I am reconsidering the color gray for my wardrobe. Maybe Stephanie at C’est si bon inspired me when she chose gray for her minimalist closet because it reminded her of France; think the Eiffel Tower. I love that! I do have some gray in my closet: a pair of dress pants, a long sleeved v-neck tee and a recent purchase of a lightweight cotton robe. Plus, I did fall in love with pewter last summer too…
I think I’m a bit apprehensive about this color because I have history with it. I had a perfectly happy childhood, not a thing to complain about, but I wasn’t and didn’t allow myself to be my own person until I hit age 18 and went off to an out-of-state college to live outside my comfort zone and rather independently. With my love for travel and trying out new places to live, this is something I truly embrace now. But that is a whole ‘nother post! Anyway, as a minor, I was a wallflower, hoping to blend in, sneak by without anyone noticing. I was very shy and quiet. I wore gray all the time in middle and high school. It was a big color for me. Then, in college, I starting wearing vivid, saturated color. I was officially an Art major, (Art History to be exact) and adored color. I suddenly found gray to be so blah. I was comfortable in my own skin, and ever since I’ve wanted to wear red and my favorite color, dark pink. The tops I have in these particular colors double the number I have in purple, blue and green combined.
…but I love how dark gray goes so well with red and lavender, colors I adore. I think I’ll just have to add it to my closet, a darker shade though, charcoal gray. Even a medium gray would be fine… The light variety is still a bit blah to me, like ballet pink is to me as well. This would also be a part of my thinking about dressing up neutrals with accessories and (colorful) scarves and all. Wearing the same basics but changing it up with different accessories would be better on my wallet (now that I’m going to Italy!). Even RealSimple.com has a story on how to decorate with gray this week. I do not believe I’ll be going that far.
Use it as a neutral and keep your vivid colors. They are you and you won't be the same with out them. I saw a combination in a handbag the other day of grey and brown and somehow it worked. I think it's versatile and softer than black. But I agree, use the accessories to add impact. Most of my scarves are vivid in color, but to save space and money with my actual clothes, I choose basics in neutrals like grey and black. Accessories are so fun! Thanks for the mention.
I think I will keep my colors… They make me happy. 🙂 My small wardrobe can be considered minimalist in that I only have what I love and what looks fabulous on me (well… I'm working on it, I've lost a size and can't afford much!) …but not so minimalist in color, oh well! I am interested in not buying every color, sticking to like a single digit number of colors, my favorites. Mostly warm tones I mentioned, which is kinda Italian, huh? I've stayed away from grey for so long, that I needed to actually stop and consider adding it to my collection of neutrals. Soon it will be cool enough to wear my scarves on my new neutral! (Mine are heavier than your printed ones.) Thank you for the inspiration.