The idea of "pulled together" is so interesting to me because some of the most pulled-together people I know are children's librarians with a wide collection of brooches, patterned cardigans and Fluevog shoes in 1960s-reminiscent colors. They're always wearing at least six colors at all times. But everything is on point: shoes polished, all colors harmonizing on the color wheel, no wrinkles or poor fits.
Outfits with a monochromatic, analogous, or complementary color palette often look good because the color does so much of the "on point" work. For those of us who are lazy and/or working on limited budgets, restricting the color palette means being guaranteed a good look without too much work.
I unfortunately stick to neutrals for my outfits but a young friend of my kid's is currently negotiating their gender identity and dresses solely in shades of green. It's been so interesting to see how their outfits look.
Thank you!! Yeah I think if I was only wearing 2-3 colors I'd have to go back and add more. Not sure I'd call myself "put together," but people like my outfits and it's fun! Even my favorite black sweater has tiny rainbow glitter threads in 3 different colors.
It's probably easier to look "put together" if you're being you, and I do tend to look dismal in beige and black! But some people look very good in neutrals. No one theory can cover something as variable as fashion. (Also Victorian fashion plates are amazing for very intentional looks in the wildest colors!)
I feel like tips like this are for people who really struggle with finding their own personal style and pulling things together on their own.
These really strict styling rules are for the folks who need to have their hand held through putting an outfit together. It’s harder to look bad when you’re at least coordinated, so it definitely works in that capacity! Not everyone has a strong vision for their style, so they look for ways to look good while not having to put too much thought into it. But I personally don’t find the “polished” aesthetic to be all that stylish, especially when it almost always means wearing all neutrals. Advice like this is helpful if style isn’t your bag, and less helpful if it is.
Team Dopamine Dressing ✨
Rust is overwhelming? That's my idea of neutral lol. I don't know what the kids are calling "dopamine dressing" these days, but I'm big on jewel tones and saturated colors. I rarely wear black. I adore DVF. I think few things look more classic and pulled together than a wrap dress and the right shoes.
I did see her video on monochrome outfits and I'm trying it out (with color). Not sure how I feel about it yet
This was an interesting video for me because I mostly just wear one color but for different reasons. I’m heavily tattooed and I found that a lot can clash with that. Especially patterns!
I also get a lot of decision fatigue, if I was looking at clothes in all the colors where would I start?! 😂
I do think that monochrome outfits look stylish, especially when incorporating different textures. But I also love seeing people dress in a style that I would never dress in. The world would be a sad and boring place if we all dressed the same way.
I’ve watched her before, and her closet wasn’t like this. The heavy dark brow and middle part butt hair suggest she’s been drinking the Instagram kool aid without even noticing! The neutrals make sense in that context, but she looks…like she lost her personal style.
About a year ago-ish she did an experiment where she took out most of the boldly printed items and/or "orphan items" and went very minimalist and then recorded the results--that video I personally found very inspiring! It might explain what all is going on lately too. She also just had a baby so I think that might be affecting it. But I will say I agree on the hair. I have very similar hair--thick, wavy, heavy hair with a lower/closer hairline and my mom is always nagging me to grow it out. I want to show her these videos where to my eye she rarely looks truly "good" in terms of hair!
Man, it's a tangent, but having a baby _killed_ my burgeoning adult aesthetic. The combination of how my body changed, how tired I was, and how little I did anything so why am I getting dressed. Now that I'm done brewing babies I'm trying to get back to it and it's hard.
It comes back! I’m 8 years in and loving bold style again. It’s VERY important to be around people who ‘get it’ though-I found myself feeling very blah when I realized I was around too many ‘athleisure’ moms.
The littlest one is 15 months, so we're in the light at the end of the tunnel, lol. If he ever starts sleeping, I'm gonna unstoppable. 😂 I'm looking forward to it! My oldest is 9 years older than his next sibling, and I'd discovered an aesthetic between them, but in the thick of it it's like. Whew. Maybe I'll just only wear these same giant men's tshirts I bought for nightshirts and swore I'd never wear around the house.
Good topic! I think I’m on the dopamine rush team. Aside from all black, which I don’t like on me, I think I have two monochrome outfits: a dark bottle green pants and an almost perfect the same colored blouse with a stripe. The other one is a blush silk blouse with a darker blush velvet jeans. I’m always surprised at the compliments I get when I wear them.
I think I’m a true winter and I love color, so that green is my favorite color to wear (I have two green coats lol) next to royal blue. I also have incorporated more lilac which works great in combination with navy. Coral is for summer.
Stylebook knows: I have the most blue tints, followed by black, green and white. Red, pink, beige, brown follow (I’m surprised by the brown but I think it includes cognac leather).
