Weather-wise, the transition from winter to spring can be a long and painful process. Outfit-wise, it can be frustrating to put together a functional, appropriate, and hopefully stylish look. While some days are sunnier than others, freezing temps and cloudy skies can make getting dressed feel like a chore or at least a dull exercise. However, I find embracing gray clothing can make for some inspiring outfit formulas to beat back the seasonal doldrums. On the surface, gray may seem a bit boring, if not an odd color altogether. It’s not quite neutral and far from this year’s cherry red and leopard print trends. Nevertheless, it can be quite chic with the right styling. Here are a few ways to style gray.
The easiest way to wear a tricky color like gray is by fully embracing it with a monochromatic outfit. Of course, monochrome doesn’t mean all one shade; the contrast of gray shades gives a head-to-toe look a stylish factor.
Look at the pieces in your closet and decide if you want to create a base of trousers and turtleneck in a darker gray, then transition to a more heathered gray in your outerwear or vice versa. Of course, not all grays go great together. Slate grays feel more blue and may not contrast enough with a dim gray, while on the other hand dark slate gray feels more green and can really pop against a lighter gainsboro gray. I would suggest staying far away from a full look of greige, that shade that could be gray but also feels kind of beige. That’s a very drabby color and can come across as looking more dingy than dynamic.
On the flip side of an all-gray look is to add a pop of color, particularly red, for a fun contrast. It can be as subtle as bold red socks with gray pants and a white button-down or red tights with a gray skirt and sweater. This contrast can be an enjoyable one to play with. You may have one or two shades of gray and then two pops of red with a bright cherry bag and fire-engine red loafers. At the opposite end of this outfit formula, if you have a killer red dress you’re looking to chic-ify, swap out the standard black tights, heels, and gold jewelry for gray shoes, bag, scarf, and silver pieces.
Speaking of silver, the natural evolution from silver to gray and vice versa should be embraced, especially for day-to-night looks. Or, if you’re looking to dress things up on an overcast day, adding a silver touch to your gray look will do the trick. I love the idea of a comfy, cozy, chunky cable knit gray sweater with a silver silk slip skirt. And it can be a fun tongue twister to try and say that last sentence five times fast. Of course, not everyone has a silver silk slip skirt at the ready, nor does it make for a practical choice in everyday life. You can still embrace silver through accessories, especially jewelry, as mentioned above. Take that same comfy chunky knit, wear it with grayscale jeans, and glam it up with silver chain necklaces or bracelets and hoops, diamonds, or rhinestone earrings.
Another great gray pairing is with camel. A gray crewneck sweater and khaki pants with brown boots on sloshy days and white sneakers after the thaw is an easy yet stylish outfit combination good for work or casually. A gray sweater dress with a camel overcoat for thirty-degree days is an easy look to transition into 50-degree weather by swapping the coat for a classic trench. You can create a layered look with a gray hooded sweatshirt under a camel coat with jeans and sneakers for the weekend. Or dress that same layered combo up with a skirt and boots for weekdays.
In general, if your gray pieces are on the lighter end of the shade spectrum, they’ll pair best with richer colors like deep purples, royal blues, or the above-mentioned red. Think of a dove gray skirt with a plum blouse. By pairing gray pieces with more intense colors, you’ll add balance to the overall look while keeping things interesting. For darker grays, pair with softer hues, like charcoal gray trousers, with a soft pink blouse.
While gray may bring lackluster school uniforms and sweatpants to mind, it can be an energetic color that sees you into the spring. If you feel your gray looks are leaning toward the bland, then try pairing them with pieces that provide contrast, whether in color, silhouette, or texture.
