Spoiler alert: I played the tonal matching game and lost.

I’ve enjoyed the conversations on tonal dressing in the forum this week. Last weekend, I anticipated a slow week, so I kicked off a tonal matching challenge and ordered a bunch of shoes and belt bags. As it turned out, my week’s been a crazy mix of work, being sent home from work because of a Covid scare, and trips to immigration offices. The only reason I got through the pile of boxes of footwear and bags is that my son rebelled, then sat on the bed while I tried them all on, packing up all the rejects before sending me straight to the drop-off station. I wound up wearing the FFBOs that are closest to tonally matching this week, took only a couple outfit pix, and would’ve called it a day, if not for the threads started by several people to talk about tonal matching.

If you haven’t seen them the outfits Joy posted to my challenge during the week, and two new ones from Nikki, I encourage you to check them out. Not trying to self-promote my own thread here, but take a look at their pix.

My definition of tonal matching is colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel or otherwise very similar—but not the same. I often dress in monotone, with a pop of some other color, maybe with a pattern. What I wanted to work on in the challenge was not monotone, but more subtle moves between colors. To work well, I think this look requires interesting textures and shapes.

This morning things have calmed down a bit, so I’ve recreated some of the weeks ‘fits and tried some others (all with cream-colored socks, oops!). Overall, the looks are higher contrast than I’d really like to have, because I just don’t have that range of colors, especially once I move beyond berries. I’d appreciate hearing what you think.

1. an example of what I think of as “tonal” dressing. The colors are close to each other, but different. The purple knit skirt and the texture in the long periwinkle cardi add interest. In my mind’s eye, it was perfect. When I put it on, though, it was a perfect example of why one needs to try outfits on for real. The shapes were just all wrong together. This outfit won’t ever see the liebt of day. In fact, the skirt is on its way to a consignment shop when they reopen.

2. Feeling myself in my 501s. They are snug, but I did not, ever, have to lie down to get them buttoned. Shoes are my oxfords with nearly 3” heels—the tallest I own. I wore this outfit to immigration and then to work for an hour before we were sent home.

3. FFBO with the addition of new kicks. Yes, I wore it this week but no, not with white socks. Put it back on this morning for a pic.

4. This skirt is a favorite these days and I wore it this week in a configuration I’ve posted on here before. An ice pink mock T close-fitting sweater is on my wish list; for this pic, I subbed in my cardi, worn backwards.

5. Creams, browns, tans, camel and caramel colors are tricky for me. This outfit is higher-contrast than I’d like, but I’m also not sure if there is enough going on in it.

6-7 same sueded, soft-to-touch pants with a brighter sweater. Does this still count as “tonal”?

8&9 New shoes with green jeans and a short sweater. I’m not being shoved into the box of the doorframe—I’m such a squirmy wormy, I made sure to add an underlayer that would fit the overall outfit in case I suddenly broke into flamenco dancing and am posing to show that here.

10. My cape hasn’t gotten much wear because it’s been too cold, but I think it works with a column of green. Honestly though, the green jeans are getting a bit loose, so idk how much more I can wear them.

11. I struggle with what to wear under this sweater. Black just deadens it and makes everything, including me, look very flat, so I wanted to try the opposite effect with a lustrous silk blouse.

13&14 same top half, different pants & shoes.

14 & 15. Why does anyone ever say black is easy??? The sweater has cables in it and a shawl collar that I don’t think are picked up well in the photo.

16 is the outfit I was envisioning when I put out the challenge. New shoes, 501s, one of the Intimissimi tops I’ve been raving about, blazer I got a couple years ago and have only worn once or twice.

Thanks for reading/looking! Comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Also, I’m also experimenting with new places to take pix, away from the black box of the oven. Half way through this mornings photo shoot I realized it looks like I’m about to be impaled by a leek. Sorry about that! I promise no veggies were harmed in taking these pictures. I think 10-13 and 16 are in the best spot, as far as photo conditions go. Unfortunately, it’s a public corridor in our building, so a little awkward to take selfies in.