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What are your favourite neutrals?

41 replies

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 07/06/2020 22:02

Mine are navy and grey, they form the base of my wardrobe. I find black a bit harsh, and all shades of brown make me look sallow. I have fair skin, blue-grey eyes, and reddish brown hair.

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Nixee2231 · 08/06/2020 08:51

Navy and brown for me. I really hate black on myself and on other people, I wish it had never become fashionable. It makes me feel depressed in winter when I look out from a cafe window to a sea of black coats. At the same time I believe people should wear whatever makes them happy! But I secretly suspect black doesn't make a lot of people happy, its justs easy.

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Nixee2231 · 08/06/2020 08:53

I'm quite surprise brown makes you look sallow though if you have reddish brown hair. Ever since I switched to dying my hair red, I'm in love with brown and I never wore it before that.

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DelphiniumBlue · 08/06/2020 08:58

Black and grey for base colours. I did find I wore lighter shades when I had my hair lighter. I do have a few navy things but I find I feel a bit frumpy in them. I've got brown hair and blue eyes.

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ChelseaCat · 08/06/2020 09:00

I use leopard print like a neutral 🙌🏼

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GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 08/06/2020 09:06

"I'm quite surprise brown makes you look sallow though if you have reddish brown hair. Ever since I switched to dying my hair red, I'm in love with brown and I never wore it before that."

It's brown - the reddish tone is added artificially. Grin

My skin tone is quite yellow toned, so browns make it worse. Although I wore a golden wedding dress that made my skin glow, so who knows, maybe I've just not found the right shades.

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wowfudge · 08/06/2020 09:17

Not everybody suits black although it is ubiquitous in some settings. I prefer navy myself. As we age our skin tone lightens and, usually, our hair colour. This is why dyeing your hair the colour it was in your 20s and 30s can look harsh and unnatural and black eyeliner can be too harsh. I don't want to blend into the background in the same black as lots of people if a different colour makes me look better.

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LaurieFairyCake · 08/06/2020 09:40

That nudey pink is a good neutral for me. With pink blusher I look young and fresh (I'm neither)

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Nixee2231 · 08/06/2020 10:02

Leopard as a neutral sounds so amazing! As much as I love brown I tend to just stick to accessories and shoes in one color (cognac). I really envy people with the colouring to pull of the combo of really rich creams and different browns all over. Anyone seen that done well with light skin?

Pale pink and gray combo also looks gorgeous on some people. I really love gray but I can't seem to pull it off at all.

Question for non-black neutral wearers: what color socks + stocking do you wear? Especially socks seem to be the babe of my existence, I've tried every color and I can't find anything that works with my whole wardrobe. I guess that's the beauty of black that you really can wear it with (almost) anything!

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arinah · 08/06/2020 10:58

My wardrobe consists of black (sorry!), navy and khaki. I do have some grey items for those days when I want to throw in dusky pink, and it makes me feel a lot more toned down and gentle if that makes sense.
My desi wardrobe on the other hand... Grin 🌈

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Floisme · 08/06/2020 11:49

It depends on what you mean by neutrals. The basis of my wardrobe is grey, plum and mid or dark green. I guess many of you would say only one of those is a neutral but together they make up about 70% of my wardrobe and mix and match surprisingly well.

I look like shit in most traditional neutrals although I've recently started dabbling with black again after a 20 year break. But it has to be a washed out black.

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JaneJeffer · 08/06/2020 12:51

I secretly suspect black doesn't make a lot of people happy
It makes me happy!

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wowfudge · 08/06/2020 13:03

Nixee I wear natural coloured tights or navy opaques or tanned bare legs depending on the situation when I wear navy. I usually wear navy or tan or brown leather shoes.

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DramaAlpaca · 08/06/2020 13:11

Grey and navy for me. I'd like to be able to wear black, but next to my face it washes me out and I look awful in it - I'm a very fair skinned blonde. I never, ever wear brown, just don't like it.

