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How conscious is your palette?

viva

Veteran

This weekend I purchased the striped Ann Taylor sweater that Angie recently featured. (I think Tanya has it, too.) I really love it and wore it yesterday to the theater. It fits beautifully and it does, indeed, have beautiful drape as Angie said. But as I hung it in my closet I noticed that I suddenly have A LOT of blue and green. I don't think it's really sudden; it's happened over the last year or so, with culling things I am not wearing and picking up a new top here and there.

When I step back and look at my closet, here is what I see:
dominant: black and gray
strong: blue and green
accents: orange/red and citron (mostly just that dress!)

There doesn't really seem to be a color story here except that there IS COLOR.

I know some of you are very conscious about having a narrow palette. I feel like I am more organic or impulsive about color. Is my emotional buying across the spectrum a problem?

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Dressing

40 replies

Latest reply was from viva

Tanya

Veteran

I do not think it is a problem at all ( and yes, I have the AT sweater, too, though I am yet to wear it as it has been very cold here). As long as you like all the colors you have and wear them, to me it is a positive.
I have lots of colors in my wardrobe: neutrals are black, navy, white, grays and some taupe, colors are all shades of blue, pink/berry/purple, burgundy, with just a touch of green. While not absolutely every color goes with every other one, for each colored item there are plenty of things to wear it with. I do not think everyone ever looks at colors in our wardrobes as a whole other than ourselves

Joy

Veteran

When building a wardrobe, I tried very hard to have a color pallette, but have failed miserably in trying to stick too it. I had been trying to do what a friend did who has an entire wardrobe of pink, purple and turquoise that she loves. I found myself craving colors that I had deliberately excluded and delighted in adding colors definitely not part of my plan. I've given up and try to have basic light and dark neutrals to support a range of color.
I do better so far limiting colors to certain seasons. That way I can still wear them but not all the time. Now that I want all my clothes to fit in one closet instead of seasonal change outs, this is not working as well.

RobinF

Veteran

I think I am more like you, impulsive about color. I have considered trying to have a narrow palette but think I would get bored. I'm not sure if it is a problem, I would guess if it works then it's not.

Bijou

Veteran

I have many colours in my wardrobe and like to keep it that way. I too am impulsive with colour some of the time. I enjoy wearing colour, so having it in my wardrobe makes sense for me. However, like Tanya, it does mean that I will have mini capsules within my wardrobe, not everything co-ordinates. If you want a smaller more cohesive wardrobe, then it makes sense to have a defined colour palette.

When I see your items in finds, the colours make me feel happy (I would love to have these in my wardrobe). If the items bring you joy, so glad you are enjoying your new AT sweater, then there is no problem at all.

Diana

Veteran

No I just buy what I like. It helps that I don't like colors that look terrible on me! And I figure almost everything goes with black or denim, which I have lots of.

Liz

Veteran

For what it's worth, if those items in the finds are your actual items, it seems to me like there IS a color story there. All those colors go beautifully together. They're all in the same tone range. It's possible your closet is more cohesive than you realize.

Greenjeans

Veteran

All I have to contribute is that the turquoise, red and citron you've posted here all sing together beautifully. The green on the sweater represents a new direction color-wise, an exciting one, I think. Gray underlines/grounds the whole thing.

Summer

Veteran

I think it's a case of "each to her own" - whatever makes you happy.

I prefer to have a defined palette using Cool and Soft colours, so that my whole wardrobe harmonises to some extent. I don't consider it to be a narrow palette, as I have plenty of colour combinations to work with: neutral with neutral, neutral/s with colour, and colour with colour. I might limit my choice of accent shades within any one season, but have plenty of options year-round.
OTOH, my sister and many of my friends enjoy wardrobes that are a riot of colour. It's all good!

JAileen

Veteran

I buy what I like too. I'm drawn to blue and grey. I don't think it matters what you like to wear. You're lucky if what you like is popular because you have more choices.

LaPed

Veteran

I have a conscious palette and an unconscious one. The conscious palette contains black, navy, white, charcoal, pale blue and turquoise, with bits of red and burgundy. It's a great palette, versatile and good for my coloring and I'm happy when I have items in these colors. I feel crisp and put together.

