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Be Gone Grey!

Thistle

Veteran

I have had another realization. I don't like grey anywhere near my face. Not any color or shade. I love it on others and think it looks elegant and modern. Just, not on me.

I have even crossed any sweater with grey in it off my "wishlist".

I am still torn on grey trousers as they are away from my face. I won't purge any that fit (heck, I don't ever purge trousers that fit!!) But, I seldom like grey trousers with anything but a black top anyway. No idea why just yet, but I will think further on it.

Any color you have banished from your wardrobe that you otherwise like? Or like on others?

Dressing

28 replies

Latest reply was from

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

You are on a ROLL Thistle with your style realizations! I am so impressed how you are taking charge and making your wardrobe work for you, not the other way around.

jackiec

Veteran

Good points! I don't mind grey on me but make a point to swoosh on some blush, and I often throw on a burgundy infinity scarf for a pop of colour. I love greys with cognacs and have been doing that often. I agree with TS that it's great to seeing you take charge of your fashion choices! Hurrah

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thistle, you GO!! The more of these realizations you have now, the surer your next steps will be!

Funny, but I was actually thinking the opposite today -- I adore grey on myself. But even though it is an excellent neutral for me, I can easily overdose on it in winter, especially where I live, where the pavement is grey (when there's no snow); the lake is grey; the sky is grey; the houses are mostly made of grey stone. I think if I lived in a very snowy place and/or a green place like Seattle my tolerance would be higher.

So, while I'll never banish grey from my wardrobe, I absolutely need to mix it up with other neutrals and colours or else it depressed the heck out of me -- flattering or not!

I've banished most colours from my wardrobe except for berries (including cranberry & fuchsia), blues, and teal. But I like them all on others.

Alassë

Veteran

Another excellent realization, Thistle!

Beth Ann

Veteran

Me too! But I love the look of so much grey on others, and I imagine them as so sophisticated in their neutrals, next to me, looking like a bad stereotype of a Mary Kay sales leader (well, my Barbie had a pink car).

I find Navy hard to "match" but I love it as neutral when I need a break from black. Also, how would you feel about a tweedy charcoal? I could see the texture in that kind of fabric as a break from your flat black trousers?

Vildy

Veteran

When my hair was a mix of blonde, bronze, grey, I wore a lot of light grey as it was luminous on me. When I decided I wanted a stronger color for my hair, the grey immediately looked blah. I got rid of almost all of it, including pants, including well-fitting pants. I happen to like the calm, streamlined look of inner or outer column of color, so what was I gonna do with the pants.

I also have gotten rid of a lot of black, which used to be a favorite color, but I'm feeling more like choosing something in a color instead of black. I used to wear a lot of Indian red or slightly brickish red and I notice that I haven't been choosing it lately.

shiny

Veteran

I've made the realization lately that grey is my navy: in that it is softer and less aging on me, than black, but plays a similar function in my closet. I could never get navy to work, but grey works. It can't be any grey, however. It needs to have a blue undertone. This is true whether it's a charcoal or lighter gray. But yes, I still like to pop a colorful scarf around my neck, or wear a layer of white under the top or topper.

I actually got sick of grey awhile back since the market was totally saturated with light grey (sweatshirt grey) that I would wear with silver hardware. So I took a long rest. But now I'm crazy about all things grey, and I'm finding there are many many more interesting shades around, and I'm particularly liking the look of a medium or darker blue-grey with gold hardware.

Colors I've banished: anything that does not have a blue, murky undertone. I have one or two exceptions, and would make exceptions for bags/shoes.

Windchime

Veteran

LOL, Thistle, when I saw your title, I thought you might be writing about grey hair!

Somewhat to my surprise, I've come to realize that grey is a really good neutral on me. And it harmonizes well with almost all the other colors I wear.

I wish I could wear camel. I've seen a lot of it this fall and admire how it looks on others, but it totally washes me out. Maybe I could try it as a bottom, but I suspect the colors which would look best with it would also be unflattering on me.

Thistle

Veteran

Ha! I have been fortunate on that front. My hair color either doesn't show grey or I am late to grey.

lyn67

Veteran

Grey is one of my beloved neutrals, and I love it nearby my face, too. I'm sure this has to do with our complexion, hair and eye color (I am low contrast, low color, greyish(blue/green) eyed, sand blonde girl-so it's no wonder).

Then, I love taupe/tan/camel too-as it bookends my hair color so well. BUT not in big amounts around my face, when it easily washes me out! I had to learn my lessons hard and still doing mistakes. Last early fall(2013) I fell in love and bought a sequined sweater in a lighter bronze/taupeish antique gold(had a great tan back then and it bookended my hair so well) but as my skin had lost it's summer tan I simply couldn't bare it on me so it was a big error thinking it will do great for an Xmass function-it horribly washes me out and makes me 2 sizes bigger. My heart is broken, again:-(.

Elly

Veteran

I used to refuse to wear grey thinking that it looked horrible on me-- that was the time period when grey was everywhere worn with a lot of purple and most of it was light or cool grey. This year I've rediscovered that I can wear it if I take some care with it and that is a good thing considering I'd like to lighten up on occasion and look rubbish in pastels and white.

