Your physical features are a part of your outfit. When you are pulling a look together by repeating the colours in your outfit, consider the colours of your hair, eyes, and skin tone, in addition to your clothing, footwear and accessories. 

Black and brown shoes are great with black and brown hair. Cream, gold, tan, taupe and toffee are with blondes. Bronze, burnt orange, cognac, and animal print with redheads. White and silver with grey hair. Brights can bookend rainbow hair.

Bookending is not the only route to outfit cohesion. Dark hair can be great with light footwear, and vice versa. You don’t need to have rainbow hair to wear non-neutral shoes. Your colour and styling preferences are more important than bookending.

We sing the praises of natural fibres for very good reason. Cotton, linen, silk, wool, bamboo, viscose, rayon, and tencel wardrobe items are breathable, keep your body temperature comfortable, have a more positive environmental impact, and can feel glorious against the skin. 

That said, it’s my job to provide a balanced view. And natural fibres also have some disadvantages.

1. Expensive

Natural fibres require the care of plants and animals. That along with multiple steps of processing makes them comparatively expensive to produce. Cotton requires large amounts of water to grow. Synthetic fibres are easier and cheaper to produce, often making them the more affordable option.

2. Shrinkage

Most natural fibres are prone to shrinking in hot water and the dryer unless fabrics are pre-shrunk before garment production. 100% viscose, rayon, and wool items are particularly prone to shrinking in the laundry. Synthetic fibres tend to hold their shape and not shrink at all.

3. Skin Irritation

Wool from all sorts of animals can be itchy and aggravate the skin. It some cases it can cause an unpleasant allergic reaction. Linen can be a little scratchy too. Thankfully, knitwear in natural cottons, rayon, viscose, and silk are soothing against the skin.

4. Less Robust

Synthetic clothing is usually wrinkle-free and holds up well in the laundry. It holds its colour well too. Brightly coloured clothing in natural fibres tends to fade fast, and lose its luster after frequent washing and wearing. There is fading from excessive sunlight too. Fabric made of natural fibres cannot be permanently pleated either.

5. Not Great For Gear

Natural fibres aren’t best for workout wear and sportswear. Gear tends to work best in synthetic technical fabrics which are designed for optimum sporting performance and protection against the elements. Synthetic technical fabrics stretch, insulate, wick-away, protect, and support the body in the best way. They dry fast too.

There is lots to consider when figuring out the best fabrics for your wardrobe items, and it’s certainly not all black or white. Natural fibres are best most of the time. Natural fibres that are blended with some synthetic components can be excellent too. And for some situations, synthetic fibres are the best way to go. Choose the fabric compositions and balance that works best for you.

If you enjoy wearing black and olive in mild, warm. and hot weather, here are simpler looks that are easy to put together. You’ll find toppers layered over some of the looks, which provides great insulation when the air-conditioning is too cold. They also work when it’s cooler in the morning and evening, or when you’re by the coast. 

1. Column of Black plus Olive Topper

A graphic black tee is combined with a black, A-line, front-slit midaxi skirt to create a column of black. The tee is semi-tucked to showcase some waist, but you can leave it untucked if it’s not too long. An olive shacket with scrunched sleeves tops the pairing. Black slides are the casual and breezy finishing touch. Add a bag to match.

2. Olive and Black and White Separates

Here, olive separates are combined with a black and white support act. The outfit on the left pairs casual wide leg olive utility pants with a fluid black knitted top. It’s semi-tucked to showcase the belt detail on the waist. The outfit on the right pairs black wide leg pants with a white tee. A slim, lightweight, very long olive cardigan is worn over the lot and creates a dramatic effect. Black sandals and bag complete the outfits.

Marks and Spencer

PER UNA Cotton Rich Textured Knitted Top

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Marks and Spencer

M&S Collection Ribbed Longline Cardigan with Linen

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3. Black Skirt and Olive Tank

A casual black flared and tiered midi skirt is combined with a body con olive tank top. It’s tucked into the skirt to showcase the waist. An earthy cinnamon belt accentuates the waist and adds a high-contrast touch, as well as another colour. Dressy high heeled tan sandals were chosen as the shoes, although I’d have preferred to see casual flat or low heeled sandals instead. Or ballet flats, espadrilles, or western boots. Add a bag to match.

4. Column of White Plus Olive Vest

This rendition incorporates a subtle bit of black through the trim of the boots. The rich brown hair of the model provides a dark touch too. For the rest, a column of white is created by pairing cropped relaxed white jeans with a matching tee. An olive vest tops the column. Whiskey boots introduce a third colour. Their dark trim bookends the model’s dark hair. I’d have added a black or cinnamon belt so that the outfit looks more finished when the vest is removed, and a bag to match. Add jewellery, watch, and eyewear as desired.

Store and display wardrobe items to make things neat, organized, inviting, and easy to access. When your closet is tidy, you can pack more efficiently in limited spaces and items will be more visible so you can see exactly what your options are. 

When storage spaces are tight, consider space saving hangers, drawer and shelf dividers, shoe boxes and racks, extra hooks, rods and shelves, over-door hangers, accessory baskets, jewellery trees and boxes, and shoe trays under your bed.

Pack shoes so that one is facing forward and the other backwards to save space. Swap out or rearrange wardrobes seasonally to keep a focused set of items on hand. Once everything is optimal it takes discipline to keep it that way, but it’s worth the effort.