Introducing colors into your look is a very good way to assert a style that ensures and highlight your silhouette. Of course if you re not confident yet with flashy or blocks of color, fair enough to start with neutrals.
What’s neutral by the way?
The term is a little tarnished and tends to be all and nothing even though in reality neutrals have been brought up by adding to a primary color its complementary one:
I.e: Magenta + Green = Brown
Also considered as neutrals are, the derivatives of this addition combined with white, I.e beige for brown with white or black , as well as white and black becoming grey.
Which are the neutrals when it comes to clothes?
Callejane
Neutral colors : ecru and beige
The expression of neutrals for outfits is somehow extended because of including Khaki, Burgundy, Metallic which are not as such but can associated because easy matching others colors.
Light neutrals would be
The following are considered light neutral colors:
- Ecru colored
- Cream colored
- Beige
- Camel
- Heather grey
- Nude
Important : also taken for light neutrals are :
- Metallic colored : golden, silver, coppery-pink
- Animal prints
- White (which is basically not a color)
Audrey Lombard
Held on a light neutral base
Dark neutrals would be
The following are considered dark neutral colors:
- Charcoal Grey
- Navy blue
- Burgundy
- Khaki
- Brown
Important : also taken for dark neutrals are :
- Denim color
- Black (as for White this is not a proper color)
Bows and sequins
Association osée de deux neutres : noir et bleu marine.
The black and white case
Both are not a so called color.
The black is the lack (absence) of light reflected by a thing / item.
The white is the sum of all lights from all the colors.
The white, then , increases the intensity when the black leads to lower and moderate a very singular look or a very colorful one.
Neutral’s players
The neutrals help to tone and settle down either others colors or key and strong items.
When you struggle to match /to pair a strong colorful piece , rather then thinking black straight away , think neutrals, this would break the usual and too conventional routine and gets you on the right way to greatly improve your style.
Finally done with the classic combination with black, you will suddenly notice that your style amazingly changed.
How often would you stand in front of your wardrobe, completely filled , and your head as well with the same remaining question : « what to wear today » the answer is simply as it can be , you miss neutrals … and basics (you never wonder why most of basics are in neutral colors !!!)
Black most often, often too boring.
Con cosa lometto
The white and denim come to de-dramatize the sequins!
How to match neutrals to each other : 2 options
- Combining neutrals together:
All neutrals will fit to each other, except for Black + Brown which would get you looking plain . Although for all others, you possibly cannot make any mistake by wearing them together and this will give you the confidence if wearing colors is not yet fine with you
You can also stage light and dark neutrals (mixing I.E white + leopard + brut denim , easy and efficient) or play it with softness with only light neutrals pair (beige+ white)
Pinterest*
Association of neutrals: gray, white and camel.
- Combining neutrals with other colors:
As well as a key item associated with basics rule, neutrals will smooth strong color over whilst enhancing it.
This is true for the bright colors but also for ….
FURTHER UP TO THIS ARTICLE
- How to match neutrals: with each other and with other colors,
- Which neutral goes with which color: a list of all the possible combinations,
- A PDF with a visual to download, to find out which color each neutral particularly enhances,
- Pinterest inspirations: all the current outfit ideas to wear neutrals well!
👉 To find the rest of this article: EBOOK “Matching colors like a pro”
*These are images for which the sources could not be identified on Pinterest.
Header picture credit:
Ba&Sh