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Any logic to this color scheme?

Mel

I've done a closet edit, finally, based on the colors that actually look good on me and not just the colors I like or just happen to have in my closet. My skin is pale brown, bordering on yellowish/rose, and I have dark brown hair and eyes. I'm really happy with the result of the edit, but surprisingly, I can't fit my colors into the typical scheme of "cools" vs. "warms", and neither am I a neutral who can wear just any color. Is there a logic to this?

Group one: Colors that brighten me up:
Black, white (all shades of white), cream, olive, taupe, dark midnight blue or dark navy, cobalt, dark red, pinks and corals, greens (mint and emerald), yellows bordering on mustard or "deep" yellow, pale grey, terracotta, cognac.

Group 2: Colors that wash me out or make me look "boring":
Beige, light tan, chocolate brown, charcoal, bright neons, all the pastels, moderate blues, bright red/orange/coral, purples, burgundy.

I've noticed that I can still wear some group 2 colors, but as accents with my group one colors. For example, a pale grey coat with burgundy shoes looks great, but all-burgundy coat overwhelms me. A tan blazer works, but with bold black and white stripes underneath. I have dark brown glasses and sunglasses, and a fab brown fur scarf, but a brown shirt or dress looks super blah.

Any input on this? Are there colors that I might be missing out on?

Dressing

14 replies

Latest reply was from Kathleen M

jussie

Veteran

I wish I knew the answers! I also am confused by the colour system. I would guess you are best in deeper colours with high contrast, mainly cool but sometimes the deep warms too.

Anonymous

Great assessment. Like Jussie, I cannot label or define the logic, but I can say you developed a strong sense of what looks good on you and what doesn't. It took me years to accomplish that. You also know that you can wear other colors as long as you complement them.

My question is, based on this knowledge, do you want to define a color palette for your wardrobe? That is usually the next step in building a successful wardrobe.

Toban

Veteran

Finding the colors you feel great in is so helpful in building your wardrobe. Note that neutral doesn’t mean that all colors work.

I find it makes shopping easier as I shop first for color, then look at style and cut. It helps me quickly peruse a store. And if I’m uncertain about a color I can put it in front of me in a mirror to decide if it is promising enough to try on.

Mainelady

Veteran

You have done a great job in identifying how colors work or don’t work on you. I can’t say if you are missing anything, or suggest how to categorize the colors you have. You now have the knowledge to move forward with careful purchases of colors that you know work, or that you already have compliments for. You have plenty of variety to work with. Over time, you may decide to create a smaller color palette. Have fun!

Anonymous

MEL- when the whole finding your color season revolution started I knew I was a cool but agonized over summer or winter because I could look great/ horrible in colors posted in both. My DH on the other hand looked great in some summer but lots of fall - one cool one warm.
That was an early aha moment that there are people who straddle the fence.
Having a foot in each world ( warm and cool) can complicate wardrobe planning. But you have done a great job at figuring it out and now you just have to have confidence that you know what colors are your best and how to make them work with each other.

If you are interested in really ridding yourself of color confusion- I would recommend you check the following book out of your library- it absolutely changed my life and fully explained why I felt great in some of my season colors and eh in others. It has saved me a bunch of money and heart ache as I rarely if ever make a color mistake purchase and my wardrobe is fun, polished and I get loads of compliments. Yay
Author is David Zyla “Color of Style “ or Color Your Style” same book different printing. Oh and have a really great mirror on hand while reading it.

Mel

Thanks y'all for your input!
Jussie, it's true that I do like deep colors and I like large, bold graphic patterns that often come in combinations of black, white, colbalt, green, etc.
Sterling, I think I am defining a color palette for my future purchases because I take longevity as a factor and my Group 1 items tend to carry me much further than Group 2.
Toban- I'm starting to pay more attention to color schemes at stores, too. The other day I passed by a store that was mostly tans, beiges, and brights and I sort of instinctively knew I wasn't going to find much in there for me.
Mainelady- that's a good thing to keep in mind. I'm actually experimenting still with some Group 1 colors (just bought my first "terracotta" item, after a friend highly recommended it), and may whittle down the group once I find out which ones I really like.
ejbgen- I will try to get my hands on that book! Thanks for the recommendation. I think I'm also still defining the difference (if there is one!) between looking horrible in a color and feeling like I look horrible in a color. The feeling is hard to get rid of once it settles in!

shiny

Veteran

I've got some similarities with your colors, although I have to be very picky about yellow (basically, I just don't wear it at all since it's the rare yellow that works). And black doesn't brighten me up anymore -- inky blue is much better.

