https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:54:42 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1321337 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 02:29:56 +0000 Mona 1321337@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Aida</b>, I am trying to limit my neutrals as I want my wardrobe to be cohesive and of a moderate size. I think this would be a good starting point. I will stick to this idea for fall and see how it goes.&nbsp;<br />Looking at your outfits, I see that you are really good with combining colours. You have good sense of what neutrals go with others. I am not that creative so I need a starting point. Also, by doing this, I hope I will be able to create a wardrobe that is current and modern while staying within my budget. If it works for me, hopefully, I will advance to sliding scale neutral colours. I will definitely keep black in rotation. I just don't want black around my face so black bottoms, shoes and handbags will be there.&nbsp;<br /><b>rabbit</b>, camel/tan/cream accessories in leather sound good. Let's see, I already have a pair of cognac tall boots and a brown belt. A brown tote is on the shopping list for fall. Orange is my favourite colour and I will definitely add it to my capsule. As for wearing neutrals while shopping, it probably will not be possible. There are really no good clothing stores in my town and I buy almost 80% of my stuff online. If I go shopping in States, I will make sure to put my neutrals on. I also find Angie's ensemble and colour combinations more fresh than VF's. I think the reason may be sillhouette. Angie always shows a lot of variety in silhouettes in her ensembles while VF sticks to more classic pieces.&nbsp;<br /><b>LBD</b>, you can see all of Angie's ensembles in one place on YLF but I am not sure if we can filter through with colours.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1321168 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 23:01:56 +0000 Mary Beth (formerly LBD) 1321168@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Rabbit, that is an excellent point about the color wheels on the Vivienne Files. &nbsp; Angie's photos really illustrate the combinations better. &nbsp; Maybe because we're seeing it in real-time?&nbsp;</p> <p>Is there a way to search Angie's combinations by multiple colors, for example: &nbsp;navy cream camel, without pulling up every forum thread&nbsp;ever that mentions those same colors across multiple posts?</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1321160 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 22:51:11 +0000 rabbit 1321160@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very interesting thread, and sounds like a great idea. &nbsp;I really like your idea&nbsp;of a&nbsp;saturated navy with a lot of dark blue (like denim)&nbsp;and white/cream with maybe leather in the camel/sand/tan/cognac range (I wouldn't worry about clothing items so much in these latter&nbsp;colors myself, but accessories like shoes, belts and bags&nbsp;would be great, and would go with everything). &nbsp;Also it's worth a thought about leather colors that are 'nude to you' because I think of my&nbsp;skin and hair color as always an integral part of the palette.</p> <p>I also think yellow and green could be great accent colors, though it might be good to pinpoint your favorite and most flattering yellow and greens and when you go shopping, wear your neutrals so you can try them on together. &nbsp; </p> <p>The other accent color that looks like it might be trendy this winter and looks great with navy and whites is a bright deep&nbsp;orange, sometimes almost an orange-red. &nbsp; I have a bag in this color and it instantly adds interest to outfits with navy or white. &nbsp;Also sometimes with an accent color you only need a little bit, like a bag or belt or shoes with an outfit and that's it.</p> <p>The Vivienne files are new to me, and it's interesting to scan through. &nbsp; Some of the color wheel combinations don't quite click for&nbsp;me for some reason, or seem less&nbsp;fresh than Angie's combinations, I'm not sure why. &nbsp;But the concept is definitely useful.</p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1321098 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 21:16:18 +0000 Aida 1321098@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I also missed this before, how interesting Mona! I'd never have guessed you'd want to limit your neutrals, I'm very curious to hear about how this goes for you. I tried this briefly and found that it's not for me, but as a primarily neutrals gal who is rather strict about the shades I bring in, the idea remains intriguing even though I know it doesn't work for me.</p> <p>FWIW, I use two sliding scales: black to white and white to brown. My neutrals include everything on the black to white scale (black, charcoal, various grays, white), then the lighter shades on the white to brown scale (cream, sand, tan, taupe, camel). I allow other browns in leathers only, and not very many of them (I do love cognac though). I also will use olive and navy here and there, but tend to treat those as colors rather than neutrals. Then I can wear any color that suits my fancy that suits me :)</p> <p>I hope you'll post updates on this process and how it works for you!</p> <p>EDIT: Meant to say that for you I would vote for cream as the second to the navy. White can be a year-round neutral (I'm slowly converting it to my primary neutral). Also black is too versatile for your coloring, I would include it as an obligatory third neutral.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1320780 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:36:13 +0000 Elizabeth P 1320780@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great thread, not sure how I missed it.