What Are Neutral Colors?
Neutral colors in fashion are de-saturated colors which make up the backbone of your wardrobe. Your suits and pants should be in neutral colors because neutral colors go with everything else. They are also conservative in nature. Black, different shades of white, grays, navy, browns, tans, and some greens are considered neutral colors. Neutral colors are the opposite of accent colors: saturated colors that “pop out” and add flair to your wardrobe.
To hammer the point home: You’ll notice many people wearing gray suits but not many in bright pink suits. That’s because gray is a neutral color and bright pink is an accent color. Neutrals form the base of your wardrobe because they are versatile enough to be worn in a wide range of situations and environments. Accent colors are about drawing attention and being flashy. Therefore suits and pants should almost always be a neutral color. Wear neutral colors in the office, at weddings, or on a hot date to project a steady image of authority and integrity.
Which Neutral Colors Look Best on Me?
How do you know what neutral colors look best on you? Choosing the right colors for yourself depends on your skin tone and contrast profile. Skin tone is warm or cool. Contrast profile is the level of contrast between your skin, eyes, and hair. It is high or low. Your skin tone and contrast profile is used to determine your color season. You can be a Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall. Each season has a set of neutral colors which work best.
Check out this article I wrote for determining your color “season.” Once you know what season you are, come back to this article to find the neutral colors that work best for you.
Winter Neutral Colors
Winter neutral colors include Black, Navy, Charcoal Gray, Medium Gray, Light Gray, and Light Brown with Gray mixed in. Winters are best in bold clear colors. Winter colors have a cool or blue undertone.
Avoid: Brown, Yellowed Grays, Warm Tan Colors, Warm Golden Tones
Autumn Neutral Colors
Autumn neutral colors include Charcoal Brown, Chocolate Brown, Khaki, Camel, Coffee Brown, Marine Navy, and Grayed Green. Autumns are best in colors with warm golden undertones. Unlike winters they can wear muddy colors.
Avoid: Black, True Grays, True Navy, and colors with blue undertones.
Spring Neutral Colors
Spring neutral colors include Medium to Light Warm Grays, Warm Beige, Bright Navy, Chocolate Brown, Golden Brown, Camel, and Warm Tan. Springs look best in clear bright light colors. Spring colors have a warm tone but they tend to be lighter and yellowish instead of golden.
Avoid: Black, Grayed Navy, Darker Grays, Khaki, extremely dark colors, cool or blue undertones, and grayed or dark browns.
Summer Neutral Colors
Summer neutral colors include Grayed Navy, Charcoal Blue, Light Gray Blue, Any Browns with a Rose tone, and Cocoa (a Light Rosed Beige.) Summers look greatest in cool blue based pastel colors. Soft subtle contrasts define the look, not the sharp contrasts found in the Winter palette.
Avoid: Blacks, Warm Navy, True and Yellow Grays, Charcoal Gray, Yellow and Golden Browns
Wrapping Everything Up
Neutral colors are the foundation of your wardrobe. Remember to choose your suit and pants in one of your neutral colors. Leave the bright pink suit to the experts.
For even more info on neutral colors and other examples of neutral colors to consider, check out Sew Guide’s great article on them. If you understand the principals behind your season’s color palette, you can use Sew Guide’s examples to view other neutrals you may look good in. You can also check out a great neutral explainer video by Harry Has below. Check it out.
Until next time. Cheers.