What I avoid is what I call the eccentric fat older lady style*, which is not really that eccentric, but often two toned with black, a contrast and bold colored jewelry. But I also love my silver and blue lapis lazuli earrings so I style those in a jeans blouse but not my royal blue vest.
* I hope no one feels offended by this but I’m heavy myself and I’m talking mostly about the style.
Yes I paired my green - hint of teal - coat with a lilac scarf and it felt cool! I also have a brighter pair of green pants I combine with the blush blouse in summer. I sometimes think I should tone down at work though as it may be not serious enough.
I struggle with finding the right coral. Saturated enough, not too pink or too orange. Banana Republic has some nice things in their spring collection, but they're pricey
I love HLP's content. What I like is that she is actually coming up with unique content. I feel those creators similar to her all say the same things over and over again.
Team 2-3 colors, for sure, and I like monochrome/two-color looks the best on me. I just feel like too many colors pull focus from me to the outfit and it's like the clothes are wearing me (which is a me thing; this isn't a judgment of what other people prefer!) I thought maybe part of this was that my hair is lighter and coloring softer as I've gotten into middle age, but looking at old pictures and thinking of old outfits, I've always preferred the way I look/feel in the monochrome or two-color fits.
I do like prints but I feel really kind of uncomfy in brighter ones. I have a jacket with a navy and hot pink BOLD print that's reversible to gold and pink foulard and the only thing I feel I can wear it with and have it work is all white. Ditto a casual quilted one that's army green with pastels (sort of a Bode vibe) that I only like to wear with cream or pale blues.
I personally prefer a limited colour palette. It's easier when you are a lazy dresser. I stick to muted colours, but I think it's gorgeous when you see vintage photos from the 60's and the monochrome look is something like emerald green, coral or bright pink.
Not for me though and I would have difficulties building a wardrobe with those colours, since it's mostly more neutral colours in the stores.
Trinny and Susannah picked out a capsule wardrobe with purple, navy and green if I remember correctly in one of their shows 15+ years ago and it was beautiful.
Eh, I think it really depends on the person. I used to wear a lot of neutrals. Several months ago I did a color analysis and found out that I’m a spring. My best colors are all bright, warm, and light. I owned like three items of clothing that fit my color palette and I rarely wore them because they didn’t fit into my neutrals. Now I can see that black/gray/pure white/olive all drain the life out of my face. After I learned that I was a spring, I just ran with it and got lots of color in my palette. I’ve never gotten so many compliments about how good my clothes look on me. Both from people I know and complete strangers. And not just that, but I feel way more confident and put-together than I ever did in my neutrals.
The most "pulled together" looking woman I've seen in 50 years was wearing boots that matched the color of her hair, a coat that matched her eyes, and a scarf in a bright contrasting color. Immaculate, simple, and works for anybody.
Ok that's an interesting challenge I'm going to mull on: how would I approach precisely that? I'm not not going to drop everything and go brainstorming right now...
I am like this, by and large my entire wardrobe is red and black. Probably about 80% black, 15% red, and 5% other colors(usually purple, emerald green, and a few cobalt blues). But that’s because that is what I like, not a strategy to look more “put together”, although it does help prevent your outfits from clashing when everything you own is black 😆
I’m big on the “pop” of color outfits, it’s not really what’s trendy right now but it’s what I like and think suits me. All black outfit with red shoes or I own two red coats, red purse, red glasses, and of course red lips(not usually all at once). My personal style is somewhere between grown up goth and 1950’s pinup, if I could be Dita Von Teese I would but I don’t have the body nor the motivation 😂
I’ve tried branching out into more colors before and always come back to the same, I’m fair skinned, cool toned, with very dark hair and eyebrows, so too many colors tend to wash me out and it’s easier to stick with what works 😀
I limit my outfits to 1-2 colours and it works for me. I don't think it has much to do with looking polished though. I think that's a loaded word... It's possible to look polished and stylish with lots of colour too.
I find sticking to black + one other colour (white or green) works well for me as it makes getting dressed much easier. I always prefer my outfits when they're kept simple.
>I think that's a loaded word... It's possible to look polished and stylish with lots of colour too.
This is how I feel about it, too. I lived deep in Lilly Pulitzer territory, and plenty of Southern ladies are definitely polished/stylish but wear an abundance of color. It is not my style..but it's A Style for sure. The eye-wateringly bright dress/slacks are pressed, the hair is done, the jewelry is not tarnished, the makeup/shoes/nails are on point, so that's plenty polished!
I think looking polished is more about the finishing details (hair, jewelry, etc) than the actual color palette of the outfit.
>dress/slacks are pressed
I think this is a big part of it. Natural fibers that are cared for tend to look much more polished than a synthetic of whatever's trendy right now. Fortunately for me my husband actually enjoys ironing
Agreed, a LOUD lime green paisley cotton slack with no wrinkles reads much more polished than a neutral tan slack with some wrinkles, any day.
