Black isn’t flattering on everyone. I know it’s controversial, but it’s the truth. While black can be slimming and flattering on lots of women, it also carries a dense visual weight that can make others feel frumpy or shadowed. But those same women look drop-dead gorgeous in cream and beige.
Even though they’re “neutral,” not all neutrals are right for all people. So, let’s find your perfect neutral! In this article, we’ll help you determine which neutral shades look best with your coloring, along with some tips on how to incorporate those neutrals into your wardrobe.
What is a neutral?
Neutrals are defined as colors that aren’t on the color wheel. This includes varying shades of black, grey, white, and brown. There are two ways that neutrals can occur. They can either be achromatic, meaning they have no color like black, white, or grey, or they have a lot of colors blended together, like different brown tones and shades.
Pure neutrals are black, white, brown, and gray. They are the purest form of their color without any undertones.
Near neutrals are a primary color mixed with a pure neutral color. For example, if you mix the primary color yellow with pure brown, you get a near-neutral tan. Near-neutrals have lower saturation than pure ones, and they are a beautiful backdrop for pops of color.
Colored neutrals also exist. This is when a color appears more neutral because it has more black (shading) or more gray (toning) added to it. Examples of this would be navy (blue + black), deep olive (green + black), burgundy (red + black), pistachio (green + grey), or blush (pink + gray). A lot of people consider denim a colored neutral because varying shades of denim blue can work as a foundation for other colors.
Why we love neutrals
Neutral colors are the foundation of a wardrobe because they are easy to mix and match with everything in your closet, especially if you purchase clothes that naturally match your seasonal color palette. I will always love bright, pops of color. But there’s just something so effortless and era-less about neutrals – especially when used as the backdrop for your favorite color statements!
Some of the reasons I love incorporating neutrals in my closet:
- They’re versatile, practical, and easy to match. (That makes getting dressed in the morning a lot easier!)
- They’re timeless. Neutrals never go out of style.
- Neutral colors always look clean and classy.
- Neutrals are the perfect foundation for colors, prints, and accessories, so you have a lot of room to play around with your outfit.
Choosing your perfect neutral: undertones
There are warm and cool neutrals. “Warm” and “cool” refers to the undertone of the color, meaning the color you don’t actively perceive. It’s the tone that sits “behind” the primary color. Warm neutrals have yellow, orange, or pink undertones, like beige, tan, and gold. Cool neutrals have blue, purple, and green undertones, like gray, taupe, and ivory.
The right neutral for you likely has the same undertone as your skin. Learn more about undertones (including the undertone of your skin) with our DIY season color analysis guide here.
If you have a warm complexion, you likely look best in warm neutrals like warm brown, camel, khaki, cream, and olive green.
This woman’s warm tones look stunning with warm tan and beige. If she wore a cool gray, it might cast dark shadows on her face.
These warm browns accentuate this woman’s stunning hair, eyes, and coloring.
If you have a naturally cool complexion, you might look best in cool neutrals like dark navy, charcoal blue-grey, dark chocolate, rose beige, and pure white.
Notice how this woman’s cool winter season looks best in pure weight and cool beige. If she were to wear warmer tones, like a warm beige, it might make her skin look paler and redder. The white accentuates her porcelain complexion.
This grayish-blue and silver metallic gorgeously bring out this woman’s natural cool color.
Choosing your perfect neutral: hair
Along with your skin tone, your hair color has a huge impact on which neutrals look best on you. There are two ways to pair your neutral with your hair: a neutral that reflects your hair color or intensifies it.
To reflect or enhance your hair color, you want a neutral that is similar in value to your hair. If you have dark hair, you might want to opt for black or deep brown. If you have lighter hair, you might want lighter neutrals.
This woman has light hair and a warm skin tone, so she looks particularly stunning and clean in a primarily cream outfit. If she’d paired the white tank with white pants, she runs the risk of looking too washed out in a more cool-toned pure white.
