a "statement" neutral for Mona is the way it plays against her dark hair. It doesn't fade into the background, or make her fade into the background, the way a conventional neutral might.

When we think of neutrals, we often think of those tones that calm, soothe, "go with" just about anything. Taupe (not really a statement, but a "signature" neutral for me.) Or grey. Or maybe brown or navy.

White -- and black -- and maybe ink blue --- are far more dramatic. They make a statement, whether we intend them to or not. And on Mona, white makes a brilliant positive statement.

I think red and leopard print can be statement neutrals, too.

I actually make use of all the neutrals in my wardrobe! Brown, tan, camel and cognac get the least play. And any yellowy cream is essentially a no go except in prints or accessories.

But I do wear:

Taupe
Grey (everything from light silvery grey to charcoal)
Ink blue
Navy
White
Winter white

As well as red (mostly cranberry reds)
Leopard print
Snake print

And of course, black.

Are all these my "best" neutrals? No. But they play well together and work with my favourite signature or most flattering colours: Orchids and plums, blues, fuchsia, berry tones, teals, sage greens. And denim, which is another neutral, I guess.

Fun discussion! Thanks for helping us think this through, Diane.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

My statement neutrals are the same year round: Black and All Shades of White. A little more White in Summer. I am also adding more and more Ink to my wardrobe.

Diane, I see your statelment neutrals as earthy browns, olives and cream.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Interesting post. Hmmm. I think mine would be military green. I look good in all shades of it, from the dusty greyish green to the richer dark olive shades. Having said that, it's not the most popular colour in my closet. I wear neutrals almost exclusively, and I've got lots of black, navy, white, brown and all shades of grey.

pil

Veteran

This is something I've been pondering a bit myself. I'd like to have a nice cashmere sweater in this statement color, but don't know what it would be

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Grey is my neutral, this year at least. As well as a whole host of softer neutrals that I'm experimenting with. Well they're not really neutrals but if you add enough grey to a color, it turns into a dustier hue with the effect of a neutral. Examples are creamy grey, taupe, mauve, dusty rose, dirty coral and lighter military green. As I said, I'm in the experimenting phase.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

In a strange way blues are my neutrals. They go with black and with various browns and with grey and with white (at least in my world they do). That covers most of my clothing I think.

Anonymous

I like too many neutrals and my wardrobe would be better off if I limited them. I'm trying for dove grey as a signature with charcoal added especially in the cooler months. But then I start craving chocolate or find a great taupe...then there's the fact that I can't give up black...I'm a neutral collector/hoarder and need help.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I wonder if my green trench coat is a statement neutral. It doesn't feel like a color; it feels like a neutral to me. Yet it is one that draws attention. Still, I don't really have a lot of clothes that are this particular shade of green, so maybe it's not really a neutral. I would not want a pair of pants in that color, for instance.

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Lyn D.

Veteran

I am thinking grey for Winter and in Summer maybe Nude- it is harder to pin down in hot weather, when fewer clothes are worn.

Mia

Veteran

Interesting concept. I had never really thought of this before. My closet is largely a neutral affair.

Black, optic white, dark navy and charcoal grey are my neutrals. Charcoal grey is probably my "statement neutral". I wear more black in winter and more white in summer and I change my accent colours. Currently turquoise and citron for summer with a few hits of orange (away from face). Cobalt, and burgundy for winter and then a little of whatever is the current "fashion shade" to keep current.

This wasn't always the case. At one point I would describe it as mishmash and I am much more content and happy with my wardrobe now.

rute

Veteran

I'm a big fan of neutrals, I have navy, brown, black, white, grey, cream, these are the majority of my wardrobe!

Anonymous

So many interesting answers. Thank ladies. I actually read all of you replies twice to get my head around this subject and it's still a tricky one to pin down.

After pondering this, I have to say that I think a statement neutral should or could be a colour that literally does make a 'statement' on the wearer rather than fading into the background so my thoughts initially were along the same lines as Suz and more typical everyday neutrals would be more of a 'signature'.
Firecracker, you make the point about your olive trench and I think the way you said you perceived it not as a typical neutral is kind of what I would like to aim for. I actually have a trench in that shade and wear it over many outfits.
I still however think that many colours that we would automatically think of as neutrals can still make a statement depending how we wear them and how they 'pop' against the complexion of the wearer or how they play with the other tones in the outfit; unusual juxtapositions for example.

I like the idea also of very 'un-typical' colours like red, being used as a statement neutral, Natalie (GoldenPig) uses her red Chanel in this way. Leopard print is another such animal (pardon the pun!) that many YLF ladies use.

Unfrumped, you said that it would be nice if you could have a season-less statement neutral and I don't see why this wouldn't be possible, though it may also be nice to plan individual season capsules with different ones if that was what floated your boat.

This has been fun to thrash out and get the old grey cells working, thanks!

ramya

Veteran

I think hot-pink and white are my statement neutrals. There was a time red was the neutral for me but not anymore.

unfrumped

Veteran

I think a combination of neutrals could be the statement. At one time I was doing more black & brown, which, while approved in fashion circles, is not seen much on the street here.

Anonymous

Fun neutrals Ramya
Unfrumped, yes good point. I like the sound of a particular combination being a statement. I wear black and brown too. Usually the black would be my boots.

Anonymous

I forgot nude. I think nude/blush could be a statement neutral for me.

AnnieMouse

Veteran

I've been thinking of leopard as my "statement neutral" - it works with the colours in my wardrobe, and black/ white are my "primary neutrals," as it were.

My thought process is kinda like "goes with everything, but makes it more interesting in some way," which is why leopard. I have jokingingly called it nature's khaki. I wear a lot of colour, so I like to have something to tone it down in some way - black, leopard, and white help me feel less overwhelmed by my colour choices - like I'm wearing the outfit, instead of it wearing me.

Denim is another big one for me, and I've recently incorporated a pair of grey-olive skinny cargos as a new attempt at freshening up some things that have become a little stale from wearing for me.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Interesting thread. I'd love to use more navy or ink blue, but I've noticed that some neutrals are far more variable in their, um, variations to let me build a capsule around them. Blue is particularly tricky, with varying intensities, hints of grey or purple or black. It seems that they rarely harmonize well even when they don't "match." Greys vary in terms of warm/cool, but they blend well from deep to light, as does cream/tan.

I'm thinking of trying ink blue with black, and black with brown, to try to minimize the need to find neutrals that "go" together.

Lantana

Veteran

Diane, I see your statement neutral as the colour of the skirt in your holiday photo. You describe it as mustard and of the mustards I'm familiar with it would be the Dijon, not the English variety.
Whatever you call it, I think this colour looks particularly beautiful on you.

Anonymous

Joy I think you're spot on thinking that blush could be a statement neutral for you.
AM, I agree, leopard is definitely a possible statement neutral. I like your analogy that it "goes with everything, but makes it more interesting in some way". I think perhaps that statement kind of sums up, to me at least, what a statement neutrals' purpose is.
Good point Beth Ann, about how certain shade have so many variables and could be problematic to pair up with other colours.
Lantana, I rather like your thinking of that mustard tone (Dijon), being a good choice for me as well.

Cindy

If I understand the concept cobalt would be my statement neutral. It definitely makes a statement but it goes with all of my true neutrals (black, white, charcoal, navy) and well as the cool greens and bright pinks I have in my wardrobe.

cheryl

Veteran

Such a fun and interesting thread. My main neutrals are black and denim with a bit of grey shades thrown in. Going out on a limb though, I often consider lime green and turquoise neutrals.