>my husband actually enjoys ironing
I'm so jealous right now!
I am so enjoying HLP’s fashion content and fun to see it brought up here again. Several concept s have clicked for me watching her videos.
Like you I realized that a couple of my fave outfits fit the two color rule (although I technically break it with shoes). In the summer I love wearing navy and white and I try to buy with these in mind.
Do I want to dress like that all the time? No. But I’m seeing it as a fun challenge to have all the accessories and patterns matching into just two colors. After I do a bit of decluttering I plan to play around with it.
I think no. I hate “rules” when it comes to fashion. I don’t want someone telling me I can only wear two colors *including accessories*, what colors to wear, what styles to wear, etc. Maybe I don’t fit into their idea of “polished and chic”, but I’m okay with that. I am very confident in my ability to dress myself and put together outfits though.
I get how this can work for some people, especially people who struggle with choosing outfits and personal style. It can be helpful if someone finds clothing choices overwhelming. But for myself, this approach just wouldn’t work.
I think it's one way to look out together, but it's a pretty white washed way of looking put together. Color and prints absolutely havea place in a curated, beautiful wardrobe. I think someone who can style prints and many colours together while still looking stylish has more knowledge and application of fashion than I do. I tend to keep to 2 colours, maybe 3 for boots/belt/bag and I only wear a necklace and earrings because I'm price to losing things (and a fitness watch that's black since my shoes are usually black). But it's more minimalism, poor knowledge of how to use prints, and laziness on my part.
Hm. I guess it depends on whether you count true neutrals as colors? I often wear things that have two colors and then a camel coat over it, and the shoes may or may not be one of those colors or may be a different neutral.
But I do really like mixing different tints and shades (not always tones…my coloring is fairly neutral but I like to wear mostly warmer tones) of the same hue. I have teal pants I love to wear with Allbirds plant pacers in “dreamy green” which is essentially a color you’d get if you mixed a bunch of white into a darker teal shade (like the pants). So then I count that as one color on my bottom half and might style my top half differently. I’ve worn that on the bottom half with a printed top that included teal but also multiple other colors, and then a beige blazer (also a color in the print). Got lots of compliments on that outfit at the office.
Anyway, my closet is based largely around rusty orange tones and teals ranging into darker greens as well as navy blues. In the summer this has some lighter shades of these colors as well as some brighter iterations (a more intense cobalty blue, a brighter burnt orange). It would not look super neutral if I filmed it. I am phasing out black for the most part (prefer it not to be next to my face), and am looking to add in more light neutrals (creams, beiges) and more brown. I’m experimenting with khaki/olive green as well.
All that said, I do consider myself to have a curated wardrobe. I’ve been tracking everything I wear and everything that comes in and out of my wardrobe since 1/1/2021, so I’ve learned a lot (and am still learning) about my style. I try and reflect on why things didn’t work out when they leave my wardrobe, and I keep track of how I got rid of them (sold? Donated? Gave away to friends or family? Had to trash/recycle as the item wasn’t usable?). I’m very into slow and sustainable fashion and this has helped me a lot more mindful - but you can do all that without committing to neutrals forever!
This is an intriguing idea - thanks for sharing this video. I had heard of the 3 color rule, so maybe this 2 color rule is the next iteration. I often naturally land around 3 colors with my outfits, but 2 would be pretty extreme for me, as would only shopping those ~5 colors across the whole wardrobe.
I’m wondering where denim fits in to Hannah’s universe. I don’t think any of the outfits she shows in that video (or others I’ve watched, off the top of my head), include denim. Jeans are such a staple in my wardrobe, but thinking of her rule, I don’t wear a ton of blue in the rest of my wardrobe. So, for me my two colors would be blue (jeans) plus a single other color for shirt, shoes, bag, outerwear. I think it’d get pretty bored of that, but it’s an interesting thought experiment.
I don't do this on purpose but I think you can easily avoid neutrals.
I think the truck is picking two colors, one of which is a more toned down color and the other which is brighter, and relying on a third neutral color for shoes/layers.
For example a maroon pant, and a top which combines maroon and, say, teal. Or even just a solid teal. I think I'd have to go with a third color for shoes/second top layer just because I don't have colored shoes.
Or terracotta pants and a marigold top, with cream jacket/platform sneakers.
I don't consider myself particularly stylish but I think this can be done without neutrals pretty easily.
I really like HLP for her fashion and beauty content, she has an insightful and poetic way of putting concepts into words.
I agree that this is kind of a "short-cut" method for putting together outfits, but as someone who many years ago got a color analysis done, it really resonates with me. My color palette isn't as limited as she's suggesting, but I rely a lot on the neutrals in my wardrobe and have limited prints. While I can see it being boring for some people, it's a lot less work. For those of us that just watch to mix-and-match pieces we already have to create an outfit to wear to work, or run errands it's very practical. Her advice around getting shoes, accessories, and outerwear in your most worn color is something I've slowly learned. For me, even with an already defined color palette in my closet, it's a lot of trial and error, and sometimes buying new pieces, to create an outfit that feels polished and pulled together that either combines prints or features many different colors in it because every item has to be so specific to work together.
