https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:51:21 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet/page/2#post-2217421 Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:49:26 +0000 Preppy Pear 2217421@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Looking great in all, FI. Nice Levi’s! I love 11! I just can’t comment on color other than to say that it all looks good and harmonious to me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet/page/2#post-2217420 Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:42:29 +0000 Anonymous 2217420@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi ,</p> <p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://youlookfab.com/member/saacnmama/">Stagiaire Fash</a></p> <p> I really like number 11 with the white blouse, it looks great on you.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet/page/2#post-2170521 Sun, 07 Feb 2021 16:11:33 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170521@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ophelia, thank you! I was ridiculously happy when I tried them on again, for the first time in ages. I hope to keep wearing them for a long long time. Thanks for the hair compliment too. I just keep it as healthy as possible, so ends don’t break off. </p> <p>La Ped, interesting about the completer pieces. I’m trying to think where/how I’d add something to the brown outfit, seeing as I am not a scarf-wearer. If I find a brown belt bag, I might try that. Ordinarily I wear a red T-neck with that pants and sweater combo, but it is very similar to one of the colors in th pants. I don’t want anything darker brown by my face, but if I find a cream T-neck, I might try it. In the meantime, you’ve given me an outfit idea with the pants when it’s warmer out. The idea with the berry colors was to be able to make outfits out of analogous colors. I see white you mean though about the huge value difference between the ice pink and the other colors. That gap is such a big contrast, it wipes out the differences between the others. Thanks for commenting. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170517 Sun, 07 Feb 2021 15:38:03 +0000 ophelia 2170517@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I can’t help cuz all these discussions of tone have me completely confused. Thank you to Runcarla though as I had no idea tone could mean a grayed down color ( which I like). I do know shade means adding black &amp; tint means adding white but I clearly need to read more about color. I realized I often use these terms inaccurately, i.e. “you look great in that shade of blue” when I really mean the hue. I think. </p> <p>Anyway, all this to say you look **fabulous** in your Levis!! Happy for you that 1) you held onto them this long and 2) now can wear them beautifully. The last photo is definitely my fave, &amp; envious of how quickly your hair grows. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170356 Sat, 06 Feb 2021 13:19:40 +0000 LaPed 2170356@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Okay, this is very interesting. I think several of these have the potential to become "tonal" outfits (in the colloquial sense of subtle gradations, whether within a hue or between hues) with the addition of some bridge pieces. The burgundy/ice pink combo in #4 just needs a mid-tone red/berry of some sort. Likewise the cream sweater and tan pants. If you had another, even lighter shade of tan to throw in, it would be very harmonious (like that #stickofbutter thing that was all over Instagram a year or two ago). The question might be whether it's worth it to you to build completer capsules to achieve those looks... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170339 Sat, 06 Feb 2021 11:03:17 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170339@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So apparently “tonal dressing” is not a clear signifier for this look. I’m starting a new thread in search of a name for it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170320 Sat, 06 Feb 2021 07:03:31 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170320@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Carla, I’ll check it out. Now that you’ve taken me this far, I hope you’ll help me come up with a different name for this thing I’ve been thinking was called “tonal matching” but apparently is not</p> <p>ETA: How did the message thread vanish? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170281 Sat, 06 Feb 2021 00:16:02 +0000 Carla 2170281@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>@ fashintern - sent you a DM. &nbsp;There will be no further comment from me on this thread. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170276 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:37:25 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170276@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Carla, I didn’t know that background. Cool! In your example, the pants and shirt match in the way I’m thinking of, or maybe the pants and jacket, but the jacket and shirt clearly do not. I had no intent of “playing fast and loose”—I was using the terms as I see them used. Yes, I would like your suggestions on how to articulate what I’m trying to do. You suggested “hue” as the beginning of a term for what I’m looking for. How would the rest of that go? “Similar hues” or something? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170275 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:34:15 +0000 Carla 2170275@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Colour theory is a thing. &nbsp;Some people learn it and use the terms appropriately. &nbsp;Other folks play fast and loose with the terminology. &nbsp;I grew up with a parent who is an artist and who’s profession was art teacher. &nbsp;</p> <div><br /></div><div>Noting you expressed ‘confusion’ (above) I was only trying to help by providing vocabulary for what I thought you were trying to articulate. &nbsp;I guess I misunderstood you. &nbsp;Sorry for that.</div></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170273 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:25:31 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170273@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Runcarla, I understand that there are more than one way to use “tonal.” It is also clear to me that you find only one of them to be correct. What do you think of the definitions used in the three articles I just linked to? