On Taupic (plus shrunken fuchsia jacket)

You met my new taupe sweatshirt and skirt combo yesterday.

Now, in Chapter 2 of the Taupe Tales, I show you how well taupe plays with every colour in my wardrobe and why it will help me form a great trip capsule.

By the way, in my last thread, a few people mentioned that they were surprised to learn that blondes can wear taupe. I'm not sure all blondes can. I happen to have a lot of charcoal and greyish brown in my hair, as Angie recently pointed out. And my skin tone is very cool. Right now I have a bit of a tan so I look more neutral, but this colour, like charcoal grey, works just as well in winter when I am more pale. And as you will see, in choosing blue and taupe for my neutrals, I'm just following Angie's advice to repeat my colouring in my outfits: http://youlookfab.com/2012/08/.....r-outfits/

DUH. Why didn't I think of it before??

Please note: these are not styled outfits. I just threw things on to show the way this colour invigorates my whole existing closet and opens up a wealth of possibilities, drawing together all that sometimes seemed mixed up and incoherent to me in the past.

#1 and #2 Taupe skirt with new consigned sheer leopard print tank and new sweatshirt

#3 with one of my denim jackets

#4 with a navy jacket

#5 with a black jacket

#6 my consigned taupe glen plaid jacket over my smoke blue grey jersey cowl neck dress. I probably wouldn't wear the tank with the jacket IRL, looking at the pics...but I would fill in the neckline some other way, with another top. Otherwise it is not flattering to me. And the tank looks great with the dress on its own, or with my white denim jacket.

#7 Taupe and teal. The shirt doesn't really pull like that IRL. I did up one too many buttons and was all sweaty from so many quick changes, so it looks much tighter than it actually is.

#8 making it a "suit."

#9 Trying a tuck. I would never wear it like this IRL but I wanted to see what it might look like. Just an experiment.

#10 with ink blue and the $20 shrunken fuchsia knit jacket from H&M. This is also for my trip capsule. Won't wrinkle, works with jeans, is easy to wear.

#11 with MaryK's scarf of wonder.

As Mary's scarf suggests, I could have shown you dozens more possibilities. Taupe with charcoal. Taupe with burgundy and cranberry reds (delicious). Taupe with rose and orchid. Taupe with white (gorgeous). Honestly - this neutral works with every colour in my closet and magically unifies them.

Thanks for looking, and thanks for helping me celebrate my newfound love!

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

41 Comments

  • Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

    Taupe is going to be your wardrobe saviour Suz! These are all absolutely perfect. I really don't know what else to say other than FABULOUS!!!

  • pil replied 11 years ago

    Suz, that IS the perfect color, isn't it? You'll have to post your wardrobe as an example of how to do it right. And I looove that fuchsia jacket! You're going to China, aren't you? I friend of mine went last year at this time and brought me a gift of my favorite and most frequently worn scarf.

  • Makrame replied 11 years ago

    Brilliant! I particularly like the taupe with black, teal, and fuchsia.

  • replied 11 years ago

    On Taupic--lol! You are making me giggle!

    It looks like the taupe skirt makes a creative working "suit" with your taupe glen plaid blazer. How brilliant! And I love how the slouchy taupe sweatshirt works with the longer black blazer. The leopard scarf would work well with that combo too, and you could bookend the black with black footwear (I realize these are just quick, working examples).

    The denim jacket provides some nice structure to the mix as well. And I love its collar. That teal blouse is amazing! I love the sophisticated *in-between* shade, you know where you're not quite sure what to call it because it's not all over the stores. Makes it look really rich.

    This is a great example of how a neutral can exponentially increase wardrobe remixes! And I'm sure this is just the beginning. How wonderful that you discovered the magic of taupe before your trip. This will make packing much, much easier. And I'm imagining that black leather moto on top of this taupe as well. It would be fantastic!

  • deb replied 11 years ago

    Wow, taupe is great. I did not know. Oh, and all of your outfits look really good.

  • RunnerChick replied 11 years ago

    I'll admit that I, too, was thinking of taupe as some sort of cousin of beige (the soul sucking variety), but you have given me fresh perspective. All of these outfits look terrific. 8 and 9 were the only looks that did not work for me, and that is ONLY because the other looks are so superlatively good. I adore it with the fuchsia (neutrals with a pop, FTW).

    Looks like you're really on taupe of your wardrobe challenge :-)!

