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Finding my neutrals-meet the browns-rutheless purgers needed

celia

Veteran

I have been enjoying so much everybody's journey to find their best colors that I decided to do this also for myself.
Looking at my closet I realized that I had items of every neutral(or so I though , but I will get there)so I decided to try to base my outfits around a neutral each week.

The neutral that seemed more obvious for me was brown because those are my hair and eye color.It was not very easy because the weather was not cold enough to wear things as my fur vest

#1This cardigan is old, the tunic is new and the pants are my former bootcut made slimmer because they were too short as a bootcut.I guess they don't work that well as slimmer pants either. I really like the colors of the tunic but have to try it with some skinny jeans .

#2 I guess this outfit works better in person than it looks on photo. The orange is a more deeper one. Still, nothing great.

#3 This dress has been in the donation pile and back numerous times and while there is not fundamentally wrong about it, the fabric, a woven cotton is too stiff, imo.

#4 This is my favorite outfit of the week.

Conclusions of the week:
a)I don't have that many brown items as I though.There are more warm camel tones and burned oranges than browns.

b) A diet of only brown is depressing for me. I do like some splashes of brown like in the print of the first tunic or the animal print scarf or even on shoes or boots, but I feel that just brown makes me look very neutral(in a bad way)

c)To create high contrast outfits with brown I have to wear either creams(which takes the outfits to another level of blah) or light blues. The shade of orange that I like, teal and burgundy create very low contrast outfits that are overwelming for me, and more on the side of warm color than deeper color.

You have a free pass to share your thoughts on this outfits and conclusions.I would like to know your opinion .

The ruthless purging is meant for the pants in #1 and the dress in #3. Should they stay or should they go?

Sorry for the big post and thank you for looking.

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15 replies

Latest reply was from geargirl

qpswan

As a sister scorpio, I want to give you a hug...

#2 really works for me-it highlights your slim waist.

I had a safari dress (pic 3) and I donated it - I just couldn't style it to my liking. I also think that you can do better than the trousers in the first photo, so I vote donate.

Besides adding colour to your neutrals, think texture as well with croc and shiny gold accessories etc. Bright scarves are another way to add interest and colour. Look for patterned blouses that contain orange and teal; perhaps small hits of these colours will less overwhelming.

Good luck!

shiny

Veteran

Purge both.

At first I was going to say "you look great in beige" but then I got to pic 4 and just... WOW!! Those are much much better colors on you! Despite your brown hair I think you are cool toned. I can't be sure; not an expert.

You just look so awesome in pic 4. Navy/Blues should be one of your neutrals, for sure. Note how the safari dress was saved just by the addition of the denim jacket -- this is pointing you towards navy as a neutral.

I also think you pull off the bright/clear shades (pic 4) better than the muted/soft (pic 2). Pic 4 top is not orange, right? It doesn't look orange at all on my computer.

I like the cardigan in pic 1; on my computer it is reading as a blue-based chocolate brown? Also I note that the bag in pic 4 has more of a cool, blue undertone to it? You can pull of brown, it just has to be the right shade of brown.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Good work on taking photos and requesting help. It always reveals a lot to me to look at my photos, seeing myself as others might.

Now, as to your pieces. #1- the pants are okay for a neutral, but I think you might like them better if they were a bit slimmer and shorter yet, making ankle pants. The cardigan is too dark and too short to my eye for the tunic. The tunic might be a little too long for these pants unless they were slimmer; I say that because it looks like the tunic drags on the pants instead of draping freely. The colors are not bad- I think the proportions could be tweaked.

#2 nice colors and a basic fall look. Is it just me or does anyone else agree that the shirttail showing at the bottom of the sweater is getting a little dated? Anyway, I'd like to see this with the blouse tucked in and the sleeves rolled up a little more for a sharper look.

#3 yes you can purge this dress. The beige is just too much colorless ness, even though you like and look great in browns- darker browns are probably better on you.

#4 Very pretty top and scarf. Now have you thought of taking in the beige pants more and pairing with this red top? Please don't take this too hard, but something here seems like you've gone in the opposite direction and have too much color with the really blue jeans, which are FAB, by the way.

Bottom line, keep the pants and take them in some more, pair with brighter tops.
Shorten the tunic or wear with the black leggings in 3.
Purge the dress.
Pair the bright blue jeans with darker/duller brown, like a soft chestnut, dark taupe or even mahogany which is close to your hair color.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Celia - I LOVE this challenge you have set for yourself. This is the way to learn it. Wow. I should have thought of something like this. I guess for me, the neutrals that were already in my closet were black, grey (in winter), and navy/ ink. But I wouldn't have had a week's worth of outfits from any one of those, I don't think.

Anyway, on to your brown. I agree absolutely about #1. If you take that tunic and cardi and pair them with some great jeans, you'll have a great outfit. The colours are really rich on you and lovely.

I also like #2, and you have given me an idea; I have some cowl neck tops that look not nice on me but I had never thought to pair them with button downs underneath. So now I plan to try that; thank you!

I think #3 can go to donate. But I might be biased because I have developed a slightly poisoned eye for puff sleeves.

#4 is fantastic! It looks wonderful on you!

It sounds as if you feel you look better in outfits with some contrast vs. outfits that are tonal or low contrast. That makes sense with your fair skin and dark hair/ eyes. This whole contrast issue is one that I have only lately figured out at all. Well, I haven't figured it out. Maybe just say it is an issue I have only begun to think about!

Thank you for a very educational post.