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XingMing · 08/06/2020 13:35

Black, grey, navy and olive/khaki. But I have light olive-toned skin that tans fast. Can't wear pastel colours, especially blues except in high summer, but brighter tones are fine.

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Lily193 · 08/06/2020 15:34

I would choose black, grey, khaki and pale pinks with a blue undertone. I can't abide navy or brown and would never ever wear either. I may change my mind when I'm very old.

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WellTidy · 08/06/2020 15:42

Grey and navy. More navy than grey. I wish I could wear black but I’ve never been able to. Nor can I wear camel and shades like that. I am pale with mid brown hair and green/hazel eyes.

I look beat in bright colours - red, dark pink, turquoise etc.

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WellTidy · 08/06/2020 15:43

Not beat. Best.

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PerfidiousAlbion · 08/06/2020 15:49

Navy and light grey here too. I have blonde hair, ivory skin and grey eyes but I’m warm overall. Brown is ok if its light (beige) or medium (tan) but chocolate is too dark.

I also love ivory.

I find black and white too harsh as there’s nothing about me that’s black and white. So my black is dark grey - the same colour as the darkest part of my eye. Why white is warm white - the same as the whites of my eyes and teeth. My khaki is the darkest blonde in my hair. That way, what i wear is in harmony with how i look. Sounds convoluted but works.

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PerfidiousAlbion · 08/06/2020 15:55

@Nixee2231 I dont wear socks so that’s easy.

In winter, if its really cold, I’ll wear cream/off white, navy, grey with boots.

With proper shoes, I’ll match the shoe, so navy or dark grey. I prefer that to matching my hem.

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JaceLancs · 08/06/2020 15:56

Grey navy black white
Livened up with cobalt blue, turquoise, cerise or magenta
I look awful in warm colours

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3LittleMonkeyz · 08/06/2020 16:01

Grey
Khaki green
Leopard print (which is a neutral Wink)
Faded denim
Navy

I also wear a bit of white, black, mustard and blush pink. I can't remember when I last wore another colour than those

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Swiftier · 08/06/2020 16:21

I’ve got copper-brown hair and green/grey eyes, fair skin but tan and freckle easily.

I wear lots of navy, and ‘rust’ colours, and warm browns, creams. I also suit some burgundy and dark green colours. I mostly wear autumnal colours apart from in the middle of summer, when it can feel a bit wrong so then I wear creams, burnt orange, navy etc.

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GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 08/06/2020 16:49

Your colouring sounds exactly like mine, Swiftier, but all the colours you list, except for navy and green, look awful on me! Burgundy and burnt orange particularly.

I suit all shades of blue - China Blue in particular makes my eyes pop; most shades of green, but not brown-toned shades like olive or khaki; soft pinks, violets and coral but not fuscia or cerise; and soft or zingy yellows, but definitely not mustard or orangey shades. Red is tricky on me - I feel it's a bit like black, and just too much of a contrast. Same with dark purples.

The majority of my wardrobe is blue, green and grey. I quite suit white and cream and wear more of them in the summer - but I'm a spiller, so it's risky. Grin

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pawpawpawpaw · 08/06/2020 18:29

I love colour but increasingly I feel like I should just buy everything in blue and be done with it.
I have very dark and cool-toned hair, very fair skin, blue eyes. Blonde/tawny colours don't suit and dyeing the greys to my natural colour became too harsh so grey is the least worst option. With greying hair, blue makes my skin look peachy and glowy and my eyes pop.
My mum is almost 80 with similar colouring and since she's stopped dyeing her hair (she was blonde, now steely grey) she looks wonderful in black. I can get away with it if I layer it with blue. I have a black sleeveless jumpsuit I wear with a chambray shirt, it's flattering and the vaguely Amish/utility vibe is just right for me.
Like you OP I find red too severe and it makes me feel old and MOR.

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lindyloo57 · 08/06/2020 18:43

I keep reading as you get older, I'm 59 you should lighten your hair colour, the thing is after 30 years or more of having light blonde highlights I want to grow them out and go natural, which is mousey brown, now I don't know what to do.

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