And this woman has caramel tones in her blonde hair, which is gorgeously reflected in her light caramel monochrome outfit (with leopard print shoes!).
Look how stunning this silver-gray hair looks with a cool gray neutral outfit. The colors flow together seamlessly.
Black hair with an all-black outfit creates a sophisticated French girl vibe.
But the opposite is also true. You might want to wear neutrals that contrast your hair color to create an intense, striking look. In this case, you’ll want to think of your hair as a “pop” of color to your neutral outfit, just as you might think of a hot pink statement bag or a bold red lip.
I love how this blonde woman has a chic all-black outfit to create a stark contrast, but she utilizes her purse that’s in a similar tone as her hair. This ensemble is both contrasting and reflecting her hair at the same time.
Dark hair paired with whites and creams accentuates the beauty of your hair color.
Remember that the undertones still matter, even when you’re matching with your hair. So, if you have cool undertones, you’ll want to select cool neutrals that either reflect or contrast your cool-toned hair. If you have a warm skin tone, warm neutrals can bring out the warmth in your hair.
Choosing your perfect neutral: eyes
This is my favorite way to choose a neutral. Match the neutral color to your eyes. The right neutral can make your eyes pop, accentuating and intensifying your natural beauty.
If you have blue eyes, try navy or bluish-grays to pull out the blue tone. Alexis Bledel naturally has cool tones with dyed red hair. This works beautifully because the navy accentuates her cool tone, pulls the blue from her eyes, and contrasts the red hair.
Blue eyes also look stunning when paired with beige, since blue and orange are complementary colors. Gigi Hadid’s blue eyes become the pop of color in this beige dress, while the beige blends beautifully with her hair.
If you have war green eyes, try warm khaki greens or olive. Notice how this olive dress perfectly reflects and enhances Rachel McAdams’s olive-toned eyes. (If you have more blue in your green eyes, you’ll want a more teal navy or blue-tinted neutral.)
Green eyes also look stunning in burgundy, since red and green are complementary colors. Rachel McAdam’s greenish eyes look bright and clear in this stunning burgundy dress.
Wear browns that reflect the shade of brown in your eye. One of Meghan Markle’s most iconic looks is this monochrome brown outfit with tan coat. The brown perfectly reflects her gorgeous eyes while the warm tan adds lightness and contrast to an otherwise dark outfit with dark hair.
If you have hazel eyes, look at which neutrals occur naturally in your eye. Do you have a bit of beige, brown, or green tones? Use those streaks of color as inspiration for your neutrals.
10 neutral wardrobe staples
These neutral pieces are the perfect foundation for building a million outfits while always looking clean and put together.
- White basic tee
- Tan, camel, or khaki coat
- Black trousers
- Cream or beige sweater
- Little black dress
- Neutral jeans (white and/or black)
- Black or tan boots
- Nude pump
- Neutral undergarments (skin-colored bras and seamless underwear)
- Black leggings
Check out more wardrobe essentials here.
Tips on how to wear neutrals
Wear a monochromatic neutral outfit.
An all-black or all-white outfit will always look chic and polished.
Mixing and matching varying shades of beige, tan, and white can also make for a stunning, classy aesthetic. (Just make sure they all have the same undertone. If your browns or beiges don’t seem to match for some reason, it’s probably because one is cool and one is warm.)
Utilize different textures in similar shades to create an intriguing, eye-catching look.
Learn how to pair different neutrals.
Find a neutral that always looks good on you. If you have cool coloring, maybe you look stunning in pure whiteor black. If you have warm coloring, maybe cream or tan makes you look your best. Once you have your “perfect” neutral, learn how to pair it with other neutrals with the same undertone. Think of it like mixing and matching colors but with clean neutrals. Then, from there, you can add in more pops of color if you’d like!
And they don’t always have to be in the same color family. These neutrals are different colors but the same warm undertone gives them a cohesive look.
