Style shift and tweaking the colour palette… - YouLookFab Forum

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Style shift and tweaking the colour palette…

Runcarla

Veteran

My style has been shifting over the past couple months to a more classic and minimalist look. Closet numbers remain the same (one in/one out) but the look of garments and accessories is simpler, with less pattern, ornamentation, and embellishment. Inadvertently I have adopted a somewhat typical minimalist closet palette, though I wasn’t following any particular minimalist ideology!

A quarter of my closet is black, though more than half the black items are footwear, bags, or outerwear. Black grounds a lot of my outfits. There is also a lot of dark blue or blue jean blue. White, taupe, lilac (my version of millineal pink) and red/wine (an outlier!) are present in equal amounts. Olive/green has almost disappeared subsequent to some recent closet editing.

I got my hair trimmed into a shoulder brushing bob last week. I wear it curly, but now frequently twist it into a French seam, scrunchied curly bun, or scarf/head wrap - for a small/neat head look.

To get the creative juices flowing, I selected colours from my current palette (#1), searched Pinterest for colour combinations (#2, 4, 7) and then created some flat sets (#3, 5,6 and #8) inspired by the colour inspo pics. #9 and #10 are recent/July outfits. On hot days I’m mostly in shorts, easy tops, sneakers or sandals (see Finds).

Thanks for looking!

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36 replies

Latest reply was from Runcarla

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting, Carla! I wonder if you will get tired of the lack of pattern over time or in a different season? Maybe not when you wear your hair down and curly -- the curls and the variegation in colour provide a lot of interest in themselves.

Love your colour combos and especially love that first outfit. There is a bit of a softened, weathered look to these palettes and to the clothing, too. Less crisp, perhaps, as well as less patterned? Yet the classic silhouettes maintain some sense of structure.

Synne

Veteran

Interesting that you are phasing out olive green. What is the reasoning behind this? Or does it just happen organically? I am doing the same with pastel blue, or any blue really. I find it a tricky colour to style and wear, no two shades are the same, and the colour often wear me. I will keep the blue of my jeans as a neutral, but not add any more.

rachylou

Veteran

These muted colours work very well! I enjoy the simplicity on you of no pattern - maybe because tho the topper has some interest via seams and buttons. The outfits aren’t flat, if you know what I mean.

ZoeyGirl

This seems like a fun exercise! My wardrobe cohesive-ness is driven by color, so this was very inspiring! Love the outfits!

Runcarla

Veteran

@ Suz - good point! I do still have a dozen items with pattern (2 are footwear, the rest are tops) but I make liberal use of scarves, hair ties, and masks - which are all patterned! My F/W list is modest, but contains some desire for pattern(*)

-long dress coat (wool, cashmere, alpaca)(* maybe)
-plaid flannel shirt (navy, white, and another colour from palette)*
-v neck merino sweaters (shop thrift-navy, red, wine, oatmeal?)
-wide black belt
-gloves - black leather and other colours
-Beret - merlot, navy?
-knit hat (beanie, Pom Pom - mixed knit with wine, navy, brown, lilac - ‘weird/muddy mix??)*
-HEWI - top with floral pattern mixing red, lilac, and gold (might not exist)*

@ Synne - Eliminating olive wasn’t a conscious decision. A couple of well loved key olive pieces (sneakers and chinos) wore out, and then I passed on two items that weren’t working - a topper that was literally noisy! - it rustled loudly when I wore it and annoyed the heck out of me, and a sleeveless synthetic top that was too hot for hot days, and not warm enough for cool ones. When a colour capsule is composed of 5-7 items, it doesn’t take a hard edit to end up with a ‘one-of’ instead of a capsule. I know olive is a good colour for me, but I’m in a mushroom mood atm

@ ZoeyGirl - I got the colour palette inspo idea from Brooklyn. Below are two more inspo pics I want to work with.

#1 printed accessories

#2 what I’m looking for

#3 the wildcard

#4 + 5 palette inspo pics

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JAileen

Veteran

I’m surprised about your olive purge, too. But hey, just because I like to wear it doesn’t mean you would. It’s funny, though, I have a little bit of black and don’t know what goes with it. I have black shorts and apparently nothing to wear with them.

ETA: love love love your jacket!

Runcarla

Veteran

@ JAileen - the amount of black surprises me, but as you can see, there is a lot of footwear and accessories. Yes! The new LLBean jacket is a winner.

https://youlookfab.com/finds/c.....ction=9365

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Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I really enjoyed your palette pictures - and I am not a palette maker myself. Interesting about the olive green, I wonder if it will come back or you are more in a brown mood. I especially like your outfit with the loafers. Very simple yet sophisticated.

nemosmom

Veteran

LOVE this color direction for you, Carla!! It makes sense that well loved olive pieces eventually wore out. It helps a lot having more browns available at retail these days to choose from as “fresh” replacements.

