No plain, no gain? Good reasons to wear neutral hues

While neutral hues are perceived as ‘boring’ colours, especially when used in clothing, this is not to say that all of your neutral-coloured clothing pieces should be thrown out of your wardrobe. Neutral clothing can make you stand out, or blend in if that is what you prefer, from the crowd – so here are reasons why you should wear neutral hues.

What are neutral hues?

Neutral hues are hues usually not seen on the colour wheel – they appear to lack, or only have a little amount of actual colour. You are most likely to be familiar with hues like beige, white, black, grey, and brown.

Other colours like tan and ivory are also neutral as despite having more colour than white or grey, these hues have low saturation, having been toned down. These hues are known as near neutrals – a combination of a primary colour with a pure neutral.

Versatile and effortless

Neutral colours are easy on the eye, meaning that they work extremely well as daily clothing pieces. White and black are timeless neutral colours that are staple colours in menswear in general. You probably already own a white shirt, black trousers, and brown and black shoes – who doesn’t?

These hues are effortless and versatile – you can go from casual to formal to a night out wearing these colours! Neutrals, unlike bright and bold colours like neon orange and yellow which are usually more suited to summer, can be worn in all seasons for any occasion. As a result, if you are a minimalist, sticking to neutral colours can help both your wardrobe space and your wallet.

Office wear in particular utilises neutral hues as they are perfect for offering a classy and sleek look that is appropriate for a professional environment. If you are in need of such clothing, brands like T.M. Lewin offers a range of neutral-hued pieces that can be worn for both office and daily wear.

Neutrals are popular and trendy, not only seen casually on the street, but also on high-end fashion runways like Marc Jacobs and Burberry. Neutrals are timeless, statement pieces that can balance your outfit.

Neutrals go with neutrals and other colours

Neutrals and near neutrals are effortless colours that you can wear and pair with other neutrals and other colours – they don’t clash and suit anything effortlessly! They are particularly effective in creating a contrasted look, so you can pair neutral colours with bold colours to make heads turn your way. For example, opting for a black suit with a navy shirt (navy is not a neutral hue, despite what others might say) can provide just the right amount of contrast to make your outfit more unique instead of the typical black suit and white shirt.

Neutrals can also be paired with neutrals, but the recommended way to go about this is to change up the textures if you are going for a neutral monochromatic look. You can dress up in a neutral-coloured top and trousers, but go for a neutral-coloured corduroy jacket for instance, to add some texture and depth to your outfit.