  • Krista replied 11 years ago

    I really believe that, for some people, taupe is a rocking neutral because it blends well with so many other colors. And you are one of those lucky people who can rock the heck out of taupe!

    I love all of these outfits - more importantly, I love the big smile on your face knowing that you have found something that works. Seriously - go back and look at your smile in #10!!

    Happy for you - keep the outfits coming! :)

  • Carole replied 11 years ago

    Ooh, just loving this color up! You look amazing in all variations but 2, 3, 4, and 7,10 and 11, stunning! What a great revelation! You are on your way to one amazing wardrobe!

  • Sylvie replied 11 years ago

    I confess you have really made me change my opinion of taupe. I had always consigned it to boring beige and I had thought that repeating your coloring in your outfits would make one look drab and dull. But I have seen the light! Taupe really *is* your neutral and I can see that it's going to help unify your wardrobe.

    Also, now I understand why black is always going to be my staple and my neutral due to my black hair.

  • JR replied 11 years ago

    This process of yours has been enlightening for me too. Look to your hair for neutrals.

    More grey and white, it is. But I'm keeping the black...

  • Angie replied 11 years ago

    (Beige is NOT taupe. There is a huge difference).

    (Not all blondes can wear taupe - I look awful in taupe UNLESS I wear it with a domineering bright).

    I love it when you wear taupe with all these colours, Suz! #3 and #4 are GREAT as is!

    *Good grief* you look incredible in blue. You in that shade of blue in #7 is too sublime for words. That's why I love #3 too - you are wearing blue :)

  • Kari replied 11 years ago

    I am SO enamored of 3, 6, and 11! Wow. As you said in another post, "Pass the smelling salts!"

  • Mo replied 11 years ago

    It's like you found the hidden key to unlock your wardrobe! So happy for you!

  • MsMary replied 11 years ago

    I love 'em all! I wondered whether the multi scarf would still have a place in your new world order, and I am so happy to see it rocking with the taupe!! You look amazing in all of these!

  • Suz replied 11 years ago

    Mary, as you've pointed out, that multi scarf could have a role in ANYBODY's wardrobe. It is positively magical. I'm so glad you sent it. The sour hot brights (mustard, orange and tomato red) that seem to dominate it scared me a bit at first, I admit. But it also includes hot pink, mint green, ink or black...and TAUPE. So really, it goes with everything and brightens everything. And it gives me a chance to wear colours I might otherwise not. I love it. Absolutely love it.

    Thank you all for your kind words everybody. I really have Angie and Steph to thank. I'm a very slow learner, but it really is all coming together now.

    Funny, I have been remembering a taupe outfit I had many years ago, in the 80s. It was a sort of checked two piece skirt and top set. I wore that thing to the ground. The top was boxy and short and buttoned up the back. Well, I wore it as is, but also turned round and opened like a jacket, over other tops. I wore the skirt with I don't know how many different toppers. And I remember at the time wondering why I liked it so much. I thought of it as "beige" and couldn't figure out why it actually looked okay on me. What the heck was up with that? Now I know. It wasn't beige at all.

    Pil, I hope to bring back more than a few scarves from China, LOL!

    Claire, that teal shirt is from Eileen Fisher. That explains the richness of the colour. It's a knit shirt that I got on sale last year in New York. I really love it.

    Krista, you are right, I am happy about this. As Mo said, it's like I've found the key to unlock my own closet door that I've been banging at in frustration for an entire year! (Although now I am starting to wonder...what happens when I go completely grey? Will I have to give taupe a miss? Argh!!!!)

    I am also smiling because my daughter takes my pics and we usually do a lot of joking around because she loves to hate fashion.

    Sylvie, black must absolutely be a staple of your wardrobe. And JR, white and grey are brilliant on you (esp. if you do get a pair of low contrast specs as an additional pair) but with your black specs, you can rock black with the best of them!

    Thank you, Angie. I really have you to thank for helping me find my way here. Your always generous advice takes a long time to sink in but I feel as if I'm beginning to make some progress!

    Kari, I am so glad you like the outfit with the dress. I wasn't sure anyone would go for it. I quite liked it myself and think I might wear it out for real. But maybe not with the leopard tank underneath. I'm not sure. Is it a good pattern mix, or dumb?

    Mo - you are dead on the money.

    Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate your comments and I hope this saga is helpful to someone else.