Your flat sets look perfect for you - I am excited to see where you take this!

Sloper

Veteran

I admire your way with colors.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting....a couple of additional patterned items (especially a coat) would make a huge difference. And yes again to scarves -- that is how I add a lot of pattern myself, in fact. I have a mostly solid or faux solid winter wardrobe apart from scarves and footwear and the odd top.

Star

Veteran

I love how you are in control of your closet. I am getting there. I was a pattern maniac previously but have noted from my WIW records that I wear them less and less. That is except for camo and animal prints, which I wear frequently.

lyn67

Veteran

Always loved a coffe&mushroom palette- taupeish mochas greish browns were my speciality a few (10??) years ago and would do it anytime again! Love the sets you did put together here-lillac amd mustard is great to them! Sometimes we do have to give up on good old colors for a refresh, isn't it (llet your love for olive rest a bit for now:-))!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Well I am sad about the loss of your olive! It’s still one of my faves and almost beginning to compete with cobalt blue as THE favourite?! What is the world coming to?
I wear it about 1/3 of the time and am still adding to the capsule slowly.
I do like your new inspiration pics though.
What is your main clothing wardrobe number? Mine is still about 130 of clothing items and about 37 of shoes. It feels like your items wear out faster. Maybe there are fewer of them so each one is worn more often?

Anonymous

Love your palettes- I'm wearing #4 today Sad about the olive, but I'm totally with you on simplifying and moving away from prints these days.

Helena

Veteran

Your methodical yet creative process to your style never ceases to blow my mind Carla ... Looking forward to following this leg of your style journey.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

So thoughtful and I like the color palette ideas!

You wear olive so well, I think that if you are interested in bringing it back into your wardrobe, now's a good time to do it, while it's trending!

Runcarla

Veteran

@ Jenni - my wardrobe numbers are in the 80’s including footwear (12 pair). I include things like purses/bags, hats, scarves, etc. in that number, but not underwear or fitness kit. I turn over a quarter of my wardrobe annually - acquiring around 24 items per year and editing out about the same number. Some items get worn out. The olive chinos (2018) clocked 43 wears in the last 18 months (I only started counting wears in 2020 - so likely double that number) - and wore through the rear. Other items get donated when I realize they aren’t working for me, but are still in good shape. Stuff that literally ‘wears out’ lasts me from 2-5 years.

Anonymous

Your color combos are so soothing, and a bit unexpected - an interesting combination! Seems like this dusty mid-to e brown may be your new olive?

Mainelady

Veteran

Ooh, I love your color palettes and how you blend your outfits. Your outfits still have structure, but also show as soft, soothing and calm. I’m curious. Did you create your outfits, then the palettes or did you view palettes, choose your favorites and then build your outfits? Either way seems like a fun and productive venture!

Anonymous

A noteable change from last summer ! Do you miss your reds ? I realize they don’t fit with your new palette inspiration -just curious is all . I loved you in summer reds . I set out to copy you in the spring with some lilac pieces and haven’t worn them at all . Lilac isn’t really my colour though - but I so love it with red .

SarahD8

Veteran

Wonderful update, Carla. The flat-lay outfits look great and the palettes are lovely. I love how relaxed you are about these changes.

May I ask how you find your palette images on Pinterest? E.g., do you search for all of the colors you want or just one of them or two key ones? I can't figure out if I'm putting too much detail in my own searches or not enough...

Runcarla

Veteran

@ Mainelady - I felt I was falling back on the same outfit combinations recently, so decided to shake things up by searching Pinterest for palette inspo pics - then I pulled items from my closet to see if I could create new/different outfit combinations.

@ SarahD8 - I keep it simple using one or two colours and ‘palette’ in my search. See below, a result from search using ‘taupe palette colour scheme’

@ Lisap - the abundance of reds in my closet was a reflection of my post retirement ebullience. Several items were thrifted - so shorter lifespan. I do feel badly the loss of a red V neck sweater (laundry accident) and would duplicate (it was thrifted.) Three years on (and one pandemic ) I’m calmer and more settled. Lilac has become a signature colour, but I feel a little goes a long way, and that it isn’t a colour for everyone - but then, I could never wear millennial pink…

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Joy

Veteran

Like Star, I admire your discipline. I have few prints for winter except for scarves. You might start with a print in just two colors, one or both as neutrals. If you add prints, look for color block or stripes.. Love your hair.

Anonymous

Interesting connection between retirement emotions and wardrobe choices.

SarahD8

Veteran

That is super helpful information re Pinterest, Carla, thanks for sharing those details!

Runcarla

Veteran

@ Lisa P - emotions period!!

Anonymous

Anonymous

Jealous of post retirement ebullience

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