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Random Friday thoughts - styling tweaks, colour palettes, etc.

Helena

Veteran

Hi friends,

Just some random Friday thoughts bumping around in my over-active brain!

One is that I've really learned that, for me, usually when I feel like I need a big shift or change, I actually really just need a minor tweak. Case in point - tucking top into higher-waisted pants. This is new for me, and I have always sworn up and down that I cannot do this as I am short-waisted. But I've been playing with the look and I really like it! It makes my classic pieces feel a little fresher. Small tweaks and never say never for the win!

Another is colour palettes. I'm sure this has been discussed before, although I don't believe recently, and I know my own thoughts have changed. I have been in search of the elusive 'perfect palette' and what I've learned is that a fluid palette works much better for me and makes me much happier! I am VERY influenced by the season and the weather. Here's roughly what my 'happy palettes' look like now:

For spring/summer: navy-as-a-neutral, white, and minimal gray, with accents of cognac, blues, and pinks.

For fall/winter: black, white, and minimal gray, with accents of navy-as-a-colour, deep green and reds from true to bordeaux.

The whole role-of-navy thing is helpful for me to distinguish, as well as the minimal gray (I actually haven't bought it in ages, but have a few pieces I really enjoy, and I do like gray is the summer, paired with white). Re-embracing black for the cold weather feels SO good. Bringing an attitude of fluidity (dare I say 'ease'?) to my style ideas feels really right, and I am trying to let my intuition speak louder than any rule, plan, or palette.

Over to you - what styling tweaks are you enjoying? What palettes are you playing with, and does it differ by weather, or other factors? What's your style intuition whispering to you right now? What random thought are bumping around in your Friday brain?

WIW - cold weather red, black boots on a snowy day, tucked sweater. Sorry for the weird lighting but the sun shining in the windows sure is pretty

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35 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Runcarla

Veteran

Totally agree that ‘tweaks’ are better than tossing everything in favour of the new. It’s about evolution vs ‘big bang’!

I’m really enjoying the fuller leg silhouette. I only have two items - long tweed pants and golden corduroy crops - however the change in silhouette these two items allow feels fresh and new to me.

Introducing not one, but TWO new colour capsules - olive and gold/beige - from an autumn palette has been another re-fresh that has breathed new life into my closet. Mixing them up with old standbys (red, white, jean blue) has been a revelation. Right now I’m obsessed with the colours in my new Boden t-shirt, and making outfits using the colours but not necessarily the t-shirt!

@torontogirl- do you consider ‘jean blue’ in with navy? or navy alone? I’ve had trouble with navy on it’s own. I do have lots of navy in patterns (mainly stripes :-D) but not a single stand alone garment! (Well, one pair of summer shorts.)

#1 colour inspiration
#2 wardrobe palette for F/W 2019/2020

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Helena

Veteran

Carla, YES - that is exactly one of my issues with navy in winter and it look me way too long to figure it out - because I'm a dark denim girl and I live in jeans in cold weather, navy ends up being too prominent in my cold-weather wardrobe and by the end of March I want to burn my navy pieces, especially the outerwear. I'd rather use black as the neutral, which I think looks great against dark denim, and then use navy as a 'colour' for certain pieces. I also don't like mixing navy-as-neutral with my cold weather accent colours, but I do like mixing it with my warm-weather accent colours - if that makes sense.

I have also focused on adding some patterned navy pieces rather than solids, such as my BR blouse with the dot pattern - or of course a good old stripe!

In summer, navy and white is a no-brainer too - I'm not a white-pants-in-winter person, although I have tried, but that's another great solution since you wear white in winter (and look fab doing so).

Your colour complements have been inspired!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I LOVE this outfit on you, Helena. You are stinking cute! Adorable and of course - polished. Go Team Red

Tweaks can be a very effective styling tool, as you show us so well. They can sufficiently refresh your style without making you feel odd and uncomfortable. Evolved, but still YOU, creating the ease and confidence that are key components to great style.

I'm with Cala. VERY much enjoying roomier legs on pants and jeans. Off skinnies completely accept for my yummy floral travel pants for long flights. No pencil skirts or sheaths for several seasons now too. I like room and movement on my legs!

I'm a very emotional person, and this year colours feel more right than ever because they calm me, sooth me, and make me happier in stressful times. I find it hard and stressful to wear a neutral outfit these days. So I'm styling everything with some or lots of colour.

slim cat

Veteran

Lovely outfit - that silver buckle belt looks perfect next to silver buttons on your jeans!
After wearing straight jeans non-stop for a while I'm enjoying adding pants in utility boyfriend style ( it was transitional mid summer into fall ). I like roomier legs on jeans/pants and slightly loose fitting tees and cardigans now. The shift was slow and still in the process.
I did play with "not me" colors and things - camouflage shirt/jacket was my wild card - and used a lot of my old jewelry with turquoise and pale blue stones to make it look right next to my pale face.

nemosmom

Veteran

You look so pretty in red! I am glad you are exploring ALL reds for the fall/winter season - they suit you so beautifully!

