Bookending when grey is on the horizon

kellygirl

I'm not sure whether this has been covered yet but how hard is it going to be to wear cognac footwear with grey/silver hair? Will it not be an issue if there is a cognac belt or other accent? Would love your thoughts.

10 years ago

Dressing

15 replies

Latest reply was from Lyn D.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Can TOTALLY wear cognac with greying hair, Kelly. Cognac belt, bag or a warm print will pull together the cognac sufficiently well.

10 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I had given up any form of brown before I grew out my dye, but I will say that I'm now more interested in silver or white footwear than I ever was.

I think that as long as it's present somewhere else you'd be fine. No longer "bookending" per say, but still purposeful.

10 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

Thanks, Angie and Elizabeth! Going grey is definitely on my mind. After reading Una's post about her quest for color, I was kind of wondering where my closet might be headed in the next few years. I've also noticed how striking Elizabeth is in her colors (and the absence of warmer colors in her wardrobe) while Sharan looks radiant in the warm neutrals--olives and golds. I've developed a huge crush on cognac--glad that I will be able to continue to wear them!

10 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Exciting!

10 years ago

Anonymous

This is one reason why I am concerned about going grey. Right now I have my color schemes firmly in hand. If I go grey, I throw a wrench into those schemes. I can't take any more change in 2015.

10 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

You seem a way off from being really grey kellygirl. I've found that I still have enough warm tones in my hair and skin to do some warm colors, even though I'm turning more white/gray in areas (highlights I call them). I don't know if this will be the case in another few years, but for now it seems okay. I also still love deep olive green and some other warm shades but I have kind of switched a little away from the ruddier tones just because those weren't the most flattering on me in general with my skin coloring - not so much due to my hair.

10 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

@Tex: I think I'm probably a few years off. I have noticed a lot more coarse grey hairs popping up here and there and a general lightening of my natural hair color. I've read that when your hair greys, skin tone does change a bit too. My mom is in her early 80s and is completely grey but her hair looks white. She still has a warm skin tone and looks good in some earth tones but looks excellent in most jewel tones. I'm thinking I may be the same. Thanks for sharing your experience too. Honestly, I didn't even know you had grey!

10 years ago

JAileen

Veteran

My hair is very silvery and I still wear cognac. My new favorite colors are grey, dark blue and olive. Dark blue and olive were already in my wardrobe, so I just added grey for the first time. So while I've been buying a lot of grey, the cognac I already had looks nice with all of these colors. I agree with repeating it in an outfit.

10 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

Check out this blog:http://www.styleatacertainage.com

This blogger does lots of shades of brown. I do find that some of her color combinations don't seem right to me. As I go through my own color change I find that certain warm colors don't seem right any more. With gray being more popular it has been easier to try new combinations. Without realizing it my shoe colors have become more compatible with lighter hair. I've bought gray booties and then on sale the same ones in brown. I wear the gray ones a lot and have a hard time finding a reason to wear the browns. It's a process and takes time. I also have a lot more blue in my wardrobe now.

As my hair grows out to natural, it is strange to see that all the warm tones have disappeared.

10 years ago

Aida

Veteran

Kelly cognac is going to be mid-contrast against your skin so it should still work as a great lower-contrast option for you.

10 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Following with interest!

10 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I think kind of what Aida said.
With footwear, first, you don't always have to bookend hair, though it works for me better than wearing very light footwear as a main approach.
But, the "warm" or "cool" aspects are not so relevant for footwear as for tops and toppers which are right by your "head", meaning, skin and hair, in case for example they are in 2 different color directions.
So, I look better in cool colors for tops than a warm cognac or even a warm brown, so while I don't target warm browns for a lot of footwear, just because it's not in my major palette, I could wear those colors in footwear to work with pants or skirts if that makes a good outfit or capsule.
Not sure what colors you think you will be targeting for "face colors" but you still have a lot of flexibility in footwear and accessories regardless. I like adding warm leather tones even to "cool" outfits.

10 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

I'm reading this with interest as I am strongly contemplating an end to hair dye in the next few months. I don't even know what my natural color is anymore, but I assume there is more gray than anything else.

10 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

My two cents - I love cognac shoes and bags despite generally preferring cool colors and avoiding most browns. Angie put the idea in my head a while back and I love combining a bit of cognac with blues, black and white. Her recent ensemble of black, white and cognac is a great example that I am playing with, and there are others in the archives.

10 years ago

Lyn D.

Veteran

Great question!
I think you can still wear cognac whilst you have some darker shades in your hair, and beyond with the right accessories.

10 years ago

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