    By the way, I don't think it is NECESSARY for someone to rely on her own colouring for her core neutrals. It depends on your personal style, wardrobe size and goals, and a whole host of other factors. I think it may be especially useful for those of us who have "mousier" colouring, and also those who like a certain kind of coherence or unity to their overall style. Not everybody wants that. Some people want to look extremely different every day, or wear the same silhouettes and vary the colours a lot.

  • Jonesy replied 11 years ago

    Nothing much to add other than you look fab and you are certainly beaming with pleasure in these pics! All hail the New Taupe Order :)!

  • Gaylene replied 11 years ago

    Taupe is definitely your neutral. It works so seamlessly with all of your other colors--making it a true workhorse.

    And, as a neutral lover, I think a more careful consideration of shades and undertones is the key to unlocking the proverbial door to successfully wearing neutrals. While most of us can easily recognize the right shade of blue or red for our skin tones, it seems that neutrals like beige, tan, and taupe are often just quickly dismissed as "soul-sucking".

  • Ingunn replied 11 years ago

    This is so interesting! I'm going to examine your examples thoroughly in a minute, and try to understand why it works so perfectly well. You look absolutely terrific in all of these outfits, and I agree with Angie that blue definitely is your color, too. Please stay on Taupic, it's a very enlightening read!

  • catgirl replied 11 years ago

    AHA! The "color' capsule can be added to the list of capsule families. Perfect - and look how much fun you're having. The breakthrough!

  • Astrid replied 11 years ago

    Awesome! I'm so happy for you and your taupe revelation. This is really fantastic and you look amazing in this color. It's great to have a plan that you know is working, right?

  • jenanded replied 11 years ago

    Suz, nothing extra to add but the 'neutral' kind of look is always so elegant and effortless and it just looks fantastic on you. And I love the bright with it but equally with the blues - double elegance in my book! so it sounds like you are off to China?! How cool! If you go to Shenzhen, let me know and I will tell you about the shopping there... we are not just talking a scarf then...

  • krishnidoux replied 11 years ago

    What an amazing wardrobe you got yourself there, Suz! I admire how ALL colours are just so you, they bring out either your eyes, or your skin tone, or your hair... I love the booties with the skirt too.
    You are building a truly flattering, fitting and stylish wardrobe that is wearable! What an example for us!
    I think you wear taupe so well because you were a natural strawberry blonde, like I was. Me too, I wear taupe well even with blond hair and fair skin (see pic below, from last year).
    Taupe is a great idea!
    I am amazed to see how many blues look so good on you. Each one make you shine in a different way. So does gray.

  • lyn67 replied 11 years ago

    Taupe and teal is the best on earth! Love you in these, Suz!!! Nr 1 and 6 also favourites, but all are great, really!

  • Kari replied 11 years ago

    Suz, I actually quite LIKED the pattern mixing! The colors are so close that it seemed more of a play on various textures, and I think it's a lot of fun.

  • lyn67 replied 11 years ago

    Taupe and teal is the best on earth! Love you in these, Suz!!! Nr 1 and 6 also favourites, but all are great, really!

  • CocoLion replied 11 years ago

    You have gone from struggling to styling master in one month Suz! So impressed. I LOVE the outfits with two colors (1 - 9). For outfit 8-9, I prefer tucked as in 9. Your top in #1 is so flattering, what a find.

  • rholmes27 replied 11 years ago

    Suz, I want to be like you when I grow up! I would love to try this idea of finding a neutral that looks great on me!

    Since I'm new here, I may have missed the answer to this question,but....how did you come up with the exact shade of taupe that looks so good on you? I understand that you looked to your hair as inspiration; after that, did you just try on different shades of taupe-trial and error?

    It really looks incredible on you? Thanks.

  • Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

    Don't you worry one darned bit about going grey and wearing taupe - the greyer I get, the better the taupe looks on me! As long as the shade of taupe has more grey in it, it works beautifully and actually highlights my silver. I'm telling you Suz - you have found YOUR colour!

    I just wanted to pop back in and tell you that taupe and fuchsia and taupe and blue both look positive amazing on you. i also want to thank you because you're giving me tons of ideas how to wear our twinnie skirt!

  • Suz replied 11 years ago

    rholmes....it was total fluke! I saw Transcona Shannon's skirt in a post. I liked the colour. I thought, "A skirt like that would be awfully useful to me." I ordered it, it came, and I liked it...and went out to see if I could find a top that would work with it in the same general colour. I really didn't care if it matched. The nice thing with neutrals like grey and taupe is that quite often different shades and tints will work together as long as the hue is the same.