Krista

Veteran

Celia,
I think we have similar coloring, except for the fact that I have a huge white streak in my hair at the front. I also have quite a bit of brown in my closet, but I am noticing that it's not working for me as well as it used to. I am starting to purge it out and am really trying to keep only deep shades of brown, similar to my hair color, and thus I am purging the khaki, cognac, etc. I am also trying to make sure that I wear complementary colors to brown (e.g. purple, light blue etc) closer to my face so that I don't look as washed out.

In this vein, I think you can keep the tops in #1 but I think you can donate the pants. I agree with Suz that the tops in #1 with jeans, especially dark skinny jeans, would be awesome.

In #2, I think that the linen/beige tone of the button-down isn't as flattering as a white or black or navy shirt. The whole outfit is quite chic, I just think the layer under the sweater needs to be of higher contrast.

In #3, I think you can donate the dress. I'm sorry, I just don't think it's flattering on you. And I say that because....

#4 is wickedly awesome and you look amazing!!!! You can totally carry off bright tones and high contrast outfits. If I were you, I might even consider ditching brown almost entirely and going towards deep navy tones, purples, reds and black. I think you can totally carry it off - but it's all down to personal comfort for you, of course!

Anonymous

I love #2! And #3 with the jacket - FAB! And the scarf and bag in #4!

JR

Veteran

I think brown, at least dark brown, works well on you, but you need to pair it with something that provides contrast: either a bright colour, or cream, burnt orange. There is probably a shade of tan calling your name too.

The dress is cute, but I think you're right. It's too stiff, which spreads the skirt out too wide and doesn't flatter you. In a more fluid fabric, it would be lovely on you.

It would be fun to see you in dark chocolate pants, with a rust-coloured top, and that wonderful scarf from #4, which truly was a great outfit. Do keep in mind that I am in no way a colour consultant. You listen to me at your own risk.

Gaylene

Veteran

Follow your instincts. Picture #4 is by far the best-- no wonder it was your favorite.

I'm inclined to agree with Shiny that contrast seems to work better for you than muted tones, and that tans and muddy colors don't work as well in bringing out your gorgeous coloring. As for those pants and that dress, I'm definitely in the toss category. But you probably should take that toss comment with the understanding that I have a poisoned eye for anything that does not fit perfectly. And, while I'm being bossy, I'd also think long and hard before adding any more beige to your wardrobe. You look so wonderful in the colors that I can't see why you would want to stick to those mid-brownish tones of camel, beige, and creams as your neutral.

But I'm going to end with the same disclaimer as JR; I'm no expert and you listen to me at your own risk!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

You have received a lot of great advice and thoughts already on this thread. I think the contrast thing is really at work here - your skin and hair are high contrast so maybe that works better in your clothes as well. You also look great with blue, which works well with brown too. Neither the pants in 1 or the dress flatter you and you should purge.

celia

Veteran

Thank you for your thoughtful answers.
First of all I wanted to say that I didn't realized that before but #4 is translating very badly the colors of the outfit. The shirt is orange, and the pants are a very faded denim, almost more grey than blue.

@qpswan -hi scorpio :), in recent years with various help from YLF, I did discover some colors that do look good on me, namely certain shades of orange an teal. My challenge has been finding a neutral that works with all of them in a way that looks balanced on me.

@shiny- sorry for the misleading quality of photo #4, but you are right, deeper tones look better than muted ones, and the brown of the cardigan in #1 has a pink undertone, not yellow.
I am not sure if I am more warm or cool coloring, I just know that deeper colors usually work better.And you might be onto something with navy.

@cjh- I think I don't want to spend any more money in altering this pants, they just not seem worth it.Thank you for the suggestions of outfits.

@Suz- I had forgotten about that other black mark against this dress, the puff sleeves, not so much because of the shape but because they are unconfortable to wear.
By tonal do you mean in the same family of colors? Because I have no issue of pairing dark blue with light blue , for example, I just prefer that one of the tones is significantly lighter than the other.

Krista- perhaps we do have the same kind of coloring, wouldn't that be cool?I realized that I don't have that much brown in my closet so I am not really very bothered for it not to be the best neutral.
In #2 the shirt has a pattern with the same orange of the vest.

shabbychick- thank you.

JR-I think warm camel might be calling for me

Gaylene- I don't want to stick with mud browns, just experiment, and you are right, no beige, but maybe some nice camel.

shevia- thank you.

Thistle

Veteran

I would purge them both.

I really love your coloring with those brighter colors, and with navy. Perhaps a richer more chocolate brown would serve As a better neutral for you and would give more contrast against those rich bright colors that look so good on you.

That jacket in three is so fab on you! I really like it on you.

I really like four on you, especially the color!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Celia, my apologies, I didn't express myself very well. I did mean by "tonal" outfits that combined different tones of the same colour (so light and darker blue) but in my imagination I was thinking they would be similar colour values as well, so not so high contrast... but I can see that they could in fact be high contrast. And I understand why high contrast would work well on you.

celia

Veteran

Suz, I was not very sure what tonal meant.But I can see how you would visualize it as various shades of taupe, for example

KathyL

Veteran

You have already gotten a lot of good advice, but just wanted to add that you look really good in brighter colors and blues. I would definitely purge the dress ... material is too stiff and the color too drab. The pants are just ok, so purge if they don't make you happy.

geargirl

I would agree to purge both. I actually think they both look fine-but not FAB! I've been slowly eliminating the items that are just OK in my closet to ensure I wear the items I love more! So be ruthless! I think it is worth it in the long run.

p.s. Sometimes I "cheat" with my purging. I put an item in a drawer or bag that is out of the way. If I don't miss an item, off it goes! No guilt.