Neutrals for dark autumn? Ideas please!

Ket

In her latest January post, Suz mentions having a lot of neutrals and craving color at this time of the year.

I find myself having the opposite problem. After I draped dark autumn, I went on a color BINGE! I loved finding all the beautiful colors of my season. It felt cathartic and freeing (even soothing??) after spending 10 years in mostly plum, black, and grey as a misdiagnosed winter.

However, I now find myself with an opposite issue: hardly any neutrals. I realized how much I missed having neutrals in my recent all-black outfit.

It gives my eye something to rest on. It also gives me some outfits for lower energy days.

What colors should I look at for neutrals as an autumn? I know that brown is often suggested. But sometimes finding items in neutrals other than white, grey, and black is more challenging. I also love camel--but that isn't always available either. Charcoal is perfectly permissible as a dark autumn. Though it's tricky; heather charcoal grey is oddly aging on me. I do like navy, but mostly in the summer. I haven't completely crossed off black; just not sure I want a ton of it again.

I keep coming back to olives, deeper chocolates, camels, and warm flesh tone pinks. If I can find them. I really think even knitting a basic but well tailored sweater in a neutral would be very comforting.

I'm sure the right pieces will find me at the right time. But would still love to hear ideas. Or your experiences adding more neutrals. Or better ideas.

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3 months ago

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from Ket

Helena

Veteran

Ket, what about olive or a warmer-learning burgundy?

3 months ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I find grey to be one of the trickiest colors to wear, even if it seems it should work so well with my hair. I think there are so many subtle variations. Anyway, agree with Helena that olive or some burgundies (another tricky color) might work, and I love chocolate brown as a neutral too.

3 months ago

VioletMyra

Active Member

I'm a Winter but my mum was an Autumn (her favourite neutral was a dark chocolate brown) and she wore khaki, golden olives, mustard, turmeric, paprika red, eggplant, cognac, deep peacock blue

. . . probably colours you've tried already. Best wishes to all.

3 months ago

Indigoprint

Veteran

You would look Fab in cream. So many great sweaters in that color that can be worn in all seasons and serve as a foundational color to work with your fall palate

3 months ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ooh, I love Indigoprint's idea of cream for a light neutral. Chocolate brown is a no brainer for a dark, but as you say, it can be tricky to find, depending on the fashion moment. I think olive is commonly available, and would work well. And any kind of camel would be great and is also more available as a rule. But it's sort of mid-toned, I guess.

3 months ago

SarahD8

Veteran

I think a lot of dark autumns find that teal works as a neutral for them. But maybe you want a more-neutral neutral? I like your ideas so trust you're gut, you're on the right track!

3 months ago

rachylou

Veteran

Like Jaime, I find greys quite difficult. The grey has to be just right when you get an item on.

3 months ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Ket, I just remembered your Dark Autumn fan that you photographed for us in your Teaberry post. Doesn’t that have some neutrals in there?

3 months ago

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Switching to chocolate brown as the *only* dark neutral in my closet has honestly been life changing! I know that sounds dramatic lol, but it's made suuuchh a difference in getting dressed each day - no more faffing about with not-quite-right black, having to overthink how I can 'make it work' near to my face with the right makeup etc.
That said though, it was definitely a *long-term* process (as you know, black is everywhere) - I advocate that you don't get rid of any utilitarian black items until *after* you've found a better replacement in 'your' colours.

Whilst I still have some light neutral pieces (camel/ ecru) for 'professional' adulting, I have a *high* affinity for colour mixing - so I don't even flinch at the idea of wearing something like your photo #1 lol Orange & teal = yum!

I do use plum like a pseudo neutral though (e.g. where someone else would use black in an outfit, I use dark purple &/ or brown) - so would something like that work better for you instead? Perhaps a burgundy or olive? (Camel & pinks like your teaberry would work too)

3 months ago

Brooklyn

Veteran

In winter my main neutrals are black, dark brown (warm and cool versions), camel, tan and dark gold. I wear burgundy and dark olive a lot but I wouldn’t call them neutral. I know most people treat blue as a neutral but I find it very difficult to mix (except in jeans). I love light grey but it is possibly my worst colour, so I don’t wear it. Actually, light blue is pretty bad too, so ditto for that, except in jeans. But dark grey works for me if combined with warmer colours.

In summer my neutrals are black, tan, camel, light or golden olive, dark gold or a dark mustard. I don’t wear as much dark brown and no grey. I wear rust, dark olive and dark red a lot, but wouldn’t call them neutral. I also wear a bit of almond, ecru and beige type colours, which are pretty neutral. No cream (I think it ages me). I wear a bit of white even though it doesn’t flatter me (because: Summer) but I dirty up the palette by pairing it with camel, tan or olive.

