Color Combinations…I had to laugh…but, then…

Vicki

I pulled these two images off of Pinterest and I had to laugh at the titles and the typos which I fixed with correction fluid. But, when I studied these a bit more, it seems these color combinations actually do make it easier to pair things up in the closet. I recall many many years ago in early 2000s when I used a Nordstrom personal shopper on one occasion to go to Europe, she had me buy camel slacks and gray slacks and she selected a couple of shirts and blouses to go with them. One of them was a French blue similar to what I see here. So there may be something to these colors that have staying power and endure over time.

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1 month ago

Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from Vicki

Irina

Veteran

Well, I sadly don’t have old money but these are the colors that I wear
With the new addition of burgundy and possibility of adding a pink shirt (wanted to do it for a long time), all of these are represented in my closet. Some of the color combinations are unexpected, I’m going to pay close attention to it.

1 month ago

Kate

Veteran

No old money here either, but like Irina, these are the colors I wear, with the addition of plum and burgundy. I feel soothed, just looking at these charts!

1 month ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Fun thread Vicki! Maybe there is something to it, as you found previously. Being rich is all relative of course and also how rich one wishes to appear!
I will study them more closely as well out of interest now.

1 month ago

LJP

Veteran

Another one lacking old money , but I too feel calmed and relaxed by these colour pairings . Nothing new necessarily but a good reminder as to what looks great with what , regardless of silhouette changes or trends .

1 month ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Some of these combos are the kinds of muted colors paired for low-contrast that are right up my not-so-rich alley! I like tofu + silver blue, sage green + gray, cloudy blue + army green.

1 month ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Glad you found the palette info and suggestions useful, Vicki - and others too!

I don't come from old money either.

I wear two of the colour combinations shown here:

1. navy and whites

2. navy, whites and browns.

For the rest, my outfits are non-neutral from head-to-toe, or have non-neutral components.

1 month ago

Runcarla

Veteran

I prefer a limited colour palette for mix and match-ability, and the ones you are looking at are easy on the eyes in a soothing and tasteful kind of way. However, some of the wealthiest women with the oldest money wear whatever they want - including prints and brights. I’m thinking of European royalty like Queen Maxima, the late QEII, Victoria of Sweden, the POW, etc.

The soothing, monochromatic or low contrast colour schemes seem more aligned with professional women who want to be known for their professional acumen and not necessarily for a colourful style of dress, and therefore more of a ‘new money - I earned it myself’ aesthetic IMO.

1 month ago

Star (Lise)

Veteran

Astute observations CARLA. I have been drawn to these quieter colour combinations in recent years. Maybe it is more about age than money. Thanks for sharing VICKI, I too am going to check it out in depth.

1 month ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

No old money here either and never completely understood the aspiration to appear that one does. I tend to agree with Carla - true old money wears whatever it wants to wear. But these are appealing combinations for lots of other reasons.

1 month ago

Dee

Veteran

Seems a soothing neutral colour palette to adopt if you like it, old money or not. Gotta love how everything these days has to have an identifiable label,

1 month ago

Suntiger

Veteran

No old money, nor new money here either, but aside from swapping the light blue for dark denim, this is my palette these days. It really simplifies my life, and makes me much happier with my outfits overall.

1 month ago

RobinF

Veteran

I had to print the "old money" one for some outfit inspiration! I do some of these without thinking but can always use new ideas.

1 month ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I love what Carla and Jaime said!

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is the most stylish royal of all time, IMO. I can't think of anyone with more royal elegance and modern chic spunk and verve than her. She is extremely popular in the Netherlands for all sorts of reasons. Deservingly so!

1 month ago

The Cat

Veteran

IMHO, some of those colour combos just look boring. And whether you want to look rich or not, you don't need to look boring.

Christine Lagarde, president of rhe European Central Bank and one of the most stylish women I know about, wears a wide variety of interesting colour combos and wears non-neutrals with panache.

1 month ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Soothing to the eye -- neutral or near neutrals of faux neutrals. I do think these combinations have lasting power. I don't wear many of them, though...navy, white or ivory (with, maybe? brown, yes -- though in my case, rarely the brown). tofu and silver blue, sure... but that's about it. Then again, that's pretty much all I wear, period, LOL.

1 month ago

avicennia

Veteran

This is hilarious! These combos work best for spring and autumn skin tones. As a winter the only ones that work for me are white, black and grey; navy and white; navy and black. Most of these combos would make me look dowdy. Where did you find this Vickie?

1 month ago

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

This became such a fun post when I read everybody’s comments and I completely agree. I am not old money, just old, and I echo what Angie said about the comments Carla and Jaime mentioned on the notable royals who look spectacular and follow their own tastes and preferences. Avicennia, it was a random image I saw on Pinterest. At the time I was planning a trip to Paris so I printed them out to help me stay minimal in my packing. Like some here I choose to wear navy, denim, white and some camel, but I’m always throwing in some muted greens, cranberry or burgundy. As Irini said above, I have been thinking about a pink shirt and then I thought, “Vicki, don’t do it,” because I’m not sure and I would want to get the “pink“ right. But for me, it’s always the adventure and the hunt so who knows, it could happen. Thank you everyone for your wonderful and very interesting comments. I so enjoyed it and this made my day!

1 month ago

Sal

Veteran

It's quite interesting isn't it that a colour combo can be associated with old money...

I wear a fair few neutrals but I don't often wear these colour combinations - they are mostly a bit muted for me and I don't wear pale blue well......In saying that today I am wearing a taupe top with neutral plaid pants and white sneakers.....

1 month ago

JAileen

Veteran

I read once that Queen Elizabeth dressed so people would see her. That’s why she would wear lime green - not because she loved it, but so people could spot her in a crowd.

Another here without old money. Who are those people, anyway? My own favorite colors are blue, grey and olive. I also like a little pale pink and red.

1 month ago

Sloper

Veteran

The whole recent “Old Money” trend is too funny. My only experience has been with the fringes of old money (college friends and some very distant acquaintances during my New York days). And in those days it was Izod, LL Bean, Brooks Brothers, and a bit dowdy (I.e. classic pieces worn forever and handed down).

Nevertheless these color combinations are beautiful!

1 month ago

Star (Lise)

Veteran

VICKI look at the last combination of the first pic, in the bottom right hand corner. That pink will be the right one for your palette. Blush. I think it was also referred to as Millenial Pink years ago.

1 month ago

Carol

(website)

Veteran

French blue is one of my favorites right now, and I keep talking about it, but I'm not sure I actually own any. Must remedy that.

They are great combinations, and yes, more of an "old money" style does seem to play in neutrals. But I think their staying power lies in color theory--these are the colors that would mesh together in an old painting of a docked shipyard, or a village building.

3 weeks ago

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

Star (Lise), you have a great eye for color and I think you are spot on in recommending this particular tone of pink for me. Blush. Millennial. It looks muted and dusty to my eye. Thank you.

Carol, yes, it is color theory, isn’t it, and I loved the imagery you evoked with the use of these colors in the art world and classic buildings that draw upon the hues of the sea and nature.

3 weeks ago

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