I am with you on your "fluid palette" thoughts. Recently, I have shifted from a strict palette to more of a "range of color"; using color families instead (e.g., the range of light cognac to dark rust being one group; range of ivory to camel, range of light teal to deep forest, range of raisin to burgundy, etc) and that has boosted my color mixing confidence and allowed me to add some cohesion to looks.

And hooray for small tweaks! I am loving cuffed jeans to show of boots, sleeve peek under jackets, bigger earrings (gold hoop instead of small stud) with a high neck sweater or scarf.

Other random Friday things popping around in my brain include a ghost sweater. Every time I look at the sweater on my shelf, I think, "Geez I hate this thing," and I put it in the donate box. Then, about a week later, I will fetch it, wear it, launder it, and put it back on my shelf. A few days later, I see it on the shelf, mutter my disgust, and put it back in the donate box. Then the cycle starts again....

I keep putting it in the donate box, yet for some reason I keep pulling it out. There is nothing special about said sweater; it's just a high mock neck camel colored sweater, yet I have pulled it from the donate box to wear nearly every week since early September. It is VERY unflattering on me (dropped shoulder). The fibers aren't great. It isn't particularly warm. Yet, somehow it keeps being fetched for an outfit. I need to solve the mysterious sirens call of this damn sweater!

Helena

Veteran

Nemosmom, I nearly spat out my coffee laughing at your sweater story I do the same thing!! What is up with that? What outfits to you grab it to go with - I wonder if it's filling an essential role and maybe needs to be replaced with an upgrade? That said, it sounds like it could be very nice on you, with camel and mock-necks both on trend at the moment ....

Slim cat, thanks! Yes, this skinnier belt I think interferes less with the line of the button-fly than my wider ones do. And yay to more relaxed cuts of jeans!

Helena

Veteran

Angie, team Red high five! I'm going to milk it during the cold dull months

Sal

Veteran

Yay Helena! I think your fluid approach is a sign of confidence with your dressing. You look fab with the tucked tops and I understand about your palette changing.

My key tweak this year is to ensure that I mix up dressy and casual a bit more. If I wear jeans to wear leather shoes - if I wear a dress wear sneakers- for example. Like Angie and Carla I am enjoying volume on the bottom half - i find dressing so much easier.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Helena, good idea

Nemosmom, what is the colour of this lovely-disgusting sweater? You crack me up....

Sal, HIGH FIVE.

nemosmom

Veteran

I don't know what is up with this sweater... I loved it when I bought it - so much that I duped it in chocolate brown. Then, I decided I hated the sweater, but must NEED a camel sweater, so I bought the camel crew neck one. Now, I don't reach for the chocolate one OR the crew neck camel one! I even tried a mock neck tee under the crew neck sweater. No dice.

I KNOW I don't like the mock neck camel one! It's too pink-ish of a camel... it's not soft... it's bulky under my jackets... ALL dealbreakers for every other sweater that gets vetted, but I keep wearing it!!!! I even groan when I put it on!!! WHYYYY?!?!? Damn sweater...

Sorry for hijacking your thread!

/rant

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Helena

Veteran

Nemosmom best hijack ever ... We need to solve this mystery!! I have pieces that I am holding onto because a list told me I needed one. A black pencil skirt that has to be 10 years old that I've worn, unhappily, maybe three times springs to mind! Do you have a neutral sweater that you do love?

The Cat

Veteran

Interesting. I, too, think a lot about colour palettes, and I am definitely influenced by season.

The last year or so, I have gradually added more dark blue items to my wardrobe. I prefer to call them midnight blue instead of navy. It's a great neutral year round. For many years, I often avoided it, as I thought it looked boring, and I found black to be more exciting. However, now that my colouring is softer, I like how midnight blue looks against my cool complexion, silver hair and blue-grey eyes.

Though I don't wear black as much as I used to, I still like to wear black items, especially in winter, but I will soften them against my face.

By the way, I have recently discovered that I can successfully wear some COOL browns, but I will add them carefully.

After having used only white, grey/silver and black as my neutrals for a very long time, I really enjoy being able to use midnight blue and cool brown, too.

Though I wear a variety of colours year round, I have favourite palettes for each season. At present, they are:

For FALL: cool browns, medium grey, charcoal, deep pink, wine, all purples, teal, and deep green.