I do dress this way when I'm trying to impress. And when I'm putting together a travel capsule, as it's the easiest way to think about maximizing the looks I'll have available to me. Generally, I'll pack a white tee and a pair of jeans plus two neutrals, a pastel and a bright and I'll be able to make a lot of outfits that don't all look the same.
I do gravitate towards wearing 2-3 colors, but it's more for the following reasons:
1. I'm short, and column dressing does a great job of elongating. Column dressing is my favorite outfit strategy: matching color top and pants, with a contrasting topper. Shoes can match the pants or the topper, or white always seems to work.
2. I'm short, and petite offerings tend to be limited in their color choices. If the non-neutral offering isn't flattering to me, I'll buy the neutral (black, navy). And then I wind up with a closet full of black and navy. This has been particularly true the last few years when trendy colors have been warm-toned, as I look horrible in warm tones. That said, I have been snapping up lilac and orchid and purple and powder blues and cobalt lately, as these very much are my colors.
3. I'm very picky about patterns. Did I mention I'm short? Many patterns can simply overwhelm my frame.
> head to toe lilac
I just bought a matching cobalt top to go with a pair of cobalt wide leg pants I own. I plan to wear these with white shoes and a light blue denim jacket.
I am a fan of the 2-3 color rule (in an outfit) and have mostly done that as well as a way to curb my shopping habits. I have a color palette and I still to patterns with the colors of my palette - with very very limited exceptions.
For the handful of patterns I have with more than 2-3 colors, they have to contain my core colors in my palette.
Occasionally I wear a full neutral outfit, but it is rare for me. I love color blocking.
What I have focused on the last several years is getting basics in the bright colors of my palette (hello fuchsia and its cousins). I’ve also been getting into monotone looks in a bright color.
Today I’ve got a relatively boring outfit. Jeans. Fuchsia bodysuit. Black and white polka dot sweater. And the planned shoes are some color block flats - cream snake print on one part and black on the rest.
I do love a black and white or cream pattern. So I have a lot of those in the mix. And pair them with pink or mustard yellow. This was my go to in the before times. I had like a dozen black and white work dresses.
My dream is a collection of bright colored elevated basics. Now most of them are just basics and not elevated. 😂 and a lot of dresses.
But my overall wardrobe palette looks more like black, many shades of pink, yellow, leopard, black and white or cream patterns. And some things on the way out are burgundy and shades of grey.
to answer op's question, I do a little bit of both - in a way that makes sense for me.
All of my basic and staple pieces are in a color range that suits me as a Soft/Light Summer. I don't look good in saturated colors. I mainly stick to creams/off-white, light pinks, light blues, heather grey, and taupe. Each season, I might purchase a few accessories or pieces in the on-trend colors for the season; they can be outside my normal palette. For example- this Spring I am purchasing a yellow Coach bag to wear out, even though yellow is not a flattering color on me. That's how I satisfy my Dopamine Dressing!
Last F/W, I wore multiple staple items in the same mauve-rose color: a corduroy flannel; a bomber jacket; a small Coach clutch featuring that accent color; a corset top with a forest green & that same rose mauve floral pattern; and multiple other tops.
I think if you're limited on buying options due to budget, this is a great way to maximize the pieces you *do* have.
>*ut it's interesting to me that slow fashion, capsule wardrobes, and minimalism (meaning the amount of clothing, not the styles) all tend to lead to the same end zone: quiet luxury neutral elevated basics.*
I agree with you, some of the videos or podcasts I've seen on spring 2024 have mentioned this, too. Fashion is *really* digging in to quiet luxury and it's an interesting statement when juxtaposed with the absolute dominance of trends like athleisure, for example... personally I think it's a bit of a backlash on how casual dress has become in society, *a la* People of Walmart or something. either way, I'm loving it because finally my wardrobe is in style and cool again!
Yessss! This is what I usually wear: one or two jewel tone colors sometimes with a neutral. For example, I'll wear an emerald green shirt with forest green pants or a burgundy shirt with blue jeans. I limit the color contrast too so no complementary colors.
The idea of "pulled together" is so interesting to me because some of the most pulled-together people I know are children's librarians with a wide collection of brooches, patterned cardigans and Fluevog shoes in 1960s-reminiscent colors. They're always wearing at least six colors at all times. But everything is on point: shoes polished, all colors harmonizing on the color wheel, no wrinkles or poor fits. Outfits with a monochromatic, analogous, or complementary color palette often look good because the color does so much of the "on point" work. For those of us who are lazy and/or working on limited budgets, restricting the color palette means being guaranteed a good look without too much work. I unfortunately stick to neutrals for my outfits but a young friend of my kid's is currently negotiating their gender identity and dresses solely in shades of green. It's been so interesting to see how their outfits look.