Pair neutrals with a pop of color.
Neutrals lay the foundation of your outfit so you can add splashes of colors. If you wear a lot of neutrals, add color with fun, matching accessories.
Or mix neutral basics with colorful tops, jackets, or bright pants.
Get a few neutral patterns too.
If you’re a fan of wearing prints, add a few neutral patterns to your wardrobe. This is a great way to mix and match neutrals while still maintaining intrigue.
Animal prints are classic patterns that are naturally neutral, but they add a little pizazz to an otherwise neutral outfit.
Try out colorful neutrals.
Colorful neutrals might be the right “neutral” for you. For example, my friend exclusively wears sage green and white as her neutrals and uses pops of pink for color. She considers the sage green to be her “neutral” because it’s toned down and easy to pair with the varying shades of white and cream in her closet.
Find your most flattering-colored neutrals to add even more dimension to your closet while staying in the neutral territory.
Which neutral is right for you?
Finding which neutral shades look best on you might take some trial and error, but once you’ve found your perfect neutral, I guarantee it will become a staple color in your wardrobe. Make searching for the perfect neutral easier at Current Boutique! Check out our stunning, just-in pieces with our collection The New Neutral.
Photo Sources
- Warm neutrals: https://www.mademois-elle.com/three-pinterest-outfits-inspiring-me-lately/
- Warm brown neutrals: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/124623114676024677/
- Cool neutrals: https://www.jeansandateacup.com/an-easy-neutral-outfit-for-summer/
- Cool gray: https://stylishlyme.com/style/what-is-monochromatic-outfit/
- Blonde and cream: https://www.lechicstreet.com/12-non-boring-beige-pants-outfits-to-try-out/
- Caramel blonde: https://www.ohdarlingblog.com/neutral-color-outfits/
- Gray hair and outfit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/318559373627760842/
- Black hair and outfit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/84020349282438164/
- Blonde with black outfit: https://soheather.com/how-to-wear-all-black-in-the-summer/#/
- Dark hair with white outfit: https://www.aglamlifestyle.com/how-to-style-spring-neutrals/
- Alexis Bledel: https://www.pinterest.com/barryadams825/alexis-bledel/
- Gigi Hadid: https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/bleach-blonde-hair-celebrities-and-models-with-peroxide-hair
- Rachel McAdams green: https://www.yournextshoes.com/rachel-mcadams-stuart-weitzman-alex-wedges/
- Rachel McAdams burgundy: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3404277/Rachel-McAdams-wows-maroon-Spotlight-wins-big-Critics-Choice-Awards.html
- Meghan Markle: https://people.com/royals/meghan-markle-brown-satin-skirt-get-the-look/
- All white: https://www.sydnestyle.com/2018/03/how-to-wear-all-white-outfits/
- Beige and cream: https://karinastylediaries.com/how-to-style-a-monochromatic-outfit/
- Textures: https://www.thezoereport.com/p/7-monochromatic-outfits-to-wear-now-from-neutral-to-ultra-bright-12794621
- All neutral: https://fashionjackson.com/winter-trench-coat-outfit/
- Matching neutrals: https://livvyland.com/2021/12/14/striped-sweater-sezane-farrow-bag-will-jacket/
- Bright purse: http://www.brooklynblonde.com/2018/02/two-looks-day-night
- Red jacket with neutrals: https://fashionjackson.com/how-to-add-color-to-a-neutral-wardrobe/
- Navy pattern: https://www.memorandum.com/spring-print-mixing/blue-printed-pencil-skirt-striped-shirt-navy-sweater-pattern-mixing-for-work-casual-friday-outfit/
- Neutral animal print: https://www.threadsforthomasblog.com/2019/02/this-post-contains-sponsored-content.html
- Sage green and white: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/480759328978674645/
- Maroon: https://www.stylecharade.com/pink-slim-pants/
