tee – L.L.Bean; cardigan – L.L.Bean; loafers – Louise et Cie
If you’re going to have a red sweater, why not a cozy cashmere cardigan? This is one of those garments that you could keep forever, and wear it mostly for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, but there are a lot of other times when it could be just the ticket. Some gloomy day in November, when the sun has never shone…
First up, scarlet and olive! This is a combination that might veer too far into the Christmas-y, if the green is too bright. (Which isn’t a problem, unless you don’t like the look.) However, this olive green mutes those holiday associations, and provides a good base for the brightness of the scarlet.
Earrings – Kendra Scott; cardigan – L.L.Bean; Tee – J. Crew; pants – L.L.Bean; tote – Matt & Nat; loafers – Louise et Cie; scarf – Barbour; olive cardigan – H&M; bracelet – Marni; tee – L.L.Bean; olive boots – Sarto
I’ve worn red with grey for years, and I’ve always liked the way the quiet richness of the grey stands up to the brightness of the accent. This was one of those cases where I chose a neutral bag, rather than an accent. I’m still not able to put my finger on when or why I do that! (note that the right shades of garnet will be perfect with this scarlet…)
earrings – Tiara; cardigan – L.L.Bean; grey tee – J. Crew; pants – J. Crew; tote – Asos; loafers – Louise et Cie; scarf– Echo; grey cardigan – J. Crew; bracelet – Marla Aaron; tee – L.L.Bean; grey boots – Corso Como
I knew that this would be beautiful! The warmth of these 2 colors are perfect together.
Earrings – Wild Lilies; cardigan – L.L.Bean; tee – ATM; cords – Closed; tote – Lipault; loafers – Louise et Cie; camel cardigan – L.L.Bean; scarf– Kenzo; bracelet – Chan Luu; tee – L.L.Bean; camel boots – Seychelles
Scarlet and navy is classic!
Earrings – Swarovski; cardigan – L.L.Bean; navy tee – J.Crew; pants – L.L.Bean; bag – Zatchels; loafers – Louise et Cie; navy cardigan – Uniqlo; scarf – Pink Amber; bracelet – Gucci; tee – L.L.Bean; navy boots – Franco Sarto
Brown is the hardest color for me – I don’t know if it’s because I don’t wear it, or because I wear it (in my hair and eyes) constantly! These colors feel cozy together…
Earrings – Michael Kors; cardigan – L.L.Bean; brown sweater – J.Crew; pants – L.L.Bean; briefcase – Persaman New York; loafers – Louise et Cie; scarf – Echo; brown cardigan – Iris von Arnim; bracelet – Cristina Sabatini; tee – L.L.Bean; brown boots – Cole Haan
I was pretty confident about this! Some of us still feel like we’re dressing from the ’80s when we wear red with black, but it behooves us to remember that a great many of the people around us don’t even remember the ’80s…
Scarf – Marc Jacobs; cardigan – L.L.Bean; tee – L.L.Bean; pants – L.L.Bean; bracelet – Treasure&Bond; loafers – Louise et Cie; earrings – Lagos; cardigan – L.L.Bean; tee – L.L.Bean; bag – J.Crew; black boots – Munro
I’ve got a “bit of bright blue” in the works, and a “touch of turquoise,” but I’m stuck with what the last 2 days of the week will hold. Maybe a bright green, and some fuchsia? Opinions welcome….
love,
Janice
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A shimmer of shamrock?
Hmmmmmm…. a serving of salmon, a scent of lavendar,a pie of pumpkin , A measure of mint, a garnish of green perhaps…..not exciting but maybe it can be a springboard for other ideas. It's been easy to think of culinary terms and colours but putting them together has been a different story.
I love your red/gray mix. I also like red/taupe/black.
I have such a hard time choosing one or two accent colors. I like too many. I would like to see a basic wardrobe (say in black) with multiple colors. I saw a woman this weekend in St. Remy de Provence wearing fuchsia and orange on top with white pants. Fabulous. How to mix a rainbow of colors?
Yes, but I'd love to see it with a basic wardrobe in navy, rather than black. (Odd, since I'm a True Winter, that I really don't wear much black. I have always loved navy.) But I also love/wear a ton of accent colors, so I second this request.
I too struggle with several accent colors across a couple of neutrals. It makes it harder to look pulled together.
I'd love to see winter white! (cream?)
Red & olive are always so wonderful together.
I concur with the poster above who mentioned wearing black with orange. I can never *not* feel Halloweenish in the combo. Janice, could you work your magic? (maybe a series with common "holiday" color combos done so we feel less like a decoration?)