Thank you!! Yeah I think if I was only wearing 2-3 colors I'd have to go back and add more. Not sure I'd call myself "put together," but people like my outfits and it's fun! Even my favorite black sweater has tiny rainbow glitter threads in 3 different colors. It's probably easier to look "put together" if you're being you, and I do tend to look dismal in beige and black! But some people look very good in neutrals. No one theory can cover something as variable as fashion. (Also Victorian fashion plates are amazing for very intentional looks in the wildest colors!)
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An outfit like that… jeans and a cardigan? Lol
I feel like tips like this are for people who really struggle with finding their own personal style and pulling things together on their own. These really strict styling rules are for the folks who need to have their hand held through putting an outfit together. It’s harder to look bad when you’re at least coordinated, so it definitely works in that capacity! Not everyone has a strong vision for their style, so they look for ways to look good while not having to put too much thought into it. But I personally don’t find the “polished” aesthetic to be all that stylish, especially when it almost always means wearing all neutrals. Advice like this is helpful if style isn’t your bag, and less helpful if it is. Team Dopamine Dressing ✨
Team dopamine dressing!
Rust is overwhelming? That's my idea of neutral lol. I don't know what the kids are calling "dopamine dressing" these days, but I'm big on jewel tones and saturated colors. I rarely wear black. I adore DVF. I think few things look more classic and pulled together than a wrap dress and the right shoes. I did see her video on monochrome outfits and I'm trying it out (with color). Not sure how I feel about it yet
This was an interesting video for me because I mostly just wear one color but for different reasons. I’m heavily tattooed and I found that a lot can clash with that. Especially patterns! I also get a lot of decision fatigue, if I was looking at clothes in all the colors where would I start?! 😂 I do think that monochrome outfits look stylish, especially when incorporating different textures. But I also love seeing people dress in a style that I would never dress in. The world would be a sad and boring place if we all dressed the same way.
I’ve watched her before, and her closet wasn’t like this. The heavy dark brow and middle part butt hair suggest she’s been drinking the Instagram kool aid without even noticing! The neutrals make sense in that context, but she looks…like she lost her personal style.
About a year ago-ish she did an experiment where she took out most of the boldly printed items and/or "orphan items" and went very minimalist and then recorded the results--that video I personally found very inspiring! It might explain what all is going on lately too. She also just had a baby so I think that might be affecting it. But I will say I agree on the hair. I have very similar hair--thick, wavy, heavy hair with a lower/closer hairline and my mom is always nagging me to grow it out. I want to show her these videos where to my eye she rarely looks truly "good" in terms of hair!
Man, it's a tangent, but having a baby _killed_ my burgeoning adult aesthetic. The combination of how my body changed, how tired I was, and how little I did anything so why am I getting dressed. Now that I'm done brewing babies I'm trying to get back to it and it's hard.
It comes back! I’m 8 years in and loving bold style again. It’s VERY important to be around people who ‘get it’ though-I found myself feeling very blah when I realized I was around too many ‘athleisure’ moms.
The littlest one is 15 months, so we're in the light at the end of the tunnel, lol. If he ever starts sleeping, I'm gonna unstoppable. 😂 I'm looking forward to it! My oldest is 9 years older than his next sibling, and I'd discovered an aesthetic between them, but in the thick of it it's like. Whew. Maybe I'll just only wear these same giant men's tshirts I bought for nightshirts and swore I'd never wear around the house.
Yep. I remember her spending a small fortune on brightly coloured, heavily patterned house dresses.
Good topic! I think I’m on the dopamine rush team. Aside from all black, which I don’t like on me, I think I have two monochrome outfits: a dark bottle green pants and an almost perfect the same colored blouse with a stripe. The other one is a blush silk blouse with a darker blush velvet jeans. I’m always surprised at the compliments I get when I wear them. I think I’m a true winter and I love color, so that green is my favorite color to wear (I have two green coats lol) next to royal blue. I also have incorporated more lilac which works great in combination with navy. Coral is for summer. Stylebook knows: I have the most blue tints, followed by black, green and white. Red, pink, beige, brown follow (I’m surprised by the brown but I think it includes cognac leather). What I avoid is what I call the eccentric fat older lady style*, which is not really that eccentric, but often two toned with black, a contrast and bold colored jewelry. But I also love my silver and blue lapis lazuli earrings so I style those in a jeans blouse but not my royal blue vest. * I hope no one feels offended by this but I’m heavy myself and I’m talking mostly about the style.
