Stuck in a Neutral Rut - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Stuck in a Neutral Rut

Annie

Black, grey, and white/ivory/cream have been reliable neutrals for me all my life, but I'm afraid that I'm stuck in a neutral rut. I have multiple clothing items in every one of these neutrals in every category. I guess it must be pretty noticeable to my co-workers, since they often comment about the absence of color in my wardrobe. I read a post by Angie that some items look better in black than in any other color - what would those be? Do some items also look better in neutrals like grey and ivory than in other colors? Once I identify what items look best in these neutrals, maybe I can figure where else to add patterns and print in my wardrobe. Thanks for everyone's input!

Dressing

15 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

cciele

Veteran

I don't think you necessarily need to add color if you don't want to. Both IronKurtin and Greyscale dress wonderfully in a neutral palette.

Hm, do you have a pointer to that post from Angie? The most recent thing I remember her saying about black is that the color is not for everyone and can be aging. If that is the case, you incorporate the color away from your face and mixed with colors that are more flattering to your complexion.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Your questions sound like maybe you are considering making a few changes... This happens frequently with all of us. Just be careful that the changes are for YOU, not because of what others think you should do...

kkards

Veteran

i also tend to wear mostly neutrals (example today, black shoes, black pants, white and black striped sweater). i'm also trying to and more color. for me, that means mostly in toppers, but i do own red pants. which when i wear them yesterday, got paired with black shirt, blazer, and shoes (a girl can only get so far out of her box).
one other thing that i am paying more attention to these days is texture. i may be wearing a lot of neutrals, but i am trying to vary the texture, so that my outfits have more dimension and depth.

rachylou

Veteran

I don't know if generic categories look better in black or a colour - but definitely very specific items in a range of colours can look better in one of them.

Have you thought about adding black and white pattern as a way to start?

Helena

Veteran

I do think all else being equal, generally the black version of a thing tends to look more expensive than the colorful version of the same thing.

That said, a neutral wardrobe is easy to add a splash of color in a shoe, bag or scarf maybe?

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Cheap stuff in black looks better than cheap stuff in other colors, this is for sure. Black does hide the multitude of sins!
Are there any colors you like, which make you happy? If so I would start adding accessories or small clothing items in those colors. Having all neutral wardrobe makes it really easy to incorportae some color because neutral things usually play well with colors.
However if colors do not make you happy and you are not drawn to them there is nothing wrong with neutral wardrobe if it suits your personality.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I wear mostly neutrals & love them. On the days I feel the need for some colour I have a summer linen jacket in citron & a casual citron raincoat for winter. I have some bright scarves & gloves & a purple silk blouse that looks great with dark blues or black. A little colour goes a long way for me as you can see. I prefer to play with monotones, pattern & texture I also use white as a "colour" because it is bright like colour.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I am also a wearer of neutrals, but I see is as an integral component of my personal style. I simply prefer neutrals, so wearing a lot of actual colours would not make sense for me. I do wear bright colours on small areas, like on my feet, my lips or in my hair. But big areas of colour on my body never feel right. I tried it for a few years when we first moved to California, and I was playing with the surfer look. Objectively I'm sure it looked fine, and I got lots of compliments when I wore certain colours, but I always felt like I was wearing someone else's clothes. Does that make sense?

Do you want to incorporate colour and pattern because you like them, or because you feel you should? There's a difference.

Carole

Veteran

I think a great way to add color is with your accessories! A great bag or shoe in a fun color can really make a huge impact IMO.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I think black, in particular, can look unintentional and thus less interesting, just because it is the default for a lot of people. An outfit that's all black looks intentional, but sometimes black with other items doesn't have that much dynamism. I think tying in the colors of what you're wearing with your accessories can help a lot.

But I agree with others' comments as well - if you like what you're wearing, you don't have to change it just because other people have made comments!

Annie

I like dressing in a predominantly neutral palette because black, grey, white/ivory/cream can be mixed in any combination and are always flop-proof. I also don't think that there are many colors that look great on me, except for cobalt blue and deep shades of purple (I have black hair, dark brown eyes, and pale skin). Black used to make me look radiant, but it's starting to emphasize the bags under my eyes and shadows on my face as I get older. I have a few tops and jackets in stripes and florals, but they are also in combinations of black and white. I also have one silk leopard scarf and metallic flats that I love.

My co-workers do think that I dress nicely, but I don't think that people see me as an outgoing and fun person because my wardrobe consists of neutral colors and silhouettes. I like simple and strong lines, and nothing too girly or frilly. As soon as I try to look for wardrobe essentials with unique and interesting details, most of them just looks over-designed to me. I suppose my challenge is figuring out how to stick to my classic style preference without looking and feeling formulaic and safe? Or are the two concepts contradictory and just can't be done?

Aziraphale

Veteran

But, but...don't people see you as an outgoing, fun person because you ARE an outgoing, fun person? If you are an extrovert, surely this is apparent in the way you speak and act, and not in the colour of clothes you choose?

I could wear a paper bag and people would still be able to tell that I'm extroverted.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

And, on the other hand, if you are an introverted, reflective person, maybe your choices reflect that, and it's okay?

I wear a lot of neutrals (if you could denim as a neutral) and my main "colour" is blue (in all shades, including the denim.) I do wear colour, also, and love it. But it's more a seasoning than a main course. Outside of blue, my main colours are berry tones all the way to fuchsia and cranberry red. Along with a smattering of teal and blush. But mostly it's navy, ink, black, grey (all cool toned greys), taupe, winter white, ivory. And that's okay.

Like Caro, when I wear colour I often find I enjoy it most in a coat or a top. It sounds counter-intuitive to wear a brightly coloured coat if too much colour doesn't feel right to you -- but in my climate (Canada) it's actually a huge mood booster. I wear a coat most of the year and the days can be very cold or very grey in winter. It's a real joy to put on something warming in its mood as well as its fabrication.

I share your distaste for a lot of design detail. It just doesn't work for my personal style. But of course, what counts as "a lot" will vary by individual taste. I find that I like details in the CUT of a garment rather than embellishments, if that makes sense.

Angie is a fantastic example of how to marry a minimalist style with a love of modern classics and colour. She does this in almost every outfit she posts. And her outfits are never "safe." I don't think they are "formulaic" in a negative sense, either, although of course she does have certain silhouettes and styles that she favours over others. And I'm sure she has favourite fall back outfits as well.

Day Vies

Veteran

I was there with you. I felt like everything I pulled out of my closet to wear was black gray cream taupe or tan. I've been on a mission this week to wring some color out of my closet.
Regarding your specific problem I think cut and color will determine how well something looks in a specific color in addition to what color is most flattering on you.

Aida

Veteran

Annie, how about trading some of your black pieces for navy or ink blue? It'll give a softer effect than the black. If you like minimal detail, then the cut and fabric become even more important because they are what's making the statement. If you are unsure about whether you are wearing neutrals because you love them or because you're stuck, it would be worth picking up a few colorful pieces (nothing that would break the bank) and experiment to see how you feel when you wear them. There's nothing wrong with wearing neutrals if you love them, and I have to agree with Aziraphale that neutrals don't immediately mean "not outgoing". Wearing more light colored neutrals could help perk things up, too.