For WINTER: midnight blue, white, silver, charcoal, black, all blue-reds (from clear to dark), deep purple, royal blue, and deep green.

smittie

Veteran

I've been doing nothing but style tweaks this year. Nothin' really new to speak of, but the tweaks have been:
1. wearing a collared shirt under a sweater. This always felt too uptight to me before. I'm enjoying it now.
2. wearing my hair down most days. This makes the tomboy look easier for me to wear.

As far as colour palettes go, mine are roughly the same as yours, but I think I'm still in the 'overthinking it' camp, mostly to keep buying mistakes at bay.

I have been taking a break from shopping and have mostly been looking at what colours appeal to me in online product photos. Mostly, I like:

1. very light grey top, bright blue denim, a touch of white (either shirt, accessory, bag, or shoe) and a touch of black (again, as an accessory, bag, or shoe).

2. bordeaux/brown sweater/shoe/accessory with a light pink shirt. I don't have much in this palette.

3. all black (summer only)

The Cat

Veteran

torontogirl, forgot to say that I love how you (seemingly always) manage to choose clothes that look gorgeous with your colouring.

Oh, and here are my favourite palettes for the lighter seasons:

For SPRING: all blues (dark, medium, light), light grey and medium grey, light lemon, all bluish pinks, light purple and clear purple, turquoise, light green and clear green.

For SUMMER: all blues (dark, medium, light), white, silver and light grey, icy pink, clear blue-red, light purple and clear purple, and turquoise.

Helena

Veteran

Chiming in to thank everyone for commenting and will write more when I can! Always love everyone's thoughts on these things

Cardiff girl

Veteran

what a pretty look on you,l like the extra volume in the top,the added detail on the jeans and of course the colour,you can’t go wrong with red.

Anonymous

Yes to small tweaks, and yes to idea of ease! My color tweak this fall was to move deeper/earthier than my summer "sunset" colors-inspired by the PC sweater coat. Instead of all skirts/ dresses like in summer, I'm doing pants (ponte only) some days. Its a toss up whether tights or pants make me sadder!

notsaf

Veteran

I do not understand how all of you are wearing wide let pants this season. Aren't your legs cold?

I really do aIm for style consistency day over day and year over year. I think this might be because my naturally curly-to-wavy hair is so inconsistent. I might overcompensate.

In any case, that definitely means tweaks and variations for me!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Nemosmom, maybe you're just really short of sweaters!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Notsaf, not with knee-highs, high shaft booties and a long coat. And knitwear.

Helena

Veteran

Notsaf, I still love my skinnies too

notsaf

Veteran

It's interesting how divisive navy and black are on the forum! I get it, since Angie doesn't lean that way at all by nature and is explicitly moving away from those colors now. What she said above was so amazing -- about colors being calming -- since I'm *the* *exact* *opposite*! Haha. That said: there's always a lot of black on the blog, which I appreciate.

But for those of us who feel calm in our dark neutrals, the questions of navy vs. black is real, and seasonal, and shifting. I'm like The Cat in thinking that navy sometimes comes across as more boring or flat or preppy than I like. But then again black can be too severe, full stop.

I'm like Smittie in liking all black in the summer (navy feels too expected in my New England context), but it's usually too much in the winter. I'm experimenting more this year with wearing navy and black together, which mixed results. Of course the finish of the fabric really matters: a little texture or shine helps bridge the gap.

Anyway, I just purchased this new winter coat from T.K. Maxx in London yesterday (did I mention I love outwear?). When I spotted an SA hanging it on the rack I just about pounced: mixing navy and black, mixing textures (wool and nylon), and with some cool Scandi vibes that I'm really liking. Plus, it's started to be pretty cold here: wore it out to dinner last night with a cashmere jumper (black, of course) and skinny jeans, and was in heaven.

This has obviously been on my mind, so thanks for your post!

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Adriana

Veteran

Love your red sweater. I am also slowly, slowly evolving my style. I used to wear slim straight jeans ( skinny for me) with a neutral colour on top. That is my daily uniform. (For play I have some stuff that is more interesting.)
Coats: black

Evolving style: I am wearing now wider jeans, culottes, midiskirt.
New on top green and purple.
And the big change: a red coat.

Navy I find very difficult to wear. I wish I could see why some navy makes me look grey.

nemosmom

Veteran

TG I laughed at your skirt story! Those lists have caused me much post-purchase regret, too. I once bought a trench coat, because a list told me I needed one. When I wear it, it feels like I am wearing a straight jacket! Ideally, it checks all the boxes: it fits well, is classic in style, is water-resistant, it's even olive green! But, it sits in my closet, unliked and unworn.