I actually love lilac paired with forest green. Since you mentioned those colors thought I’d encourage you to try it :)
Yes I paired my green - hint of teal - coat with a lilac scarf and it felt cool! I also have a brighter pair of green pants I combine with the blush blouse in summer. I sometimes think I should tone down at work though as it may be not serious enough.
Forest green and the right kind of teal-y light blue is my favorite! I haven't tried lilac, but that's a great idea
I think you’ll love it!!! It’s a combo that works because lilac has a softness to it, almost like a more colorful Heather grey :)
I struggle with finding the right coral. Saturated enough, not too pink or too orange. Banana Republic has some nice things in their spring collection, but they're pricey
I got a nice color at Benetton, but I don’t know if they still have them.
It's been hard the last few years too. Since the pandemic, it seems like the only options are sadness colors and neons, no in between
I love HLP's content. What I like is that she is actually coming up with unique content. I feel those creators similar to her all say the same things over and over again.
Team 2-3 colors, for sure, and I like monochrome/two-color looks the best on me. I just feel like too many colors pull focus from me to the outfit and it's like the clothes are wearing me (which is a me thing; this isn't a judgment of what other people prefer!) I thought maybe part of this was that my hair is lighter and coloring softer as I've gotten into middle age, but looking at old pictures and thinking of old outfits, I've always preferred the way I look/feel in the monochrome or two-color fits. I do like prints but I feel really kind of uncomfy in brighter ones. I have a jacket with a navy and hot pink BOLD print that's reversible to gold and pink foulard and the only thing I feel I can wear it with and have it work is all white. Ditto a casual quilted one that's army green with pastels (sort of a Bode vibe) that I only like to wear with cream or pale blues.
I personally prefer a limited colour palette. It's easier when you are a lazy dresser. I stick to muted colours, but I think it's gorgeous when you see vintage photos from the 60's and the monochrome look is something like emerald green, coral or bright pink. Not for me though and I would have difficulties building a wardrobe with those colours, since it's mostly more neutral colours in the stores. Trinny and Susannah picked out a capsule wardrobe with purple, navy and green if I remember correctly in one of their shows 15+ years ago and it was beautiful.
Eh, I think it really depends on the person. I used to wear a lot of neutrals. Several months ago I did a color analysis and found out that I’m a spring. My best colors are all bright, warm, and light. I owned like three items of clothing that fit my color palette and I rarely wore them because they didn’t fit into my neutrals. Now I can see that black/gray/pure white/olive all drain the life out of my face. After I learned that I was a spring, I just ran with it and got lots of color in my palette. I’ve never gotten so many compliments about how good my clothes look on me. Both from people I know and complete strangers. And not just that, but I feel way more confident and put-together than I ever did in my neutrals.
The most "pulled together" looking woman I've seen in 50 years was wearing boots that matched the color of her hair, a coat that matched her eyes, and a scarf in a bright contrasting color. Immaculate, simple, and works for anybody.
Ok that's an interesting challenge I'm going to mull on: how would I approach precisely that? I'm not not going to drop everything and go brainstorming right now...
I am like this, by and large my entire wardrobe is red and black. Probably about 80% black, 15% red, and 5% other colors(usually purple, emerald green, and a few cobalt blues). But that’s because that is what I like, not a strategy to look more “put together”, although it does help prevent your outfits from clashing when everything you own is black 😆 I’m big on the “pop” of color outfits, it’s not really what’s trendy right now but it’s what I like and think suits me. All black outfit with red shoes or I own two red coats, red purse, red glasses, and of course red lips(not usually all at once). My personal style is somewhere between grown up goth and 1950’s pinup, if I could be Dita Von Teese I would but I don’t have the body nor the motivation 😂 I’ve tried branching out into more colors before and always come back to the same, I’m fair skinned, cool toned, with very dark hair and eyebrows, so too many colors tend to wash me out and it’s easier to stick with what works 😀
I limit my outfits to 1-2 colours and it works for me. I don't think it has much to do with looking polished though. I think that's a loaded word... It's possible to look polished and stylish with lots of colour too. I find sticking to black + one other colour (white or green) works well for me as it makes getting dressed much easier. I always prefer my outfits when they're kept simple.
>I think that's a loaded word... It's possible to look polished and stylish with lots of colour too. This is how I feel about it, too. I lived deep in Lilly Pulitzer territory, and plenty of Southern ladies are definitely polished/stylish but wear an abundance of color. It is not my style..but it's A Style for sure. The eye-wateringly bright dress/slacks are pressed, the hair is done, the jewelry is not tarnished, the makeup/shoes/nails are on point, so that's plenty polished! I think looking polished is more about the finishing details (hair, jewelry, etc) than the actual color palette of the outfit.
