https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:08:41 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging/page/2#post-2170481 Sun, 07 Feb 2021 07:37:00 +0000 Bijou 2170481@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I tend to wear tonal neutrals - white, black and blue rather than full on colour. However, I tend to add a pop of colour with a handbag or coloured pump to make it feel like me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging/page/2#post-2170414 Sat, 06 Feb 2021 16:24:21 +0000 Tanya 2170414@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>These outfits are stunning!&nbsp; Very elegant and they make me think of minimalist Italian designers.&nbsp;</p> <p>I enjoy tonal outfits, and do them both with neutrals and colors,&nbsp; although much more often with neutrals.&nbsp; I tend to weary tonal navy outfits, too, and the trick is, like Angie says, to mix textures so it looks intentional as opposed to slightly mismatched flat pieces.&nbsp; &nbsp;I am fine with wearing lighter an darker navies together, as long as their undertones match.&nbsp; Below I have attached pieces for one of the outfits I have worn in the past: wool blazer, lace top, textured/chambray pants, snakeskin booties. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging/page/2#post-2170238 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 19:04:22 +0000 Irina 2170238@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you very much for thoughtful responses. I learned a great deal while reading your ideas and observations.<br />I have color palette that consists of neutrals where all colors work well with each other. I became more interested in tonal and monochrome outfits recently, I’m looking for the ways to better utilize clothes that I have. I learned that I prefer low contrast in tonal outfits and colors from the same family. Also, I realized that I don’t like accessories in the same color. And I should probably leave navy/inc alone with an exception of denim </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging/page/2#post-2170226 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 17:45:06 +0000 Angie 2170226@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Irina,</b> I will take that as a compliment :)</p> <p>I'm nodding along with <b>Brooklyn. </b>Creating a tonal outfit is about putting a look together with colours that are close together on the colour wheel. You can use various tones of blue, like she showed with her Finds.</p> <p>For dark blue, I like to mix textures - like denim and wool - and add light blue to the mix.</p> <p>Also nodding along to <b>La Ped's</b> wise observations. To create a tonal look with NON-neutrals, you need more items in the non-neutrals. You also need to maintain a disciplined approach when you add the colours to your wardrobe. They have to all work together in the right items - the shoes too - and you need to be thoughtful about it. It takes time, patience and resources! My wardrobe took a long time to get to this point. But now that my tools are sharp, I can create a tonal look in non-neutrals very easily. I'd like to add citron to the mix, so I need citron bottoms. Maybe some shocking pink pants too. All in good time. No rush!&nbsp;<b></b> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging/page/2#post-2170222 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 17:33:14 +0000 LaPed 2170222@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>FI, I agree that tonal works best if you can achieve a subtle gradation, and that is so hard. It basically means you need a minimum of three shades that all work together in terms of undertones/temperature/etc. And then if you want it to look really good you have accessories complements like Angie's beautiful colour capsules. My closet doesn't (and will probably never) have that sort of depth in any category. If I maintained a very strict colour palette I might be able to do it.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging/page/2#post-2170213 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 16:56:15 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170213@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Having spent my morning trying to put together tonal outfits from my wardrobe, I have a very clear answer to your title question: <b>YES</b> tonal matching is challenging for me! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170187 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 15:38:49 +0000 Helena 2170187@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>These outfits are gorgeous - minimalist chic for sure! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170149 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 11:59:56 +0000 kkards 2170149@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love your grey’s layered on grey...honestly i would never have thought of mixing and matching greys...blues, especially navy’s however are something that i do without even thinking....<br />especially with blue jeans, i wear navy shoes and or navy sweaters and shirts all the time...its been a long time since I’ve worn non denim navy pants, but even thought i did wear column of color and tonal navies...for me it works the same as black, and I find that it helps to have a mix of textures </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170139 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:22:17 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170139@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Brooklyn and La Ped, that pop of something else always tempts me when I’m trying to do a tonally-matched outfit. But to my mind, “tonal matching” is what Brooklyn and Liesbeth describe, a very rich look that draws on the subtle differences in shade and texture. If everything is the very same color, then it’s not tonal—it’s mono. Also a nice thing, but not the same thing.<br /> Irina, such a good discussion in this thread! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170137 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 07:41:27 +0000 Liesbeth 2170137@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>These outfits are great! I cannot wear all grey myself because it makes me feel so drab, but I admire it as subtle and classy on others. Interesting that you prefer exact matching outfits when the subtle color differences are actually what make a tonal outfit interesting to me, like in your outfit with the tan coat.<br /> I agree that navy and ink are hard to (mis)match. I prefer these with marine blue, denim blue, aqua, seafoam etc myself for a tonal look. