On my recent recap, LisaP wondered if her feeling that her closet lacks cohesion might be a result of buying in too many different colours.

I started a reply on that thread but then decided it might get too involved, so decided to begin a new thread instead.

First off, I think there are many ways to achieve cohesion in one's wardrobe -- if that is a goal. (It isn't, for everyone!) But deciding on which colours -- or rather -- which neutrals will form the spine of your closet — might be the easiest and fastest way. It is also likely to save one money, over time.

When I started on YLF I literally had nothing to wear that fit me. My closet, such as it was, was a mish-mash of hand-me-downs and thrift store finds. Nothing worked together and I had no defined style.

As I was flailing around, trying to come up with a style identity, some wise forum member advised me to figure out my core neutrals and colours before starting to make significant purchases. For me, it was really good advice.

I think the idea possibly came from another blog. I'm not sure. Others here might recall.

In any case, I started with the neutrals and narrowed things down to navy or ink for the dark neutral (because while black was prevalent and looks okay on me I prefer myself in blue and wear a lot of denim), white for the light neutral, and (at the time) taupe for a medium neutral. As my hair went grey, grey became my medium neutral. (I also wear some charcoal as a secondary dark neutral.)

These neutrals echo my own colouring -- blue eyes, cool toned skin, silver grey hair (now) with bits of white showing at the front. So right away, if I buy essential items and/or bags/ footwear in those colours, I have closet cohesion and an element of harmony to my look, whatever else I do.

To recap: if harmony is a goal, picking your neutrals in tones that work with your own self will help you achieve that.

It will also give your closet cohesion.

My colour palette has tended towards those colours that have been lifetime favourites -- reds, berries, fuchsia, bright blues, some purples or lilacs. They work with my neutrals and keep me focused. But, as you can see from this year, it is also possible for me to add new-to-me colours -- and not at all a bad thing.

I tend to mix brights with a neutral or wear all neutrals with one bright, or (more recently) monochrome brights (chiefly red). But that is not the only way to go. Brooklyn, for instance, doesn't wear brights except for some white. She wears many colours -- some of them truly bespoke! Blended to perfection! And sometimes nary a neutral among them, unless you count burgundy (which I do!) or even teal as neutral. But notice her whiskey coloured sandals and brown boots, for example, and her gold, copper, bronze or brass jewellery -- these tones echo her dark honey coloured hair and create the glue to hold it all together.

To take another example, Angie's wardrobe is far more colour rich than mine and brighter than Brooklyn's and she will wear different brights together.

But she still builds on core neutrals and there are still neutrals she does not wear. She doesn't wear black and rarely rarely rarely wears grey. Neutrals are navy and ink (dark), white and cream (light) and lately, her "medium" neutral might be whiskey or toffee tones. She also wears some browns -- but more as a "colour." Red can serve aa a neutral for her, too, including burgundy.

Anyway -- point is, there are different ways to approach all of this, but for me wardrobe cohesion starts with deciding on one's neutrals. If cohesion is a goal, it's useful to identify the key light and dark neutrals at minimum. You can do what you like with the complementary pieces -- go crazy!

Okay, lecture for the day over! With my apologies for boring anyone who has read this far! Clearly I need to get back to the classroom, LOL. :0

But if you have read this far, I'd love to hear your own thoughts on this subject!

ETA: my collection of neutral for me items (and yes, some are patterned and include some colour, but in that case the pattern is either in 2 or 3 of my neutrals, or the neutral background dominates.

And my coloured items. . And yes, there are some blues in there -- these are blues primarily worn for their brighter or lighter colour, and/or even if the navy background dominates, the colours pop and that is the main attraction of the article for me.