If I had to limit myself to one accent colour, I would always choose red – just love it with all these neutrals.
I also just "know" when it has to be a neutral shoe or purse – maybe it's that I hate to be too catchy – although it may be that i my case, since I've always been difficult to fit shoe wise – I tend to stick with the basics for my shoes and then add a punch of colour with some different purses. And then, being barely 5'2" is also a factor – wearing shoes the same colour as my pants or stockings always seems to elongate things at least a wee bit!
Can't wait for "A Touch of Turquoise" – and while I love a bright green – won't a bright green/olive combination be particularly tricky?
Margie, I'm barely 5'2 also and my shoes closely coordinate with pants on my neutral colors of navy and light brown/tan. I do this for the same reason as you. Every little bit helps ;) Janice Collins, Washington DC
Janice,
I do like red as a minor accent with olive, and red with the other colors, especially with brown , for me. However, due to my personal coloring, my red is a little deeper and muted. Of course, red is stunning with winter white, as are any jewel tones. While I have trouble finding it, I have learned that I prefer my brown to be more of a milk chocolate color, but I seem to keep finding it at least 72% dark chocolate color ! :)
I have never been able to pull off the deep red with brown successfully, not sure why. I have all the suspects in my closet, so I will try again. You have given me so many new ways to look at the clothes I own. Thank you.
Cornelia,
I have to break up the deep brown and red combo with some ivory near my face, as I have light coloring, and too many dark colors together become overpowering. I either use an ivory blouse or turtleneck with a red cardigan and brown pants, or an ivory cardigan with a red top and brown pants. I also add a scarf or necklace combining those colors .
Thank you for the soupcon!
Love the red/black combo.
Fuchsia, please!! It'd be great.
Arte
Lovely red, so cooperative! Dark red is my main accent for my upcoming trip. The packing has been a challenge because of varied activities, but I am sticking pretty close to the 4×4 template.
I have been hoping for fuchsia, and some flavor of orange would be very welcome, because it is so tricky. – nancy
Thank you for this, it's so nice see a true red instead of orange.
Hi Janice, What about coral. Kelly green, ..looking forward to the bright blue ! Love this series . Janice Collins, Washington DC
Such a great series! It's interesting how it turns the usual advice (pick your neutral basics first, then choose accent colours) on its head. Why not pick your favourite accents first, then go back through these images to identify which neutrals they go best with – are there neutrals in common to several accents? I'm struck how well red and mustard go with beige and chocolate – so maybe its time I took a closer look at these as neutrals, instead of my usual navy.
Alice
How about pistachio for an accent?
I have come out of this recent series thinking that the "accent" colours of teal and cinnamon (or maybe mocha) that featured earlier would make very good "neutrals" for me. ANd I can see them with accents that could be mango, apricot, pale peach, melon, butter, pistachio, eau de nil, soft lime, peppermint, sea glass, duck egg, aquamarine, pale sky, cornflower, parma violet, sand, clotted cream …….. (you can see I took to the "food" theme!)
I love all of the red combinations, but then red is my favorite color. Red with brown is a color combination that works for me. I prefer dark brown to black as a neutral even though I can get away with wearing both. I too have brown hair and eyes, but for me it is my skin tone that makes me feel more comfortable in brown.
How about a taste of tangerine, for those of us who like the difficult colors? Although orange would make the black look like Halloween, at least this is the time of year for it. If anyone is up to the challenge of making orange look good with any neutral it would be you, Janice!
What about..ripe peach?? Also…I could take a trip with the camel and black neutrals + the red….this is so clever Janice!
I bought a bag which is brown and ivory giraffe print with red handles and detailing, didn't use it for months and then put it with red, brown and ivory. It would be great with your scarlet and brown set.
http://animalprintgallery.com/red-brown-giraffe-print-purse-handbag-tote-bag-new-xl/
As other comments show, this is a very thought-provoking series! It's liberating too.
Responding to the decision not to match shoes and bag in the grey outfit, with bright accent colours, whether warm or cool, I like to keep to just one or two items. Necklace and shoes, for example, or bag and jacket. And if they are quite big in area – a bag or top/ jacket – then I like one of them to be patterned. Otherwise I feel 'over-considered' or contrived.
Perhaps I'm haunted by my school uniform – big colour contrast and everything plain. I never want that look again, even 40 years later!
Robyn in Tasmania
I have always had some red in my wardrobe for as long as I can remember. It looks good with everything! I do love a good red accent shoe too!