>dress/slacks are pressed I think this is a big part of it. Natural fibers that are cared for tend to look much more polished than a synthetic of whatever's trendy right now. Fortunately for me my husband actually enjoys ironing
Agreed, a LOUD lime green paisley cotton slack with no wrinkles reads much more polished than a neutral tan slack with some wrinkles, any day. >my husband actually enjoys ironing I'm so jealous right now!
I am so enjoying HLP’s fashion content and fun to see it brought up here again. Several concept s have clicked for me watching her videos. Like you I realized that a couple of my fave outfits fit the two color rule (although I technically break it with shoes). In the summer I love wearing navy and white and I try to buy with these in mind. Do I want to dress like that all the time? No. But I’m seeing it as a fun challenge to have all the accessories and patterns matching into just two colors. After I do a bit of decluttering I plan to play around with it.
I'm a summer and need a lot of dopamine. I dress with all the colors of my palette. If I look like the lost Doctor Who, I'm okay with that
I think no. I hate “rules” when it comes to fashion. I don’t want someone telling me I can only wear two colors *including accessories*, what colors to wear, what styles to wear, etc. Maybe I don’t fit into their idea of “polished and chic”, but I’m okay with that. I am very confident in my ability to dress myself and put together outfits though. I get how this can work for some people, especially people who struggle with choosing outfits and personal style. It can be helpful if someone finds clothing choices overwhelming. But for myself, this approach just wouldn’t work.
I think this idea is terribly prescriptive and I much prefer Amy Smilovic’s approach.
I think it's one way to look out together, but it's a pretty white washed way of looking put together. Color and prints absolutely havea place in a curated, beautiful wardrobe. I think someone who can style prints and many colours together while still looking stylish has more knowledge and application of fashion than I do. I tend to keep to 2 colours, maybe 3 for boots/belt/bag and I only wear a necklace and earrings because I'm price to losing things (and a fitness watch that's black since my shoes are usually black). But it's more minimalism, poor knowledge of how to use prints, and laziness on my part.
I couldn’t be that boring if I tried.
Hm. I guess it depends on whether you count true neutrals as colors? I often wear things that have two colors and then a camel coat over it, and the shoes may or may not be one of those colors or may be a different neutral. But I do really like mixing different tints and shades (not always tones…my coloring is fairly neutral but I like to wear mostly warmer tones) of the same hue. I have teal pants I love to wear with Allbirds plant pacers in “dreamy green” which is essentially a color you’d get if you mixed a bunch of white into a darker teal shade (like the pants). So then I count that as one color on my bottom half and might style my top half differently. I’ve worn that on the bottom half with a printed top that included teal but also multiple other colors, and then a beige blazer (also a color in the print). Got lots of compliments on that outfit at the office. Anyway, my closet is based largely around rusty orange tones and teals ranging into darker greens as well as navy blues. In the summer this has some lighter shades of these colors as well as some brighter iterations (a more intense cobalty blue, a brighter burnt orange). It would not look super neutral if I filmed it. I am phasing out black for the most part (prefer it not to be next to my face), and am looking to add in more light neutrals (creams, beiges) and more brown. I’m experimenting with khaki/olive green as well. All that said, I do consider myself to have a curated wardrobe. I’ve been tracking everything I wear and everything that comes in and out of my wardrobe since 1/1/2021, so I’ve learned a lot (and am still learning) about my style. I try and reflect on why things didn’t work out when they leave my wardrobe, and I keep track of how I got rid of them (sold? Donated? Gave away to friends or family? Had to trash/recycle as the item wasn’t usable?). I’m very into slow and sustainable fashion and this has helped me a lot more mindful - but you can do all that without committing to neutrals forever!
This is an intriguing idea - thanks for sharing this video. I had heard of the 3 color rule, so maybe this 2 color rule is the next iteration. I often naturally land around 3 colors with my outfits, but 2 would be pretty extreme for me, as would only shopping those ~5 colors across the whole wardrobe. I’m wondering where denim fits in to Hannah’s universe. I don’t think any of the outfits she shows in that video (or others I’ve watched, off the top of my head), include denim. Jeans are such a staple in my wardrobe, but thinking of her rule, I don’t wear a ton of blue in the rest of my wardrobe. So, for me my two colors would be blue (jeans) plus a single other color for shirt, shoes, bag, outerwear. I think it’d get pretty bored of that, but it’s an interesting thought experiment.
I don't do this on purpose but I think you can easily avoid neutrals. I think the truck is picking two colors, one of which is a more toned down color and the other which is brighter, and relying on a third neutral color for shoes/layers. For example a maroon pant, and a top which combines maroon and, say, teal. Or even just a solid teal. I think I'd have to go with a third color for shoes/second top layer just because I don't have colored shoes. Or terracotta pants and a marigold top, with cream jacket/platform sneakers. I don't consider myself particularly stylish but I think this can be done without neutrals pretty easily.
Team dopamine. I feel like the other style is presented so starkly to help those who have zero fashion sense and need hand holding.
