Adding Color

Many people do not embrace wearing bright colors or print clothing. That doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy a splash of color or pattern to bring variety to our comforting neutrals. This week, I am sharing some of the ways I introduce more color variety to winter neutrals.

The V-neck gray cashmere sweater is here. (Wearing size medium.) The straight leg high waist black jeans are here. (Wearing size 6.) I folded a fifty-one-inch silk twill scarf in a triangle, then placed it on one shoulder — drape one end over the front and one end over the back.

Scarves with bold, saturated blocks of color are the ones I wear most often. Small patterns and soft tones are too muted for my winter coloring.

My award-winning lip color is Poppy by Beautycounter here. The color is a little red, a little pink, with a tiny amount of shimmer. I’m not wearing any foundation, but my skincare routine is here. Less is more for me now.

The tan Dooney & Bourke bag is here. The Cole Haan flats are here.

The Ralph Stanley Museum in Clintwood, VA.

We enjoyed a beautiful day with temperatures in the seventies on Saturday. Any time we have a day like that in January, Mr. Mickey and I go for a long drive in the country. We headed to Virginia, and after a couple of hours of enjoying the serene vistas, we had a delightful meal at Pecan 128 in Abingdon.

My adventure partner ordered the grilled turkey Reuben sandwich, and I had the Caribbean Jerk chicken salad.

Thank you for visiting with me today!

35 Comments
  1. Susan you look lovely. I have some of your scarves and would love more could you please email me what you have in inventory? Thank you so much

  2. Gray and black are two of my favorite colors.. looks great with the added colors/patterns in the scarf. Love almost all Dooneys! Was nice seeing the RS museum and the mountains. Our weather has been similar to TN.. not bad for winter!!

  3. I wish I could dress like this in the winter. It was minus 23 this weekend…..and that’s before the wind chill factor. Your area of the world looks better to me all the time!! Love all your looks.

    1. That’s the thing about scarves – they are almost fluid, you learn to go with the flow. If you want to use a scarf clip or ring, they are on Amazon. You might also like to use magnets to keep them in place.

  4. I just bought the Countertime collection. At what point do you use the resurfacing peel. I ordered that separately.

  5. Susan I’m wondering how you would hold your scarf on, do you use Velcro or some method of attaching, that it does not slide off? ann lee s

  6. Hello,Susan, do you still have your jewelry collection for purchase?
    I’m looking for earrings and necklace set.
    Thank you!

  7. Nice look for a 70’s day. I love wearing scarves and gently pinned mine the other day when I wore it over my shoulder. I can’t have little magnets in the house because of the grandkids. I haven’t had any problems with the holes staying in the scarves after I take them off luckily.
    Thanks again Susan. Hope your winter continues to be mild.

  8. I enjoyed this post because it reminds me to start adding a little more color. Most of my clothes are neutrals and you can get in a rut and forget how powerful just a pretty scarf can be to your look. I like the way you pick up color from the scarf for your bag too. I’ve learned so much from you. An interesting topping on that salad.

  9. I’d have to go with Mr Mickey’s food choice (with fewer fries), considering the snowy day
    we had today in Oregon. It looks pretty good to me!

    Lovely landscape photos.
    And, you always look terrific!

  10. as a true neutral dressing person I’m really trying to add more color to my wardrobe wisely. I’ve decided, for me, turquoise, deep coral, and burgundy are my colors to try and add for variety. I’m still a neutral girl naturally though.

  11. I love reading your blog in the mornings! You are so positive AND accurate on why you wear the items you do. I’m working on doing the same for me. Onto the day! Cheers!

  12. Hi, Susan, I am also someone who loves wearing scarves as it is such a nice way of adding colour and interest to the most basic outfit, but how do you keep your scarf in place? Very often even a scarf that is just draped around your neck just wouldn’t stay in place and if you have it draped around your shoulders as you have in this post I find that most of the time it wouldn’t stay in place and ends up being a nuisence and not looking as good as it should. As you move around it slips off your shoulders all the time. Please give advice on how to keep a scarf in place and not having it not looking good anymore, even before you’re out of the door! Thank you so much, I enjoy your blog very much!
    Kind regards

    1. I accept the fact that the scarves move with me, and I rearrange them often during the day. You can use magnets or pins to hold them in place. Here is a post about using magnets with scarves.

  13. Susan, your posts are what my closet needs daily. I have begun to curate my closet with only items that fit, are quality and can go with many of my other pieces. Will begin to clean out my closet on a spring clean very soon.

    I would like to suggest an idea for posts. Please show us several choices of outfits to wear for certain occasions (i.e., summer, spring, fall or winter wedding, commencement ceremony, etc.). I have a big day coming to celebrate for my older nephew graduating with a masters in jazz piano. Help. The commencement ceremony is at 2 pm in Cincinnati, Ohio.

    Thank you for all you do.

  14. I have your similar skin and hair color. But not your figure. I’m working on that. Love your clothing choices for when you’re out and about. But what do you wear at home, when you’re doing household chores or reading, or paying bills. Do you ever just wear sweats and slippers? Just curious.

  15. Beautiful outfit – the gray sweater and your hair both pop, and the scarf is perfect. A wonderful combination.

  16. Just came upon your blog!! Love it! I’m 66 and this is a wonderful addition to my many websites for older women!!!

  17. I love how you incorporate a silk scarf when putting your your outfit together. My question is what do you do to keep your scarf in place?

  18. Hi Susan – I was wondering if there was someway that your photos could be appended to your blog in a way that would all us (your readers) to enlarge the photos to look at something in a bit larger detail? I think your prior blogs as Fifty Not Frumpy used to allow that. Now, the only thing that happens when I double tap a photo is that the pinterest emblem pops up. A few other bloggers I follow do permit their photos to enlarge by a double tap. A single tap pulls up the pinterest connection. Would you please consider enabling this function?

    Thanks for all your good ideas. We do appreciate them!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

I share tips and inspiration for using what you already have in contemporary ways. Defining words include effortless, classic, refined, discreet, and elegant. My style is chic, minimal, and timeless with a bit of edge.