My unconscious palette -- the colors I'm drawn to in the store, or on the screen -- are olive, sage, eggplant, and weird greys (taupe-y greys, greenish greys, purple-y greys). My wardrobe can handle splashes of these colors, but I have to be disciplined and not go overboard. I had a field coat in a beautiful grey-green, a real desert sage color, and I both loved and hated it. I finally consigned it because it made me so frustrated trying to pair it with my other clothes, but I've missed it for years. Luckily my husband wears sage and olive and taupe really well, so I buy lots for him and still get to enjoy those colors.

If I were less of a minimalist and a pragmatist, I'd probably have a whole second wardrobe dedicated to my favorite "difficult" colors.

Anonymous

I think your complexion allows you to wear a great variety of great colours, so go for it.

I end up in blue 99% of the time because the colours that suit me are ones that I don't like that much.
Pinks, and periwinkles come to mind.

If I COULD wear tomato, citron, and mustard I would.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting! For me, it's not either/ or...I *do* have a conscious palette but it is based on what I'd already gravitate towards! Neutrals are ink/ navy; grey; white with dashes of black, and colours are blue (see, it is a neutral and a colour); reds (from berry through true reds to burgundy), fuchsia, and purples. That's quite a lot of variety. In a season where stores are full of teals I might add some of those as well, since they suit me and I love them.

I'd say the balance does shift over time depending on what is available, but pretty much within those broad parameters. Lately I've decided to add more saturated colour because it works better with my silver hair.

Anonymous

...I will say that not having very many colour options is kind of nice. It's one less thing to think about.
I am kind of enjoying my uniform of blue this winter.

Penny

Veteran

I think you have to start with the colors that draw you to them and make you happy, and then can define your color palette from there.

Although I have always had fairly strong color preferences (deep, saturated jewel tones, navy, and burgundy), they have refined over time. For example, I realized I prefer a very dark teal, not bright teal, even though that means I often end up with more navy and black items than colored items because it's tricky to find items I want in very specific shades.

Sometimes what leaves my closet has been helpful, too, in thinking about my palette: one insight I had was that I prefer reds and pinks as accent colors rather than full outfits, after I found myself giving away pink and red dresses time and again. So now I admire certain colors but don't pull the trigger on purchasing certain types of items in those shades.

At any rate, it's fun to open your closet and see a group of colors you love, no matter how consciously that's been constructed!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I absolutley have a conscious palette - but it's quite broad:

Warm sour brights (tomato red, Dutch orange, watermelon, coral, citron, yellow, apple green, neon green, shocking pink), lots of white/cream and ink blue, blue denim, some black, a smattering of pearl grey, and some blush. REALLY want to amp up the turquoise.

Personally, I think your palette is fabulous, Viv. It looks sufficiently cohesive to me. I echo what Tanya and Suz said too.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I'm not really conscious of it, in that I don't specifically shop only for certain colors.....but I DO only buy certain cors because I don't like to wear a lot of color, and so my palette is pretty narrow: white, cream, taupe, tan, browns, gray, black, denim and naby blue, olive green, blush pink, coral or burnt oranges....that's about it.

Bonnie

Veteran

When I started my wardrobe one and a half years ago, I really tried to stick to a palette because what I had been doing wasn't working. I was buying outfits before and I wanted to move to a capsule wardrobe. Now, I have enough neutrals, so I am adding color. I really like all of the finds you have shown above.

viva

Veteran

Thanks all. I think I can get so attracted to the idea of minimalism, but I'm just not a minimalist at heart. So, I will feel a pull when I hear people talk about their black, white, grey, and blush wardrobes and imagine how peaceful that would be ... but my closet likes to be more raucous, I think. I like a smallish but changing wardrobe, and it's just going to be colorful: I have to be honest. Like Robin, I would be bored with a true uniform.

Some of you have said things that really make me feel my approach is more than pure emotion; it makes sense. Diana, thanks for pointing out that I have a lot of gray, black, and denim -- and those tones work with all the colors I buy! And Tanya, that all my colors don't have to work with each other! (So obvious, so brilliant.) And Angie, that one can have a conscious palette that is broad.

Greenjeans, you are right that the green is a new direction and it's a good one, I think. So, perhaps more green is in my future.

I think, ultimately, what I know is that my colors are clear and saturated, so that is knowledge that can help when shopping.