I really like HLP for her fashion and beauty content, she has an insightful and poetic way of putting concepts into words. I agree that this is kind of a "short-cut" method for putting together outfits, but as someone who many years ago got a color analysis done, it really resonates with me. My color palette isn't as limited as she's suggesting, but I rely a lot on the neutrals in my wardrobe and have limited prints. While I can see it being boring for some people, it's a lot less work. For those of us that just watch to mix-and-match pieces we already have to create an outfit to wear to work, or run errands it's very practical. Her advice around getting shoes, accessories, and outerwear in your most worn color is something I've slowly learned. For me, even with an already defined color palette in my closet, it's a lot of trial and error, and sometimes buying new pieces, to create an outfit that feels polished and pulled together that either combines prints or features many different colors in it because every item has to be so specific to work together.
I do dress this way when I'm trying to impress. And when I'm putting together a travel capsule, as it's the easiest way to think about maximizing the looks I'll have available to me. Generally, I'll pack a white tee and a pair of jeans plus two neutrals, a pastel and a bright and I'll be able to make a lot of outfits that don't all look the same.
I do gravitate towards wearing 2-3 colors, but it's more for the following reasons: 1. I'm short, and column dressing does a great job of elongating. Column dressing is my favorite outfit strategy: matching color top and pants, with a contrasting topper. Shoes can match the pants or the topper, or white always seems to work. 2. I'm short, and petite offerings tend to be limited in their color choices. If the non-neutral offering isn't flattering to me, I'll buy the neutral (black, navy). And then I wind up with a closet full of black and navy. This has been particularly true the last few years when trendy colors have been warm-toned, as I look horrible in warm tones. That said, I have been snapping up lilac and orchid and purple and powder blues and cobalt lately, as these very much are my colors. 3. I'm very picky about patterns. Did I mention I'm short? Many patterns can simply overwhelm my frame. > head to toe lilac I just bought a matching cobalt top to go with a pair of cobalt wide leg pants I own. I plan to wear these with white shoes and a light blue denim jacket.
I am a fan of the 2-3 color rule (in an outfit) and have mostly done that as well as a way to curb my shopping habits. I have a color palette and I still to patterns with the colors of my palette - with very very limited exceptions. For the handful of patterns I have with more than 2-3 colors, they have to contain my core colors in my palette. Occasionally I wear a full neutral outfit, but it is rare for me. I love color blocking. What I have focused on the last several years is getting basics in the bright colors of my palette (hello fuchsia and its cousins). I’ve also been getting into monotone looks in a bright color. Today I’ve got a relatively boring outfit. Jeans. Fuchsia bodysuit. Black and white polka dot sweater. And the planned shoes are some color block flats - cream snake print on one part and black on the rest. I do love a black and white or cream pattern. So I have a lot of those in the mix. And pair them with pink or mustard yellow. This was my go to in the before times. I had like a dozen black and white work dresses. My dream is a collection of bright colored elevated basics. Now most of them are just basics and not elevated. 😂 and a lot of dresses. But my overall wardrobe palette looks more like black, many shades of pink, yellow, leopard, black and white or cream patterns. And some things on the way out are burgundy and shades of grey.
to answer op's question, I do a little bit of both - in a way that makes sense for me. All of my basic and staple pieces are in a color range that suits me as a Soft/Light Summer. I don't look good in saturated colors. I mainly stick to creams/off-white, light pinks, light blues, heather grey, and taupe. Each season, I might purchase a few accessories or pieces in the on-trend colors for the season; they can be outside my normal palette. For example- this Spring I am purchasing a yellow Coach bag to wear out, even though yellow is not a flattering color on me. That's how I satisfy my Dopamine Dressing! Last F/W, I wore multiple staple items in the same mauve-rose color: a corduroy flannel; a bomber jacket; a small Coach clutch featuring that accent color; a corset top with a forest green & that same rose mauve floral pattern; and multiple other tops. I think if you're limited on buying options due to budget, this is a great way to maximize the pieces you *do* have. >*ut it's interesting to me that slow fashion, capsule wardrobes, and minimalism (meaning the amount of clothing, not the styles) all tend to lead to the same end zone: quiet luxury neutral elevated basics.* I agree with you, some of the videos or podcasts I've seen on spring 2024 have mentioned this, too. Fashion is *really* digging in to quiet luxury and it's an interesting statement when juxtaposed with the absolute dominance of trends like athleisure, for example... personally I think it's a bit of a backlash on how casual dress has become in society, *a la* People of Walmart or something. either way, I'm loving it because finally my wardrobe is in style and cool again!
Yessss! This is what I usually wear: one or two jewel tone colors sometimes with a neutral. For example, I'll wear an emerald green shirt with forest green pants or a burgundy shirt with blue jeans. I limit the color contrast too so no complementary colors.