The best Neutrals for Spring coloring

Can you identify the Spring neutrals? Neutrals are not the first thing that comes to mind when you have a fabulous new color palette.

It's easy to get excited about all the beautiful brights but, until you can recognize your basic (almost boring) neutrals, it's impossible to begin any kind of color co-ordination. 

With Spring coloring you will naturally be Light Bright and Warm, a vibrant enough coloring to welcome the snappy shades of Spring.

Your hair will usually be golden or strawberry blonde but it could, in fact, be a rich chestnut. Either way you will have fair skin and sparkly eyes - there is a golden glow about you!

The Spring neutrals will give you the perfect wardrobe base.

What is a Spring Neutral?

We don't see neutral colors in the rainbow. But although creams and beiges, grey and navy (and even olive green) appear to be almost colorless they usually have either a Warm or Cool undertone.

The best neutrals for SPRING coloring have a WARM undertone but they are also LIGHT and BRIGHT (clear) just the same as the rest of the Spring palette so they all harmonize. All of the colors together are ready to complement your natural Spring coloring.   

The beauty comes with the fact that when a neutral is teamed with a brighter color it doesn't compete, it merely complements! The neutral forms the background allowing the brighter tone to appear more vibrant. 

Literally hundreds of shades...

It's impossible to match a color exactly and it's not necessary. You can happily use slightly lighter or deeper tones of the same color.  All you need to do is ensure that the colors sit happily together. This shows that they have color characteristics in common.

Colors in the Spring season are all Warm but they are the lightest and brightest of the Warm neutrals.

In the image below you can see how the colors, even if they're not 'exactly' the same, have the same tones and 'agree' with each other.  

In your wardrobe you can use your color swatch as a 'blending tool' in the same way. Your colors are never limited as there are literally hundreds of shades between each color block just like an artist's palette!

Think neutrals first

Build a small collection of wardrobe essentials in your best Spring neutrals. These will be the most useful items you own, earning their keep many times over.

Your best light shade is ivory or cream, pure white is too clinical for your warm skin.

Light beige, tan, camel and golden browns are very flattering. A stronger brown can be worn but avoid any color that is too heavy close to your face. Always put a lighter tone next to it.

Light denim blue through to a bright navy, greys from light to medium with a warm tone. 

Wear neutrals alone, you can create soft or strong contrast and achieve stunningly stylish outfits.

Thank you to the extremely stylish Angelika @livingindividuallyover50 for the fabulous photos in this feature. 

The basics of co-ordination

There are lots of different ways to wear Spring colors. 

Here I've just teamed up some of the vibrant accent colors that bring the neutrals to life. 

These are the Neutrals for Spring coloring 
and don't forget they can be a bit lighter or deeper!

Be aware that you're looking for colors with a yellow undertone to form a backdrop for the 'brights'. Hold your swatch close to the garment and see if the colors look good together. The Warm toned bright colors will sit happily on a Warm toned neutral.

You'll find all the colors for the Spring season in the fabric color swatch.

Ivory

The lightest color that looks good with your coloring and is perfect next to your face is called your 'best white'. Ivory has a warm/yellow undertone like all the colors in the Spring color palette. Pure white is far too clinical for your golden coloring.

This is your go-to color for staple 'link' items - tops, tanks, shirts and blouses; underwear and nightwear too. Ivory will link together neutrals and bright shades. 

Stone or Light Beige

This can be your go-to color for any wardrobe basic - use your color swatch to blend so that you maintain some warmth to harmonize with your pretty shades. Stone is a sort of in-between beige and grey - or 'greige'. 

You don't have to match this exactly, there are thousands of shades you can use. Just check that it harmonizes with your brights for essentials such as pants, cardigan, jacket, trench coat etc. 

Camel / Golden Tan

From light camel through to a rich golden tan provides more contrast against the lighter beiges and is a useful color for a heavier fabric.

Your darker neutrals like this are suitable for thick skirts, jackets and winter coats. A camel wool coat is a wardrobe staple that will last for many years.

Light warm grey

This is your best grey - Light and Warm - it has a slightly yellow undertone which underpins all the other warm shades. You can also wear a cooler grey but it will bring a sharper note to your outfit.

It can be difficult to distinguish between a Warm or Cool grey - take a look at the different Shades of Grey to get the idea.

Autumn grey

This is a warm version of Charcoal Grey but is softer with a yellow undertone. 

The grey pants blend seamlessly with the dark olive green jacket, or you can add stronger color. 

Bright navy

Although navy blue is a 'universal' color - which means that it suits  more or less everyone - your best navy is brighter than most. 

You can wear a deeper shade too but this bright navy will enhance your other right shades and your vivid natural coloring.

Use Neutrals to change your change your shape
Light brings forward and Dark recedes