&nbsp; Following! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1320741 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:33:20 +0000 Mona 1320741@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>RamblingAnn, I see what you mean now but I am trying to choose one dark and one light neutral for this capsule. Burgundy can be a secondary neutral once my primary neutrals are sorted out.<br />Kate, I like the idea of secondary neutrals. I will see how it goes with the primary neutrals first and then gradually I will start adding secondary neutrals. As of right now, I do not have any brown or cognac item in my wardrobe other than a pair of cognac tall boots and a brown belt. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1318721 Wed, 30 Jul 2014 09:21:00 +0000 Kate 1318721@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am a big fan of the&nbsp;<span>Vivienne Files, but am not as into wearing the same color or neutral&nbsp;from head to toe. &nbsp;Instead, I think of my wardrobe as having four different groups of colors/neutrals. &nbsp;I&nbsp;have primary neutrals (brown and cognac), secondary neutrals (navy and black), colors that can be kinda neutral (dark olive, plum/burgundy, and&nbsp;teal), and then colors that pop (bright olive,&nbsp;mustard,&nbsp;burnt orange). &nbsp;I was really reluctant to add in navy and black, but there simply aren't a lot of browns and cognacs available from season to season, and I don't like wearing all&nbsp;brown or all cognac&nbsp;from head to toe. &nbsp;</p> <p>Having a core set of neutrals makes things easier, but already have any brown or burgundy in your wardrobe you can see if they work as more secondary neutrals for you.</span> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1317892 Tue, 29 Jul 2014 17:34:04 +0000 Rambling Ann 1317892@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I didn't express it very well: navy+burgundy rather than navy+camel, not burgundy instead of navy. But I doubt it would be any easier to find burgundy stuff in the summer than camel! Too bad about the olive not working,&nbsp;navy+olive&nbsp;would be delicious too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1317620 Tue, 29 Jul 2014 11:11:11 +0000 Mona 1317620@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>RamblingAnn, burgundy sounds delicious but I will stick with navy this year as I have a few items already in my wardrobe and I want to use them in order to save money. If this whole core neutral thing works for me this year, I will add burgundy next year to the mix.<br />StyleFan, I like brown too. I would love to see how you plan your wardrobe around brown. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1317615 Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:50:03 +0000 Style Fan 1317615@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am enjoying reading this post.&nbsp; I will have to read the Vivienne Files.&nbsp; I am not familiar with this blog.&nbsp; I have always used brown as a neutral.&nbsp; Anyone who has been reading Angie's post knows that brown is now making a comeback and I am very excited.</p> <p>Mona your plan sounds wonderful.&nbsp; I love&nbsp;Rambling Ann's idea (and others')&nbsp;of adding burgundy to the mix.&nbsp; </p> <p></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1317503 Tue, 29 Jul 2014 03:42:47 +0000 Rambling Ann 1317503@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>not to throw a monkey wrench in the blue/camel/cream palette (which sounds lovely) but what about burgundy as the second&nbsp;neutral? I think of cordovan shoes and handbags and belts as neutral. Desaturated plums to burgundies could lighten up a bit to mauve colors in the summer. &nbsp;But mauve&nbsp;still ties into most of the same second core of four items, shoe and handbags...</p> <p>Or pick three neutrals, navy and one for summer, one for the rest of the year. I like black most of the year, but white in the summer, heading toward olive as my year-round neutral. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1314217 Fri, 25 Jul 2014 12:49:17 +0000 Alana in Canada 1314217@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Alexandra--no worries! It's probably all in my head. This is just one of those times when the printed word cannot convey the tone of our voices and misunderstandings can occur. I wasn't upset by your comment&nbsp;at all, I was just concerned that maybe I'd come off as a little too harsh, maybe. So hard to judge these things, sometimes.<br />Please don't worry about how you worded it. I was simply being over-sensitive. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1314208 Fri, 25 Jul 2014 12:37:24 +0000 Karie 1314208@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've read the Vivienne Files but have not read the sections that you are referring to. It sounds like a great series, I'm going to go back and read it now (and the rest of the posts here too).&nbsp;And Mona, having met you in person, you looked fantastic in that yellow top and white Zara jacket&nbsp;- both are perfect&nbsp;colors for you. For your other neutral, go for the white! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1314201 Fri, 25 Jul 2014 12:04:55 +0000 Mona 1314201@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>missvee</b>, you are right. I need to make an inventory of my white/cream items and start filling out any holes with tan/cream/white. Also, thank you for your comment on mixing navies. This gives me hope.<br /><b>caro</b>, you have a great neutral wardrobe. I always enjoy seeing your outfits.