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170272 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:22:11 +0000 Carla 2170272@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Outfit #1 below uses analogous colours green-blue-lilac (light purple) but as the black and white photo (#2) reveals, only the jacket and pants are the same intensity (tone) - the t-shirt is not. &nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170271 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:19:21 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170271@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sarah08, your example of slightly different greens, one more yellow and one more blue, is what I’m interested in.</p> <p> Clearly, there are (at least) two different ways to use the word “tonal”. What does one say to differentiate the different-colors-but-same-intensity kind from the similar-but-not-same-color kind? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170269 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:12:40 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170269@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Carla, you're fleshing out the first definition I gave above. Here are some examples of the second definition of tonal being used.</p> <p>“A tonal, or monochromatic, colour scheme is made up of one main hue with various tints and tones of that colour added in. Put simply, “tonal colours are different shades of colours in the same main colour group,” says Davina.”<br /> <a href="https://www.homestolove.co.nz/inspiration/tonal-decorating-is-the-key-to-a-relaxing-interior" rel="nofollow">https://www.homestolove.co.nz/.....g-interior</a></p> <p>“‘Tonal’ doesn't necessarily mean wearing just one colour,” Luke says. “It's more like a family of colours or shades that are similar, so with blues, you're looking at everything from dark navy, to sky blue, to indigo.”<br /> <a href="https://www.thread.com/gb/tips/men/style-advice/what-tonal-dressing-and-how-nail-it/" rel="nofollow">https://www.thread.com/gb/tips.....w-nail-it/</a></p> <p>“Unlike a classic monochromatic look where we choose pieces of clothing in the exact same color to create a “clean” look, in tonal dressing we create a look with pieces in different shades of the same color.” (She goes on to give an example with mint green and forest green) </p> <p><a href="https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.stylethisandthat.com/how-to-nail-tonal-dressing/amp/" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com/amp/s/w.....ssing/amp/</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170268 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:11:47 +0000 nemosmom 2170268@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p> <div>To backup Carla's point about them being different colors, but still tonal, here is a visual. Browns and greens, but all the same intensity:</div><div><br /></div><div>They are not next to one another on the color wheel, nor are they within the same color family. They are, however, tonal.<br /></div></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170267 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:10:46 +0000 SarahD8 2170267@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ah, I think Runcarla is saying that my second example (purple + red-violet) is analogous, not tonal. So tonal would refer to variations in tone, tint, or shade as defined here:<br /> <a href="https://stylingscrapbook.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/styling-guide-the-color-wheel-and-color-theory/" rel="nofollow">https://stylingscrapbook.wordp.....or-theory/</a><br /> That is, moving inwards or outwards on a color wheel.<br /> And moving around the color wheel would generally mean analogous rather than tonal.</p> <p>In real life though colors aren't broken up into discrete blocks as they are in the color wheel image than Runcarla provided. So I still think that a green with a bit more blue juxtaposed with a green with a bit more yellow would provide the subtle-variations-on-a-theme vibes that I'd call "tonal"</p> <p>Eta: cross posted with Runcarla. Hmm. I admit I do not perceive gray + beige as necessarily tonal just because they have similar value. They are different colors! Maybe a beige that is mostly brown + a beige that has some gray in it though. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170265 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:02:30 +0000 Carla 2170265@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Tonal could be all kinds of different colours, but photographed in black and white, they would blend into each other (like grey and beige). &nbsp;When thinking ‘tone’ think ‘intensity’. &nbsp;Colour doesn’t really have anything to do with it, &nbsp;but in ‘fashion’ folks find monochromatic tonal outfits harmonious.&nbsp;</p> <p>This is still a pretty simple explanation. &nbsp;You could always do a dive down the colour theory rabbit hole.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170264 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 23:00:26 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170264@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So tonal pairs are closer together than analogous colors? Makes sense that there would be a word for matches less than contrast. And that explains in a way what was going on with my outfits—too far away to be tonal, even though they aren’t contrast-heavy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170263 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 22:59:27 +0000 Carla 2170263@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ha! &nbsp;SarahD8 got there before me! &nbsp;The term you are looking for is&nbsp;<i>analogous.</i> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170261 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 22:50:55 +0000 SarahD8 2170261@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think both definitions can work! Personally I really like to do a darker/lighter combination or brighter/more muted combination of the same color in top + cardi and then neutral bottoms. Your comment at the top of the thread about texture was an a-ha moment for me: I think I also like to have some kind of texture contrast or interest to these juxtapositions, otherwise they feel a little flat for my style (I prefer to avoid looks that feel color-blocky to me).