You've got coral in both categories? That is one color I definitely don't wear.

I do like purple. But come to think of it, don't currently own any purple. Hmm.

And I like chocolate brown (though it may not be an "ideal" color for me). I like chocolate brown when the material has a sheen (leather, silk).

Forget tans and "soul-sucking beige" for me. Trench coat in stone is ideal, not tan or beige or khaki. But every now and then I will find something (usually with a subtle sheen) that is in that general family and totally works. It's usually got a subtle blue base. I've always called this color "champagne."

Like you, charcoal is not as good on me as light grey. Pastels are tricky especially pale pink. And yes I have noticed that when it comes to say a jean jacket or denim dress, a lighter blue works far better on me than a medium or darker wash.

I am a soft Summer. The "soft" indicates I look best in colors with a "murky" or "muddy" undertone. That makes the difference! However I can get away with blue-based "clear" colors like a bright cherry red.

I think my skin is neutral. I have a lot of red, but my veins are kind of blue, kind of green. My eyes are likewise kind of blue, kind of green. I look best when my blonde hair is highlighted in neutral colors. Too cool and I look washed out. Too warm and I feel like I need to coat on the foundation and it just looks... bad. Also make-up wise I use True Match N2 (a neutral) -- the other shades are really awful (the W2) or slightly off (the C2 version).

Hope that helps!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

It would be most helpful if you posted a photo of your complexion. That way I can steer you into warm or cool toned territory.

Mel

Here's a pic, Angie!

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Great, Mel. You are super cute, and have flawless skin.

Looks like you can wear loads of cool tones, and some warm brights - which is reflected in your assessment.

I can't imagine that black brightens you up. Maybe when you have salt and pepper hair and wear lots of make-up?

I don't agree that these colours wash you out either: pastels, midtowns, burgundy and bright red. You need to find the right shade of pastel and mid-tone. Perhaps a more saturated version. You mentioned that you wear mint well - that's a pastel!

Mel

Shiny, I'm actually not 100% sure about the yellow.... I only have two yelllow items, a deep yellow crossbody that looks great with everything and a neon yellow sweater that I really have to tone down with neutrals.
I agree with you about chocolate leather. I actually like everything leather except black, too harsh for me. It's amazing how texture can affect our likes so much!
I have a beige trench and wish I had bought stone or dark khaki instead. But's a nice cut.
I absolutely love the pale blue/bright red combination but have always thought it looks better on others.
And I'll have to think about what to call my color palette! Once it gets a little more defined.

Ginger

Veteran

Hi Mel, I'm another one who straddles the fence! I'm slightly more on the cool side, but only just. Very cool colors (icy pastels, grays, and very cool jewel tones like orchid or magenta) are not good for me, but neither are most truly warm colors - mustard, oranges that go to brown, beiges and tans. White makes me glow; cream and off white makes me look flat. But there are lots of shades of nearly every other color that work great. Slightly soft jewel tones are terrific: emerald is a current favorite. All reds until they go too tomato or too brown. Virtually every blue. A lot of yellows as long as they don't go green or gold. All of the warm pinks, from coral to rose to watermelon. I really can't be put in a box, either! My hair tints blonde-red-brown, but my skin is pink and white.

But the good thing about my colors, and yours, are that now you know what they are. There are a lot of them, spanning seasons. And you can wear most color combinations, if you tweak the colors just slightly.

Like the pale blue and bright red: Super pale blue and tomato red are neither good colors for me. But I like the combination with a lighter medium blue, that's soft rather than icy, and a true red or darker red, not tomato. Those are good colors for me, and let me enjoy the combination. I bet you could tweak that combination as well to suit you.

Mel

Angie- thanks for the input! I'll have to think about black again...I've always thought it makes me look bright because black sure isn't! But I also know it's one of my "safe" colors...when I don't know what to wear or don't feel like thinking about what to wear, I just put on black.
As for the pastels, I do wear a more saturated mint. It's the pale ones that I feel suck the life out of me. I did, however, just purchase a pale mint J Crew blazer off ebay as an experiment, hoping to combine it with dark denim or a mint midi and a mixed floral "warm brights" blouse.
Ginger- emerald has got to be one of the greatest colors out there! But for me it's been a discovery....I bought my first emerald clothing item online a year ago and hated it when it arrived. But I at least tried it on, and WOW! The color just infuses me with energy.

Kathleen M

From your list it sounds like a saturation thing. I'm the same way; colors that are either desaturated or muddied tend not to look as good on me (especially if they are also warm). There's warm and cool but there's also saturation and contrast to take into account.