    I think other shades of taupe will also work on me. But since I tend to look best in medium dark tones, that's what I went for first. I am sure a really light taupe will look nice in the summer (probably would wash me out a bit in winter).

    In terms of judging whether it was taupe to begin with (vs. beige) I have a pretty strong intuitive colour sense. But if I were analyzing I would ask myself if it had a yellow or grey undertone. I can't wear anything with a yellowish cast. So I looked for something that had a slight greyish cast to it, somewhere between grey and brown.

    Does that help at all?

    Kari - thank you! I think I will wear it out in public with your blessing, which I so appreciate. You are the Dress Queen, so I am serving in your court!

    Denise, I'm surprised you like the tucked look! I didn't think it worked as is, but I thought I might play with different belts or a different bottom...maybe my black pencil skirt would be better here. I do hear what you mean about two colours, though. Keeping the colours to a minimum is a really good strategy for me. I mean the number of colours. 1, 2, or 3 at most, at least in biggish blocks. Accents are okay. Sort of like the pillows on a couch, tee her!

    Krish - thank you - and you do look wonderful in taupe! I think a lot of our good colours are probably the same, as we have very similar colouring overall!

    Jenanded - not Shenzhen, alas. But Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Hoping for some shopping in Shanghai.

  • MNsara replied 11 years ago

    Egads, but you are looking fab in taupe and all the combinations with it!!

    Are you a citron lover? because taupe and citron are one of my absolute favorite combos. I don't know my colring for warm/cool, and my hair color can change slightly with each appointment ;-) but citron always gives me a healthy look, and it a bit neon I get an instant tan!

  • Angie replied 11 years ago

    Suz, I think you are a fast learner and I'm thrilled that YLF has helped you on your style journey!

    (psssttt.....try the new taupe sweatshirt with your white jeans, animal print scarf and Report booties).

  • celia replied 11 years ago

    You made a groundbreaking discovery with the taupe, it seems like everything makes in your wardrobe now.
    Beautiful.(you and your wardrobe)

  • rae replied 11 years ago

    Eep! The taupe even goes with the buttons on your denim jacket! You'll have a killer taupe capsule.

  • Jaime replied 11 years ago

    Wow! These pictures could be illustrations for a textbook on how repeating your colors ups your chic level.

  • Deborah replied 11 years ago

    I am thrilled to see the color featuring with the taupe Suz:). On its own the taupe looks really cool but my concern would be that the taupe on its own on a "tired" day could look a little bland and not light you up. I found this with my blacks. I have to be well rested and looking good to carry of black on it's own. Love these outfits.

  • tarzy replied 11 years ago

    I'm sure I'm not remembering correctly, but did you at one time say you had big calves and short legs and didn't like to show them? I must be imagining that because you look amazing in that skirt and booties. That is all.

  • sarah replied 11 years ago

    Hi Suz, I've been away and have been following the taupe-ology of your wardrobe epiphany on my phone ; ) Just wanted to say that I'm so glad you identified your neutral of choice! How fab is that?! I think you look divine, but I especially like it when you mix taupe with the brighter colors and I also like it when it's contrasted with "high-contrast" neutrals like black (and I love Angie's idea of white or cream). I think that all of the darker pinks would be fantastic with taupe and your coloring, and of course the blues/turquoises/teals are great, too. Looking forward to seeing you "mix it up" even more!

  • Vix replied 11 years ago

    Hi Suz --

    Another who has been following along....

    The dark taupe is a beautiful neutral on you and looks wonderful with the rest of your cool-toned picks.

    I so rarely see that shade (and I do look for it!) that I am super-impressed with your ability to pull so many flattering-to-you items in it together so fast.

    Between your taupes, cool greys, and deep blues I think the solid blacks you don't really like on yourself will be history. Congrats!

  • Caro in Oz replied 11 years ago

    How did you cope
    without your taupe?
    We'll see more I hope!

    I love everyone of those outfits on you

  • jayne replied 11 years ago

    Suz, this is brilliant. Taupe really is THE thing/color you have been missing. It is a lovely neutral sharing your skin, and I am a big fan of tonal dressing. It plays a nice second to your other neutrals. It discreetly plays second fiddle to your standout colors. I think you have solved a major part of the dressing riddle.

    I look forward to see you style and wear every day

  • Sylvie replied 11 years ago

    Do you need a pair of taupe sandals by any chance?

    http://www.6pm.com/boutique-9-.....pe-leather

You need to be logged in to comment