Maybe I do need a straight jacket...

Helena

Veteran

Nemosmom, I'm reading a fun book by Jen Hatmaker and she's talking about how advertisers make it seem like women are incompetent - her example was about an egg-cracking mechanism (thank God we no longer have to struggle cracking eggs alone!) but I thought it applied to some of those lists - when did getting dressed get so hard? Do I really need an app to tell me to put on pants and a top? This is why I love YLF so much - the approach is that we are all capable of figuring out our essentials, our style, our needs, etc. ... no cookie cutters here (or egg crackers!)

Adriana, so interesting about navy - it's one of those colours that usually works on everyone - but again, no cookie cutters! If it makes you look - or feel - gray, then NEXT!

notsaf, navy and black mixing high five. I love mixing these two shades and do it without even thinking, since to me, navy is a colour. I struggle with navy as a neutral though. I think the reason there can be a bit of a black vs. navy thing is because it is so much easier to choose one over the other (vs. say gray, which mixes so easily with either). I also think because everyone is so conscientious about style, there's a bit of resistance to the 'black-as-default' tendencies that are so prevalent. You are right, there are some forum members that showcase black beautifully - Katerina, Lisa, Janet spring to mind, and of course the princess of darkness herself Gryffin always represents for the shade beautifully.

The Cat, great palettes and thanks for your kind words! I find as long as I stick with cool shades, I'm good

Smittie, colour palette overthinking high five!

Everyone, thanks for all your thoughts and wisdom! xoxo

LaPed

Veteran

My palette definitely shifts seasonally. Like notsaf, I find navy a little too predictably preppy to wear in the summer, especially in New England. And I don't do much red in the summer either (can skew a little too patriotic for me, and feels too "warming" for hot weather). But dark blues and all sorts of reds figure prominently in my winter wardrobe. I don't wear much white in the winter, partly for practical reasons (mud and slush everywhere!), and partly because it feels too "cold" psychologically.

As for silhouette, I'm one who doesn't understand *not* wearing wide legs in the winter. Where do long johns go if you're wearing skinnies??

My biggest ongoing "tweak" seems to be the presence/absence of brown. I went from having a good deal of chocolate brown a decade ago, to having absolutely no brown whatsoever five years ago, and back to having a little capsule of browns and tans today. The big epiphany for me was that I don't have to treat black vs brown as an either/or question. Same goes for black vs navy. Give me *all* the dark neutrals all at once!

Helena

Veteran

LaPed, yay for mixing dark neutrals (she said, wearing her black sweater and dark olive pants )

Interesting about the navy as preppy thing ... and I wonder, maybe I am more into a preppy east coast look in summer ... I can see why navy, white and red should be approached with mindfulness, as it could inadvertently look a little costume-y! Currently, I'm the opposite of you ladies, enjoying black more in winter, and deep navy is summer ... but who knows if this might change?

L'Abeille

Veteran

Re seasonal neutrals

I wear black in fall and winter and navy in spring and summer. I do tend to skew a bit preppy during the summer, but since my environmental norm (Maritime Canada) is camo and sweats... often even at the yacht club (next to the lobster boats), I don't mind falling on that side!

I think black is actually more consistently flattering to my colouring, and I do have a smaller capsule of black summer clothes.

Since it's become "ok" to wear black and navy in the same outfit, I've tried bringing some of my navy items into the winter wardrobe, but apart from the Breton T's I haven't been able to make it work. I think largely due to summer vs winter weights and fabrics. And me shunning preppiness in winter.

This fall has been different though. Partly deliberate: in July I bought a navy pleated skirt at Uniqlo in Toronto wore it once while in Ontario (way too hot) and accidentally left it at my mom's. I knew I'd get it back at the family wedding over Thanksgiving, so I planned to use it after that and kept the navy capsule going.

It has actually worked quite well. I have a red and blue plaid peajacket (hi Rachy) that just feels wrong in spring. And last year, frustrated with the navy purse vs black purse transitional season dilemma, I got a red backpack style purse. So I've had a very long run of navy this fall.

Snow arrived yesterday though so I'm about ready to retire the red backpack...

Sorry for the hijack.

Helena

Veteran

L'abeille, not a hijack at all, that's exactly where this thread has meandered to! We seem to be similar with our navy and black usage ... Excellent that your navy capsule is taking you far!

I think sometimes too for me it's as simple as needing a change. I've worn a ton of navy for several years now and very little black ... Therefore I am a bit bored with navy and enjoying black right now. It's sure to swing again. Sometimes change is good in and of itself.

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