Minor Epiphany Regarding Color Choices - YouLookFab Forum

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Minor Epiphany Regarding Color Choices

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Reading all the recent posts on color analysis, capsules, and similar topics and then trying to DO a capsule myself has really helped me towards a small epiphany.

I do much better when I focus most of my shopping on buying things in just a few of my favorite solid neutrals and not worry that I might have six charcoal colored tops in various weights and styles in my closet because I love charcoal and I probably need six in order to be able to wear it often. Same goes for navy for me and then probably black.

This new sort of "personal permission" lets me focus on how the item looks instead of focusing on the color of it, or the pattern of it. I tend to get distracted easily so I do need some "rules."

I know many more experienced here on YLF already have known this for some time. And I guess I did too, but I kept second guessing buying another item in a favorite color. Like i needed to branch out or something. Anyway, I think I'm learning my lesson.

Case in point - I went to a local ON store with a plan to buy two sweatshirt style sweaters and decided beforehand I wanted a camel color and a charcoal gray. These colors will work really well with my winter wardrobe. I wanted these to be lower budget so I could have something to wear when I want to spend a day out in nature and not worry about messing up an expensive sweater.

It took me maybe all of 10 mins. to find the sweatshirt style sweaters, but at first I couldn't find the right colors or style. I picked up two but they seemed a bit too boxy. Since I had a mission I resisted the tempation to look at other items, esp. in other colors. I quickly honed in on some folded lighter weight sweaters beneath a display table and score - a charcoal and camel sweatshirt style sweater in my size. Tried them on, confired they were comfy soft and fit well with nice drape, roomy, but not too boxy. Spent $50 total with a necklace I couldn't resist on the way to the cash register and off I went. All in all I think it was 15 mins. round trip. I came home, tried them on again, and decided I felt happy with my choices.

I'll try to post some pics soon when they are washed, dried and styled a few ways.

21 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

FlorenceFearne

I came to this same realization recently. I wore the same black cardigan 3 days out of 5, and I realized that this whole rule about not having duplicates just wasn't working for me. I wear black. A lot. So instead of getting distracted trying to "branch out" into different colors I don't like as much, or patterns I'll never reach for, I plan to buy about 5 more black toppers. I can guarantee I'll get my money's worth, and I'll be a lot happier getting dressed.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Great insight. I once read that it's better to go deep than wide in regards of colors in the wardrobe. I, for instance, am collecting red garments. I have three white shirts, three blue and not much variety in the rest either. In my opinion, it's not necessary to collect a rainbow.

MsMary

Veteran

I think this can be a really good strategy. You just have to make sure you love them all so you do indeed wear all of them, rather than just your favorite one or two!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I wholeheartedly embrace the deeper rather than wider color theory. I have berry in shoes, shorts, tank(s), short sleeve, sweater, and dress(es). They all get worn. Olive is similarly saturated in all styles. Whittling down to 4 or 5 basic colors was one of the best things I did.

Marley

Veteran

I'm in agreement! I think its important though - that if you're buying the same color, that the items have different textures. That still gives you variety and interest without expanding to different colors.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I do this with navy/ink blue because it is my year round neutral. I have about 10 tops in different weights & textures & wear them all.

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

I agree. Building a wardrobe around a few favorite colors is very efficient. It allows you to really focus on textures and shapes. (My colors are charcoal gray, black, pale gray, white, and lime green.)

Aziraphale

Veteran

I tried branching out with colours for about three or four years (quite a few years ago now -- in the early 2000s). I wore a lot of surf clothes in orange and turquoise. I never felt happy. Everything fell back into place once I reverted to my preferred palette of neutrals. My colours are black, gray, white, navy, military green, pale blue, and red. I have one hot pink top.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is a great discussion.

I think this may depend on personality, to some degree. There are those who feel most comfortable, on the whole, in neutrals. (Claire is an example). For them, this is a brilliant strategy. (I think you fall into this camp, too, Tex?)

Then there are those who thirst for colour and would go crazy if they had to limit it too much. They end up with larger wardrobes, as a result, But they're happy. (MaryK, anyone?)

I feel as if I fall in the mid-zone. Settling on a few neutrals and colours has been key, but I can't be too rigid about it. Even if the shapes and styles are different, if the colours are too much the same all the time, I will get bored. It doesn't have to be a radical difference (e.g. wearing plum one day and orchid the next is fine) but I do have to see some difference.

My neutrals are navy and ink blue, denim, taupe, grey (from pale grey to charcoal), black, winter white.

And if you think about it, that's a HUGE range right there!

My colours are brighter blues like royal or cobalt, teal, berry shades, cranberry red, plums and orchids, fuchsia.

That's a lot of colours.

But it does rule out quite a lot, too, and I just don't bother to try with those.

I also rule out some patterns almost instinctively. Some will work better for me than others.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I guess I am with Suz, somewhere in between. For me items in the same color MUST be so different in style and function that I cannot substitute one for another without changing the vibe of the outfit. (I have some exceptions of course like t-necks or shirts because they need to be washed frequently.)
I guess this strategy allows me to have relatively small (ish) wardrobe with a big mixing potential and it keeps me happy.
As for the colors I still need to figure out my color palette, especially for neutrals. It does make it easier to shop when you have a clear understanding of your colors and how they work together.