<br />rachy, midnight navy will not work for me as it is too close to black. I find it looks too harsh on me. <br /><b>Suz,</b> you are a genius for already doing what vivienne files suggested recently. Your colours pallett is gorgeous. I will be combining textural navies often as they are already in my wardrobe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1314121 Fri, 25 Jul 2014 06:15:09 +0000 Alexandra 1314121@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Alana, your comment didn't sound like criticism. I thought you were asking a question. Now I'm wondering how I could have worded my reply better </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1313816 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 23:52:06 +0000 Suz 1313816@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I followed Alana's link back to the Vivienne files colour wheels. I realize that mine is basically #3 -- grey (and/or taupe -- looks taupe in her pictures, but I use both anyway....) with navy, white (for me, mostly winter white but some optic white), pink (for me, deepens to cranberry red), and purple (for me, this actually includes not just orchids and plums and purples but all the more colourful cool blues). Add in teal (a blue green)&nbsp;and blush (which is after all a kind of pink) and there you have it -- except I also add black.&nbsp;</p> <p>I agree with what missvee said re navy. Unless you need an actual suit, the differences between navies is irrelevant to me. Play with texture and Bob's your uncle.&nbsp;Another option is to separate different navies with some pattern that includes navy.&nbsp;&nbsp; I used to worry about this, but it's just not a problem. &nbsp;If I had an extremely corporate job and needed matching suit components in navy I would simply buy them that way. But I would also note -- navy works better with some mixed textures, much as black does. With black, that's because it can look so heavy and ponderous unless it has textural dimension. With navy that is part of it, but more, it can look like a "uniform." &nbsp;So a navy jacket with denim -- brilliant! A navy suit? A little trickier. Can be done, but needs care.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1313809 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 23:34:59 +0000 rachylou 1313809@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>To my way of thinking, midnight navy is deeply saturated. Very deep. Almost black. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1313789 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:51:12 +0000 Caro in Oz 1313789@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My wardrobe is basically made up of neutrals. If I buy colour I make sure it stands alone - or it works with a lot of my neutrals.<br />I&nbsp;just had a quick look at the V Files &amp; it seems to me that you could use denim &amp; white/cream as your "colours" if that would work better for you.<br />So navy &amp; camel as your neutrals &amp; the others as accents. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe/page/2#post-1313771 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:34:53 +0000 Alana in Canada 1313771@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Alexandra, I am truly sorry if it sounded like I was criticising Janice. Not at all. I am amazed and grateful that this information is out there--and free, to boot! It is a gift.&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313749 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:16:26 +0000 missvee 1313749@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mona I think there will be shades of camel around in the stores - not racks of it but touches for sure. It's such a classic colour. But the beauty of your plan is that you can buy in the entire camel to white spectrum and the garments will still work as one of your neutrals.<br /> And as for trying to match navies, unless you want or need a navy suit you can always buy pieces with different textures to compensate for the colour variations. Your denim items, for example , should work with all navies.<br /> Also, don't forget you'll have some core pieces in the camel/white grouping that you can use too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313736 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 22:09:54 +0000 Mona 1313736@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Alana, I am also reading the wardrobe architect series this weekend. I will not have time before that. Looks pretty interesting!<br />Rachy, thanks for your kind words. I am not sure what shade is midnight navy. Is it more or less saturated? I am thinking bright yellows and greens but like Eva said, with a wardrobe of core neutrals, any shade should do.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313722 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 21:49:14 +0000 rachylou 1313722@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You're pretty stunning in white, IMO, so I'd go for it. That and a midnight navy.</p> <p>What sorts of yellows and greens were you thinking? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313718 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 21:45:38 +0000 Alana in Canada 1313718@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks E! I'll have to find that wardrobe Architect worksheet--I did read her series, but it sort of fell down when she got to the nitty gritty of choosing pieces. As I recall, she referred her readers to Into Mind.&nbsp;</p> <p>And mid-western classic, lol! I thought the wardrobe was supposed to be <i>French</i>?</p> <p>Off to red Sewing Plums.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313689 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 21:18:47 +0000 Mona 1313689@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Eva, I will keep your point in mind while shopping for accent colours.