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170113 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 02:45:35 +0000 Jaime 2170113@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina your version of tonal outfits are beautiful. And you have exquisite taste in choosing items that suit you. I think you just need to trust your instincts if you want to branch out to other palettes.&nbsp;<br />My tonal looks are either black and grey because I have so many pieces, or a happy accident when I realize I have pieces that are similar colors. So no real advice there! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170105 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 01:41:30 +0000 Brooklyn 2170105@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love tonal dressing and do it often. To me it’s much easier than colour mixing using contrasting colours. Maybe it depends on how much you enjoy contrast? At the moment I prefer low to medium contrast so I prefer to wear different tones of the same colour, or close colours on the colour wheel, rather than contrasting colours. But I tend to do outfits that layer similar colours, rather than a column of the same colour as shown in some of Angie’s photos. I note that when Angie does a column of colour she still includes lots of contrast (lots of white and light accents), which works well (very well actually!) and really increases the visual impact of the outfit. But it isn’t my style. I like the softness of similar shades. That’s why I like ombré so much.</p> <p>As far as navy goes you could try searching “navy colour palette”. That might give you some ideas about what variations in blue you could use to put together a tonal outfit from your wardrobe or about what colours you could add to achieve a more satisfying result.</p> <p>I searched and came up with this one, which appealed to me. It does include some gold for contrast but I would still describe it as medium contrast. Mostly tonal.</p> <p>I don’t wear a lot of blue but when I do I pair it with other shades of blue, green, teal and black. As per the outfit in finds below.</p> <p>Your outfits look great BTW! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170099 Fri, 05 Feb 2021 00:58:56 +0000 Irina 2170099@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you all for your kind words. One day I will lean to take better pictures. Or will ask my DH, who is a professional photographer for some advice, although he doesn’t like selfies :)<br />The merino sweater in the picture #3 from COS is one of my favorite sweaters. I bought it in 2017 and enjoyed it since. I couldn’t photograph it well, so I include a stock photo of a short sleeve version (which I also have but in ink color).</p> <p>As for tonal outfits, it seems that navy is not an easy color for many. So, it’s not just me.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170094 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 23:11:50 +0000 LaPed 2170094@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You look beautiful in your calm grey ensembles, Irina! </p> <p>Like others have mentioned, I struggle with blues feeling clashy, and rarely reach for blue tops with blue denim unless they’re very distinct from one another — navy top with pale bleached denim, or dark rinse denim and a pale top. </p> <p>Some of my black jeans are faded enough to almost count as grey, and I happily pair those with both solid black and charcoal grey. </p> <p>Other than black and blue, I don’t have a ton of overlap between top cours and bottom colors, at least not within a given season. In general, I want a pop of contrast somewhere. A light accent with a dark outfit, a warm accent with cool colors, etc. So I’d say I’m not a true tonal dresser; I feel a need to break up any large solid swath. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170089 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:37:36 +0000 Anonymous 2170089@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very sleek! Love the style </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170082 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:26:02 +0000 cat2 2170082@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmm, I have similar issues with blue. The tone variance between two purportedly navy pieces even from the same vendor can be substantial enough that they don’t work together. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170076 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:01:49 +0000 Irina 2170076@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie, what a burst of energy! There is truly no one like you! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170071 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 21:46:34 +0000 Angie 2170071@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Sal, </b>th<b></b>ank you.</p> <p><b>Irina,</b> maybe a darker grey topper, if that's more your cuppa? I can see it work well for you. Or light grey ;)</p> <p>I'm wearing a bright tonal outfit today, actually. Took dodgy pics outside while walking Sam to show you ....(Sam matches in his red coat). Wearing hosiery - those are not bare ankles!</p> <p>Orange + Red + Shocking Pink = Bright Tonal Harmony, to my eye. Finds show it more clearly. Another type of column of colour, or form of monochromatic dressing.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170064 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 21:18:46 +0000 Kate 2170064@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love tonal dressing, and do it often. Like Runcarla, when I add a new neutral, I look to create a small capsule so I can I easily create a tonal look, or mix with my other neutrals.</p> <p>Navy is very tricky. I prefer other neutrals, so I don't have a navy capsule, but I can imagine how difficult it would be. Rather than tonal dressing in navy, I mix my few pieces with black, brown or pale blue.</p> <p>I dress tonally in olive, gray, brown, and mustard.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170062 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 21:08:36 +0000 Minaminu 2170062@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina, you have a beautiful style and that olive trench is a great neutral piece with personality!</p> <p>Tonal dressing is very appealing to me, not only it is an understated look and it instantly makes me feel slimmer wihen I wear a tonal column in grey or navy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170032 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 19:04:28 +0000 Sal 2170032@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I admire tonal dressing (Irina and Angie - yours are all stunning but so different and brilliant).