Deborah

Veteran

I completely relate texstyle and I have found it very liberating to recognise this. It sounds like this revelation is going to provide you with a very workable closet with items being well rotated and most importantly, enjoyed.

Gaylene

Veteran

I'm probably a bit more like Suz. I gravitate towards my neutrals--black, navy, ink blue, denim, and charcoal when I'm in a store, but I couldn't live without small doses of brighter hues like cobalt, orange, red, turquoise, kelly green, and purple to bring my neutrals alive and to make me feel happy.

nancylee

Veteran

This is a great observation, and I totally get the ease of focusing on a few key colors, primarily neutrals, to simplify shopping. Going deep rather than wide is a great way to build a wardrobe. Like you, I have my favorite colors in many shapes and textures and many of them are neutrals.

Overall, I'm with Suz, Sveta and others who fall somewhere in the middle. I don't want an endless selection of colors in my closet because that overwhelms me. But I also don't want my choices to be too severely limited or I might get bored. There's a sweet spot somewhere in the middle that I'm trying to find, with a core of neutrals complemented by a collection of colors that shift in and out of rotation depending on what season it is.

Adelfa

Veteran

Not sure where I fall here. I do try to restrain myself from buying everything in black. That said, the only topper on my list for fall is a black knit one.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for all the input on this - and I agree that it's not good to completely limit ourselves, so even though I plan to focus for a while on key colors, it's because I already have a few "fun" extra colors in my wardrobe that will allow me to inject a shot of something different into my outfits on occasion. I think for me, I need to focus on fit/feeling of the items for a while and honing in on a few of my favorite neutrals will allow me to do it better.

It's funny but I feel like I can put on almost the exact same items as someone else but I don't feel like I get the same look. Maybe it's also partly attitude?

unfrumped

Veteran

Great insights!
I need to work on this more myself. I'm having trouble with collecting several neutrals that all go together and also move away from black. Meaning, I'm trying to figure out my best 2-3 other "softer" neutrals.

I agree that, especially in 4-season wear, it would not be at all unusual to have 10 tops in the same color--it could be a neutral or your flattering or signature "real" colors. This summer I rearranged my closet, for a time, to be by color instead of top-type just for that reason, to help see where I was full up on certain colors or get some insights as to palette. So in my "reds" ( pink, fuchsia, raspberry) category I had lined up tanks, sleeveless shells, short sleeve knits, 3/4 -long sleeves , cardi(s), wool, cashmere. And similar for black.
I like caro's comments about that. Then one can evaluate, does each contribute something and fit in to create outfits year-round. And where are the holes. My wardrobe holes for tops continues to be warm-weather tops that are still refined or work-worthy or have some kind of structure or detail instead of just a T-type knit.

Marley's comments on texture, which I'd expand to include something different in silhouette, or apply both--meaning, in the same color, have a short-sleeved smooth knit and one that is chunky; vs., a blouse, a knit top, a boxy top, and so on. Sometimes one might simply need the exact same item (a real basic or essential, depending on how you parse it), but a lot of the time I can see that if I would hold out for something that has something different--collar, or texture, or fasteners, or whatever, it will still work as well as a more similar item but adds that bit of variety.

rachylou

Veteran

Smart. I must remember this too.

Elly

Veteran

I'm one that goes both ways.

I love black, but I too have to remind myself that when I wear mostly neutrals I enjoy the subtle increase in complexity afforded by layering dark neutrals together, in addtition to differing textures. I easily end up in the black top with the black jacket and the black coat if I am not careful. I'm all for monochromatic looks at times, but the dark navy top with the black jacket adds interest. I also have at times become the lady with 5 orange tops for the same season.

That said, if I am not careful I end up with a rainbow of clothes that don't work together. For example, I have a couple hot pink garments I love, but they only mix with my neutrals and not with anything else in my closet.

AnnieMouse

Veteran

Excellent self-inspection!
Like a few others, I am about halfway on this - I have a concentrated palette in which I typically work, but I will occasionally buy things that I feel work with that palette. My main colours I reach for tend to be pinks, oranges, teals, and purples, against a neutrals backdrop of mostly black, with charcoal and leopard mixed in (and the occasional white blouse or shirt). I have some other colours - blue or red, mostly - but the vast majority of what I have falls into these 8 ranges. Yellow and green? NOPE. Brown? Not so much. Over the years, I've tried to pick up those colours, out of that same sense of "but I need to branch out!," and ineveitably, the vasy majority of it goes unworn. (I do have some brown and green shoes, which, interestingly to me, do get worn. But clothes? Other than my utility jacket, I don't reach for those colours ever)

catgirl

Veteran

Well put! This is my work approach now - navy, grey, black and whatever I already had that works with those. I have way too many black blazers but I just don't wear the others.

Lisa

Veteran

Great discussion, thanks for bringing this up! For myself, I tend to gravitate to a core set of colors with one or two pops of color. Sometimes the pop of color is bright color and other times, it's just another neutral. For summer, white, green, and cobalt were my pops.