I know there is no one way. As Summer says, to each her own.

Thanks, everyone, for chiming in and sharing your color stories.

Anonymous

I have a conscious palette based around Soft Autumn colours, but I stray from it occasionally...never too far though. I never feel restricted either.

Style Fan

Veteran

I have always loved earth tones and I don't think I thought that much about it when I was younger. Now I just eliminate clothes that are not in my autumn palette when I am shopping because they do not make me happy.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I love a lot of colors, mostly in terms of top half. I do choose colors that flatter me, and they mostly go with my more limited palette on the bottom. As long as you don't randomly buy pieces that require many other new items to go with them, I don't see any reason to limit your palette.

Anonymous

I agree with Liz, and see your collection of colour as quite organized, if that words makes sense. You work colour into your look very well, and it never seems kooky or costumey - which is the way I often feel in riotous colour. Personally, I am striving for that minimal colour palette you mentioned . I can't wait for the day where my wardrobe reaches that stage.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

I echo what others have said. Your color palette is cohesive. The orange-y reds are complementary colors on the color wheel to the blue-greens and so make a fantastic accent.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I have a pretty conscious palette for my wardrobe and, for whatever reason, don't have a hard time sticking to it, but I feel your frustration, because I'm the same way with my house. I feel a strong pull towards natural, neutral Scandinavian interiors, but I have yellow walls and a teal couch and fuchsia velvet dining chairs. Whatcha gonna do?

Irina

Veteran

My color palette is a bit seasonal. For fall and winter the colors are black, 50 shades of grey and ink/navy. One purple and one light blue sweaters were added as an experiment. I recently bought a camel color wool coat and I'm planning to find a caramel or sand top. My major colors to wear in summer are white and cream. Yet, in the winter time I might only occasionally wear a white shirt under a sweater.
Summer time in when I expand the palette- some blush, olive green and even gasp! a pattern.
But even then, my essentials are black, ink and grey.
I love these colors. Sometimes I find myself attracted to uncommon for me color. But I almost always shy away. I know I might admire it for what it is and will not like it on me. So, I picked these colors subconsciously but I analyzed it and now try to stay within my palette.

madeline

Veteran

I tend to have color capsules-turquoise, cobalt blue, gray; then yellow, green, black (winter) or white (summer); pink, coral, bone or taupe.
I used to be able to wear a lot of red but I find it washes me out now. I have been drawn to navy instead of black lately too.

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

I have a conscious palette and, like yours, mine goes all the way around the color wheel. Anchored by black, gray, and a bit of white, bright colors come out to play in my wardrobe all the time. Picture below shows my palette.

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Sal

Veteran

Relatively unconscious to be honest, depending on what I find that meets my criteria.

There are colours I am drawn to and can find- right now winter white, teals, navy
Consistent colours that work for me regularly over the years (tomato red, coral)
Colours I need - neutrals (denim blue, grey and black).
Colours I love but can rarely find in pieces that I like (clear greens, golden yellows)

The colours I don't have are either

Colours I avoid either because they don't suit me (optic white, citron, olive green, pastel pink and blue, lemon)
Colours I have an aversion to (maroon and rust because of old school uniforms)

I do consider accessories and other pieces when choosing a new item,especially when it is a jacket. However if I like it I will just buy it rather than stick to a strict palette.

I am a happy repeater though so very happy to wear the same top with the same pants over and over again!! I am not a true minimalist either, I like to see a range of colours and pieces, and have some variety. The flip side is that sometimes means less mixing and matching given my budget and preference for a moderate number of clothes.

These colours all are terrific Viva, mid range but slightly off a clear colour, which I think is the right call for you. They are strong but not vivid, and this suits your lovely colouring.

karen13

Veteran

It is not conscious, but I have a lot of navy, blue, green and darker grays and lately have been getting turquoise and teal as well. This winter I added a good bit of burgundy. I think I am shaped driven "rules" I internalized in my younger days abut what goes with my strawberry blond hair and fair skin. I've always shied away from reds, oranges and pinks, but there are so many tones there that I ought to experiment.

I recently resolved to stop buying gray tops.

Definite cool colors, jewel tones and saturated, with no pastels. Interesting to think about.

I love your colors and was eying that striped sweater. I hope you have time to show us a WIW.

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