Of all the fashion regrets I have, the biggest is all the black I wore. For years, if you bought a coat, it was automatically black. A pantsuit, a turtleneck sweater, a party dress, black, black and a very dense ink black. I don’t think I’m the only one who spent the 1990s in Victorian mourning.
Now, of course, I wouldn’t even dream of dressing all in black; my complexion can’t handle it and what was once edgy and sophisticated looks ordinary and flat. Furthermore, fashion is no longer enslaved by black: it is there, elegant as always, but it is no longer the first choice or the obvious resource.
That award goes to navy blue, gray or camel, which, luckily, are much more forgiving for those over 50. But the really big change, and what makes me wear color every day, is the way we use it now.
The fashionable term for this is ‘tonal dressing’: wearing different shades of a color or colors that lie next to each other on the color wheel: brown, caramel and camel, for example. And boy, is it a revelation.
Plain knit sleeveless jumper, chocolate, £22.99, zara.com
Mustard short-sleeved alpaca and wool jumper, £45.99, zara.com
Color used to be something you threw into the mix (a red sweater, a cobalt blue blouse) and hoped for the best. Now you build your outfit into grades of a color that automatically work together (bingo! Zero effort) and the effect is subtler and more wearable.
A tonal outfit looks elegant, but not combinable. It’s versatile and less flashy than head-to-toe block color.
And since it is a range of shades, the colors themselves are more interesting. No longer “brown is the color of fall 2024,” there are six or seven shades to choose from this season and wear together.
At Me+Em, a good example, you’ll find dozens of items on the brown spectrum, from caramel to camel to conker to maple, and they all look delicious together.
It’s hard to get excited about a brown item, but a mix of golden tans and chocolates looks rich and beautiful. It’s also worth noting that his black velvet jacket that you’d expect to find this time of year is a dark brown called double espresso. And guess what? It’s much warmer and more interesting – autumn 2024.
You don’t have to spend Me+Em prices to adopt the new color style. Start with one color from the current fall batch (all dark reds, all browns, any shade of blue, winter pinks) and then pick a couple pieces to start with.
Brown faux leather A-line midi skirt, £69, monsoon.co.uk
Double-front double-breasted coat in burgundy, £159, johnlewis.com
A sweater is a good place to start: quality wool transmits color very well. Head to Marks & Spencer to pick up a cashmere crewneck (£89, brandsandspencer.com) in any color from fuchsia to camel.
I’m sold on this brown moment after buying a tan skirt in the summer that everyone noticed (all browns pair well with off-whites and creams in winter too). Start with a chocolate sleeveless single-knit jumper (£22.99, zara.com) or a nutmeg vest from M&S (£19.50), worn alone or over a cream shirt. Or Zara has a mustard wool and alpaca short-sleeved jumper (£45.99, zara.com).
You can wear either of them with Me+Em’s velvet trousers (£195, meandem.com) or M&S’s leather-look A-line midi (£39.50, brandsandspencer.com) both in dark chocolate. The key is not to stop at the waist (most of us are inclined to wear colors on top) and carry the color all the way.
Stretch velvet trousers, £195, meandem.com
Marks & Spencer offers a wide color range of cashmere crew neck jumpers (£89), from a subtle camel to an acidic yellow (pictured)
Marks & Spencer Roll Neck Jumper in Bright Green (£35)
There are plenty of A-line chocolate leather midis for autumn (£69, monsoon.co.uk) or a bespoke wool pair (£85, johnlewis.com) or tweed pants would work.
Bright greens and olives are also great for fall. Some greens you could play with include M&S’s rollneck in bright green (£35), their relaxed single-breasted two-button coat in forest green (£69) and deep moss green wide-leg trousers (£29.50 ).
Or go for it in all shades of wine, starting with John Lewis’ own label double-breasted coat in burgundy (£159, johnlewis.com), berry satin jacket (£125) and matching trousers (£85).
This is also a time for unexpected color combinations like pea green and pink (again, it’s M&S or John Lewis for a mismatched twin set) and unlikely bright but icy colors like iris and citrus. winter: the palest, tangiest lemon looks lovely as an accent. with blue or mixed with off-white.
Rarely has color seemed so attractive.