</p> <p>I don't do it a lot, I might wear camels and caramels but I would normally have blue jeans, white jeans or black pants with the sweater, coat, bag and shoes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>I agree navy can be a bit tricky - the undertones can be wrong.&nbsp; I do wear navy and navy, or navy and black.&nbsp; But I don't always feel I do it confidently or well. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170028 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 18:49:40 +0000 Irina 2170028@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, Angie. Your looks #1 &amp; 2 are the kind of outfits I’m interested in but not able to achieve with the exception of black color. &nbsp;I stay away from column of olive or navy for now.<div>I’m debating if I should buy an outwear piece in grey next season. I don’t buy much in grey anymore but somehow over the years I collected a full capsule including a bag, scarves and shoes!<br /><div><br /></div></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170027 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 18:47:19 +0000 Jules 2170027@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I "read" the olive coat as tonal to the grey outfit, because it's all the same colour intensity (and it looks great btw!). Perhaps similarly, I see navy/ink and black outfits as a version of tonal (and probably easier than trying to do it with all navys and inks!). I do agree tonal is not particularly easy. </p> <p>You're lucky your greys work together, I had a hard time with that when I wore more grey (I eventually decided it didn't suit me). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170020 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 18:25:43 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170020@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Angie’s look #3 is what I was trying to describe—everything matches tonally (instead of across the color wheel like in the first 2 pix) in colors that are connected but not all the same. That’s what I can do with my berries, and what I want to be able to do with different colors. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170018 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 18:19:43 +0000 Angie 2170018@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>#2 and #4 are my KILLER faves, <b>Irina</b>! LOVE the mix of neutrals with the navy and taupe. They add energy to the grey, and you wear these looks beautifully.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Slimcat,</b> tonal your way rocks! Great look.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Irina</b>, to answer your question: tonal <u><i></i></u><i>my way</i><u></u> is usually a column of COLOUR. See examples below. But when it's neutral, it's blue or white. I find it easy to create and wear tonal outfits. Although my wardrobe is very colourful, I am extremely deliberate about which colours go in and stay out. And the colours have to work together and match so that I can easily create outfits.&nbsp;</p> <p>I want to create a column of citron next.</p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2170007 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 18:04:09 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2170007@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I’m looking forward to this thread. </p> <p>You always post the coolest looking ensembles all in non-contrasting tones. </p> <p>As I’ve mentioned a couple places today, I’m realizing that my wardrobe includes capsules of things that are *exactly the same color* like the two brown things Carla posted. That’s fine for days I want to be matchy, and they can be a good backdrop to something of another color, or something patterned. But what I’d really like to develop is a series of looks with related tones, all on the same side of the color wheel. I have that with my cranberry/blackberry/raspberry/pink things. Now I want to develop other color groups like that. Have I come close to the original question? Can you tell I had wine with dinner? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2169998 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:30:13 +0000 slim cat 2169998@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>For my take on tonal dressing that outfit was the most fun one. It’s technically not tonal - cardigan is navy with white but looks almost black and white. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2169997 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:30:07 +0000 Liz 2169997@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><div>I like doing this with dark neutrals like dark denim blue, charcoal, or black. I think an all-ivory outfit looks great, but is usually too pristine for my lifestyle. I'll also wear neutrals that are "next" to each other, like black and dark brown, or ivory and light gray.&nbsp; <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't like tonal dressing with "color" colors -- plums, yellows, reds,<br /> greens, etc. They make me feel distressingly matchy-matchy and<br /> "done up."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll wear navy with adjacent colors like green or teal, but rarely with other navy items -- I find it really difficult to get different navy items to play well together.<br /> </div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2169993 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:16:04 +0000 Anonymous 2169993@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love tonal dressing-sometimes as far as shoes, or sometimes the shoes are black or cognac. I like having a long line in my outfits and it feels dressier. Plus my coloring is pretty low contrast. </p> <p>The finds aren't in order but I do columns of olive, burgundy and rust. I also have a matching teal top and skort in my gear capsule- looks like a dress together. </p> <p>At home I wear all black, though prefer black with cognac accessories out in the world. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/tonal-dressing---do-you-find-it-challenging#post-2169992 Thu, 04 Feb 2021 17:07:56 +0000 slim cat 2169992@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Same as @lisa p - I can do black ( enough options because of work ) but like to mix patterned top with tonal black dressing. Navy seems to be challenging even though I have navy pieces &nbsp;- I don't feel I've got enough shade difference like @nemosmom mentioned.<br />Your outfits look sophisticated and sleek ( love the first one ). </p>