</p> <p>Re: different colors that are close to each other on the color wheel, my brain categorizes these looks as "tonal" when they include tertiary colors -- e.g., purple and red-violet. I would call combination of a primary and secondary color (red and purple) an analogous pairing as it has a higher color contrast than what I would consider "tonal". Both are perfectly lovely looks of course and reasonable people can disagree about where to draw the lines! (My daughter and I have endless debates over what is blue vs green!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170251 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 20:12:35 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170251@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>ETA: back to say I think there’s some confusion about the term “tonal matching” Even though nemosmom and I agree that most of my outfits here aren’t it, I think the two of us have different meanings for that phrase. When I search for looks, I find both definitions. My explanation will suffer from lack of technical terminology, but here goes. The two definitions are: </p> <p>1. Light and dark versions of the same color, so nothing else (besides texture) is varied.</p> <p>2. Different colors that are close to each other on the color wheel, like red and orange or yellow and chartreuse or blue and teal. </p> <p>#2 is the definition I was thinking of when I set up these looks. I came closest to it in pic 2 with the petrol sweater, light blue jeans, and navy shoes, but to really work, they’d all have to be the same degree of light/darkness. </p> <p>In pic 16, everything is pretty much a lighter or darker version of the same color, so it’s closest to def #1. </p> <p>I think the problem with most of these is that they do both shifts at the same time. So in the “berries” photo, there’s the light top and darker topper, skirt and tights, but also color shifts between pink, cranberry, and other colors. Moving both of those sliders at the same time is just too much. Same thing with the brown and cream outfit—they are different colors and one is darker than the other. </p> <p>Still thinking about this.... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170231 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 17:56:27 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170231@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nemosmom, it sounds like you and I are on the same wavelength overall, even though idk what black and grey post you’re looking at (14/15 is the only outfit with black here). That’s what I meant about not being subtle shifts (even though they aren’t far from each other on the color wheel). I seem to have multiple pieces at just a few stops on the color wheel, without anything in-between or variation between light and dark in a color. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170228 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 17:48:36 +0000 nemosmom 2170228@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No, not color contrast as in red/green; I meant light/dark.&nbsp; I think these would read more tonal if they were closer in, well, tone. Like the green jeans/grey(?) top maybe if the top were darker.&nbsp; That kind of thing.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170224 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 17:35:03 +0000 Anonymous 2170224@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Admire the cream and brown outfit! Great sweater </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170212 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:51:45 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170212@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Cat2, I can relate! </p> <p>Nemosmom, this was a huge learning exercise for me—learning how far apart the tones in my closet are. There isn’t a lot of contrast—in the blue/gold or red/green sense—in these outfits but man, they are *not* the sophisticated kinds of matches with subtle shifts that I so admire. I’m not planning to buy much this year, so need to be sure to keep that in mind on any purchases I make.</p> <p>I plan to try this again in the summer. I don’t really think that wardrobe has more gentle tonal shadings than my winter wear, but I can dream, and try.</p> <p>This is from 2 years ago, but still seems useful. <a href="https://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-wear-tonal-colors" rel="nofollow">https://www.whowhatwear.com/ho.....nal-colors</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170204 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:16:22 +0000 nemosmom 2170204@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think 14, and 11-13, maybe 16 read (to MY eye) as the <b>most</b> tonal, followed by 6-7.&nbsp; The others have a lot more contrast than I <i>personally</i> associate with tonal, but I am certainly no expert!</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170202 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:15:19 +0000 cat2 2170202@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love the topper in 10! </p> <p>Yesterday I was trying without success to build a tonal match to a new heather grey sweater. Today the sun came out and I realized it’s actually a heather blue! And I still don’t have anything in that tone. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170200 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:09:13 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170200@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Are you guys voting for the outfit in 13 or my marionette impression, lol? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170198 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:01:56 +0000 rachylou 2170198@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow! I love these! You look so great, FI! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/playing-with-tonal-matches-in-my-closet#post-2170196 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 15:57:41 +0000 Anonymous 2170196@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>11-13! So cute! </p>