<br />Alexandra, you have great ideas on your blog. I will go back and read in detail tonight.<br />missvee, black looks too harsh on me. It used to look a lot better when I was younger. Same with grey, it makes the grey under my eyes so much more prominent. I also have never really cared much for black colour. I prefer brown much more. I did not know that you have the camel jacket from Danier. We are Danier jacket twins! I think camel/caramel will not be that easy to find in sweaters or pants. What do you think?<br />Suz, I will be on the lookout for camel/tan items from now on.<br />Joy, I was going to ask the same question actually. Different shades of navy may not go with each other. Hmmmm....buying all the pieces from the same retailer sounds like a good option but I want to use some of the items already on hand.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313686 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 21:14:59 +0000 Suz 1313686@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Chuckling....<b>Joy</b>, you are an Elegant Eclectic! This is why the whole idea of limiting colours or neutrals is too frustrating!&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Mona,</b> I hear you on scarves. Not that my feelings will stop me from wearing them half the winter. I tried to reduce them last year to no avail. The only way I can manage is to wear a turtleneck. One of the problems with having short hair. My neck gets cold.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313592 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 18:28:14 +0000 Anonymous 1313592@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Before I shrank out of it, I had a wardrobe based on navy but I learned quickly that there are so many different shades of navy and I didn't like the way they looked mixed. I ended up buying all the basic navy pieces at once and in the same brand and color so that they would work together. I consider navy and denim as separate neutrals, although there can be overlapping.<br /> I got too bored and, when having to build a wardrobe from scratch, did not include navy except as a color. I can not even limit colors successfully and have come to accept this. I was limiting by season but that isn't working either. Last winter I added several pieces of winter white and loved wearing them. That led to light grays and blush as neutrals too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313568 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:57:17 +0000 Suz 1313568@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think cream/ white is the way to go. I hear you on khaki. And yes, camel in knitwear is hard to find right now -- although it's amazing how much more of any colour you see when you're specifically on that hunt for that one. &nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313547 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:40:50 +0000 missvee 1313547@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This was such a good thread to start Mona. I think a lot of us have been following along with the Vivienne files series and starting to wonder how we could apply it to our own closets. I like the idea of picking the first neutral and making sure that you have at least 3 or 4 pieces to start. Navy seems like a good choice for you, although I'm surprised that black doesn't suit you given your dark hair. But you have to like a colour too don't you?<br /> Your second neutral could well be some sort of camel or caramel colour which would work beautifully with navy. I think we both have the Danier jacket in mottled camel - that could be a great piece to start with there. I love wearing that jacket with white or blue jeans - it's a fab neutral.<br /> From there I think your accent colours will fall into place. Whatever you pick will work with either neutral.<br /> This all sounds so great I think I will try to see if it will work for me too :-). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313509 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:53:31 +0000 Alexandra 1313509@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mona, I chose black, gray, white, bright (lime) green and bright red. I posted the whole process with pictures on my blog: <a rel="nofollow">part 1</a>, <a rel="nofollow">part 2</a>, <a rel="nofollow">part 3</a>.</p> <p>Janice has a whole series of the not-so-crazy eights: <a href="http://theviviennefiles.blogspot.com/search/label/not%20so%20crazy%20eights" rel="nofollow">click here</a>. They are well worth revisiting.On the subject of scarves - you don't need to wear them if you prefer something else. It's Janice's favorite accessory but jewelry works just as well.</p> <p>And Alana, the best I can tell from Janice's comments on my blog and others', she intends her blog posts to be used as her readers think best. Following the specific steps, adapting an idea, or simply as inspiration. Whatever works best for each person. Janice says she is happy when her readers find her posts helpful.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/building-a-core-neutral-wardrobe#post-1313507 Thu, 24 Jul 2014 16:52:06 +0000 E 1313507@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't wear scarves either Mona: I'd rather wear blouses in 'accent colours' or patterns. I also don't really get the obsession with prints that 'link' neutrals &amp; accent colours. From my perspective, the whole point of the neutrals is that you can whatever accent colour you'd like with them without worry! So I ignore that too.&nbsp;(I think it was my post you were thinking of in your reply to Windchime.)</p> <p>Anyway, it sounds like you have a good plan in place! I hope it works for you.</p> <p>(And you're welcome to call me Eva instead of E. Whichever works for you!)&nbsp;</p>