Color Help Part 2: Neutrals

What are neutrals?


Mixing colors is tricky, but knowing your neutrals can make it work. Neutrals are colors that support other colors well, and don't fight them for the limelight. Classic neutrals include Black (the classiest neutral of them all); Khaki, Gray, Deep Navy, Denim Blue, Drab Olive, Cream, and White. An All-Neutral outfit can mix three of the neutrals, plus a Pop of Color for an accessory. If you are looking for long wear for your items, like shoes, boots, or coats, stick to neutrals and you won't go wrong. Accessories, like scarves, clutches, and beaded necklaces, are more disposable, and that's the place to indulge the bright color craving that we all harbor deep inside.

Color Help Part 1

The use of color is an important fashion component, and some basic principles are hard to understand! We all want to wear the colors that look best on us, work for the current fashion look, and provide the best value for or clothing investment. Here are a few tips:

1) Seasonal colors: Some colors are good in certain seasons only. Russet (a glowing dark Orange rust) for example, is a great color for Autumn days (September to November in lots of places.) Russet is over on the day after Thanksgiving, no matter where you are.
Light Pink makes its entrance around Easter, and drops out just about the time that Russet appears. There are summer colors, and combos, too, like Navy&White (Memorial Day to Labor Day.)
Oddly, Lavender, like Pink, comes in with Spring, and leaves when Russet shows up in Autumn, but saturated Lavender makes another appearance in February, when the light is very bleak, and it is well supported by Black.

2) Basic Neutrals:
Although the Neutrals are certainly neutral, they have their seasons, too, with White carrying the Spring&Summer, and Black&Brown in the Autumn & Winter. A tiger stripe silk shirt (Brown/Black) works in the winter, with a Black cashmere cardi; and looks smashing in the Summer, with white jeans.

Remember that wearing out-of-season colors is the surest way to sink an outfit.
To be Continued...