Gaylene

Veteran

Banishment is much easier than "trying to work with" our clothing. When you want to spend your time concentrating on other areas of your life, I think banishment is totally the way to go.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I bat for the same team as you, Thistle. Go for it.

I'm not a fan of grey for own style either. It depresses me when I wear it. I can appreciate it on others though, and charcoal grey is gorgeous on Greg. xo

Eliza

Veteran

Thistle- you wear teal so beautifully by your face- if you want to save gray skirts or trousers it may be worth a try as a lot colors pair well with gray bottoms- blues, greens, berry, to start.

Very impressed with your thoughtful approach to this phase, as ever!

shedev

Veteran

I used to have no love for grey, but then I realized that it just pairs so well with the colors I like to wear. It's become an essential in my closet.

Lights and brights have pretty much been banished from my closet.

Eliminating things you don't love will really help to streamline getting dressed. I think your fashion mojo is returning.

Dimity

My school uniform was grey, so I didn't wear much grey during the past twenty odd years to compensate for the dowdy memories. Then I realised that I actually like charcoal grey and am moving towards that and away from black. Grey against my face is still out, though. A great way to look sick if I want some sympathy!

Staysfit

Veteran

I think I overdosed on light heather gray when I had a hard time finding neutrals to go with my new light summer colors. I am liking it better than black or navy, and it's definitely better than camel!! Having said this, I made a deal with myself that I wouldn't purchase any more gray for fall and winter.
I definitely like gray for my slacks, jeans and skirts. I like it less near my face, but I don't hate it. My eyes have some gray in them so it changes my eye color. I absolutely do not wear black except for shoes/boots- and as these wear out I am replacing them with lighter colors.

Meredith

Veteran

There are too many other neutrals to waste time on grey if you don't love it. I Admit I am drawn to grey, but am not sure it is my best. Certain browns near my face are really bad, so I don't even bother with brown.

DonnaF

Veteran

Don't worry, Thistle; I have picked up your quotient of gray. At this moment, I am wearing gray from head to toe. Well, no; my fingernails are silver but my toenails are unpolished (but my clogs are gray fabric). I find that gray as well as black'n'white and black'n'gray work well with my graying hair. Charcoal works best; pale bluish gray not so much. Emphasizing the gray in my hair is part of my path to self-acceptance.

Thistle

Veteran

Eliza - Oooh, I hadn't thought of that! And teal is a staple color for me. As are berries, which also look good with grey (I think). So now I have something to pair with my grey trousers

Helena

Veteran

Good fro you Thistle - if it doesn't work, toss it!!
I have a love/hate relationship with gray - I definitely prefer light "clear" gray to the darker ones, generally.
I am currently in the process of banishing brights as I find I don't love them as I used to ... although that could be seasonal.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thistle, I think you are doing splendidly - nothing like a new baby to inspire a style self-analysis, isn't it?
Grey is not my best color as well. The only exception is a dove grey and charcoal because these greys have purple in them and everything purple has my name on it.
However even if grey does not excite me by itself there are some color combinations I absolutely love: grey and yellow, grey and pink, grey and purple. Light grey has an amazing quality to serve as a foil for brighter colors and make them more sophisticated. Actually the same is true for gardening: combining bright colors with soft grey-green leaves is one of my favorite color combinations in the garden!

Interestingly some of my favorite wardrobe workhorses are grey: dove grey satchel, charcoal gilet, donkey grey tall boots...hmm, I have more grey than I thought I do...:-)

Sara L.

Veteran

I used to love grey, but now I like it best for bottoms. It's less stark than black. However, I don't think it's that flattering near my face. Grey tops always look kind of blah on me.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I feel the same way about medium heather gray. But I like a non-heather greenish (warm) gray or taupe-gray on me. The heather gray makes me look drab and makes my hair look dull; the warmer, smooth tones seem to brighten me up.

MuseumGal

Veteran

I think grey pants look smashing with navy. They will look great with your teals and berries too. Add a silver necklace or earrings and you are fab for days.

Adelfa

Veteran

I love gray, but I've been purging navy and ink. I really enjoyed my foray into those colors, but they don't really work with the rest of my wardrobe, and I don't feel fab in them. So that's my color realization for the Fall.

Anonymous

Thistle, you are wise to keep a pair of well-fitting pants, but if you don't care for grey, you can stop any more of it from infiltrating your wardrobe. Black is a natural pairing for them, but I also like the suggestions of teal or any kind of berry or wine color with grey. Navy and grey are old friends as well (although maybe not a navy blazer or you might look like a prep school student or security guard, lol). You're on the right track! BTW, when my hair was an even, medium brown, I couldn't stand any shade of grey on myself either.

Anonymous

Thistle, your revelations are wonderful and will advance your style journey. I love it when Angie asks if we are Team "X" or Team "Y" because I have to think what works best for me. It has simplified shopping.
I have banished dark teal but love it on others, especially if it brings out blue in their eyes. It just makes me look like I have the flu. I don't like teal-ish navy either.