3 months ago

Anonymous

Basically same as Brooklyn! I wear a lot of black, but often pair it with brown (dark brown or cognac). Burgundy I'll wear as a neutral, often paired with rust or olive. Navy (including jeans) I wear, but only paired with black and brown.

Camel I decided I like in outerwear or as accents more than garments, cause it's close to my skin tone. Same with cognac, which I wear in prints or leather goods. Cognac or gold sandals are my summer go-tos.

Anything resembling white only for accents these days. 1. It's hard to keep clean, and 2. I'm soooo much better in medium- dark to black.

3 months ago

Sal

Veteran

I would look at olive - it’s pretty easy to
Find and easy to wear with brights and other neutrals.

I like warm whites too - they are not quite cream but definitely not blue based.

3 months ago

Star

Veteran

I agree with Sal. Olive is a very versatile neutral. Being cool toned I wear cooler olives (I initially thought it would not match with silver hair but if it is cooler it does). Obviously warmer olive for you Ket.

High Five Sal I am also finding warm whites are working for me now. Previously I wore optic white better (when my hair was dark). Not creams so much then or now.

3 months ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

For you Ket, may I suggest olive, cream and ecru, and chocolate.

2 months ago

Ket

Veteran

Ladies, I had another tussle with the ice... and sprained may ankle. So, I'm sorry to just reply to all your lovely and helpful suggestions <3

Helena, Burgundy to me feels more like a color versus a neutral. Perhaps because I wore it so often as a (misdiagnosed) winter? I just have a difficult time thinking of it as a netural.

Jaime, my hair is starting to silver and grey. (Not nearly as luscious as yours!! TRULY! Your hair color is just so epic <3 ) But I too find that grey doesn't do a darn thing for me. Though I want to believe if I can find a warm enough grey it might be good??

VioletMyra, what a beautiful name <3 I love your suggestions and yes, I've tried them. I actually haven't tried peacock blue yet. I want to try it though. My brother is a winter, and I love that you're a winter. It's such a lovely season!

Suz, I really love chocolate brown more and more. I agree that camel might be too mid-toned? I was emphatically complimented when I wear it. But it's also basically my skin tone, only 2-3 levels deeper. So I have to wear red lipstick with it so I don't disappear. That's my only hesitation with adding more camel.

SarahD8, that is something I will definitely consider! I just have to find the right teal. Blues are my hardest color family to wear, surprisingly. An analyst once told me she thinks I struggle with blue because I likely don't really have a lot of blue in my natural coloring.

RachyLou, thank you for sharing grey is also harder for you. I feel better! I have so many summer and winter friends who can wear grey head to toe and look magical. Not I!

Jenni, my fans do have some good neutrals, especially the corporate version. The corporate version has some gorgeous warm charcoals and grieges. So I am hoping I can find those.

2 months ago

Ket

Veteran

Zaeobi, I love hearing your experience! This is so helpful. Definitely will not be letting all black go until I can truly replace it. Like you, I've noticed black is everywhere, and I can't find chocolate and brown as easily in the things I love. And I have things I really love and don't want to let go of because of the lines and silhouette -- even if they're black. I think my pseudo neutral will be olive. Burgundy still feels too much like a color.

Brooklyn, thank you so much for sharing! I too struggle with certain colors being neutrals -- particularly burgundy. Olive I feel I can maybe squeak into neutral territory?? Hearing what you struggle with color-wise is very helpful and is similar to my own struggles. I actually want to find a warm dark grey to try, pairing it with warmer colors to warm it up.

Suntiger, this is super helpful! I find dark denim is fine. Camel is an issue for me too, I've discovered. I do love it! But if I don't wear it with a red lip, I fade into it a bit because it's close to my skin tone, though deeper. I love it for a coat, but I don't think it will work as a dominant neutral for me.

Indigoprint, Sal, and Star, I love that you both suggested this! I actually own several warm off-white blouses. A couple of them actually have this almost shimmering burnt orange tone to them when I scrunch up the fabric. So I am running with your

Angie, you may suggest! Always! <3 And I love your suggestions. I have come to realize that camel is to close to my skin color and other colors are just too much color. I am going to see what I can find in chocolate, olive, and cream/ecru this year. I think this will be year of neutrals as much as color.

2 months ago

Joy

Veteran

What Helena said. Several neutrals are autumn colors too. Olive, rust, teal, mustard, burnt orange, burgandy. Light neutrals are harder. I use light camel and tan. Even white will work and add chrispness to an autumn outfit. White pants or jeans are ideal in fall though they may be too warm for summer.

2 months ago

Ket

Veteran

Joy thank you for some good ideas. I haven’t thought to try a cream pant! Probably due to motherhood. But still an idea I’ll consider! I’m kind of leaning toward olive as a pseudo neutral, and chocolate, cream, and maybe some camel and warm marine navy.

2 months ago

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