What to Wear - Go Color!
 

I thought I'd start a thread about mix and matching outfits. This is always a major point when talking about "packing light" and I thought it'd be nice to have a list of coordinating color combinations. :-d

Let's do this by selecting a "bottoms" color and then identifying "tops" colors that coordinate and then a "shoe" color.

Here's some of mine:

1. Olive (bottom) - coral, yellow, blue, red, rust, brown, tan, olive, *sage (tops) - brown (shoes)

2. Brown - coral, yellow, blue, red, rust, brown, tan, olive, *sage - brown

3. Navy/Jeans - coral, yellow, blue, red, rust, brown, tan, olive, *sage - brown

Yep, there's a pattern here. I find that these three colors are easily mixed and matched - that means I can have olive, brown, and/or navy bottoms on any given trip and still mix and match with all the same tops. This is nice because I don't feel like I'm wearing the same "uniform" everyday.

So how about your combinations? The more we list, the more choices we all have available when we go to pack for that next trip.

(*edited to add)

Hmmm... interesting question, toedtoes :-)

I don't think about color much for packing, instead more about the weight of the fabric, shape of pieces and sleeve length, and packability (don't wrinkle too bad).

Most of my clothes coordinate by virtue of being neutrals and earthtones anyways. And my vacations are most often to a beach.

3 shorts - brown, khaki knit & earthtoned striped rayon

5 tops - black vneck sleeveless tshirt, white cotton sleeveless blouse, khaki tank top, white tshirt, print tshirt

2 sandals - copper, black

Now packing for Europe, that's entirely different and I agonize much more over that kind of travel wardrobe.

Good topic. I find that I build everything around black or khaki colors on the bottom, occasionally white in summer. I tend to put the color into tops ( 2 neutral, 2 color--1 light, 1 "bright"). I'm a carry-on only packer for Europe.

As I review last trip to Europe, it was, black with white (top/bottom), black with black, black with neutral (top/bottom); blue with black (top/bottom), and various blue with white, blue with neutral; bright (red, green) with black or white.

Scarves were zebra print and blue.

I had one black and white reversible lightweight skirt--worn with black silk top usually.

Shoes were Paul Green euro style black walking shoes and teva black strappy city style sandals plus a pair of ballet flats thrown in for nights out.

One of my sisters (we were 5 sisters traveling) took my advice better than I did and looked great--black, white, and that green that was one of the "it" colors this year.

I also tend to pay attention to weight, ability of fabric to be cool/dry quickly, and the like, more than color, but try to coordinate as well.

My best combos seem to be black and white (or tan) with blue or red as the accent color on top.

I asked Santa for a Travelsmith 4 piece outfit of light jacket top, skirt, short sleeve top, and slacks, though I usually just use Chico's or other regular stores.

Interesting post. I don't have a travel wardrobe and my main color is black although I now have a few brown pieces as well. I use black, white, yellow and some red or olive tops. I also like scarves for added color.

I have several JJill pieces from their Wearever collection which are light and pack/travel well. I'm happy traveling with a 21-22 inch and don't mind wearing clothes more than once.

Great! OK, so now we can add the following combinations:

4. Brown - black, khaki, white

5. Khaki - black, khaki, white

6. White - blue, black, red, green

7. Black - black, blue, red, green

8. Neutral - blue, black

9. Black - black, white, yellow, red, olive

10. Brown - black, white, yellow, red, olive

How about some more? Purple or pink anyone? Looking at my list, a pink top would fit in with my color combinations also.

I'll admit to my secret goal here - so many of the pack light posts include the "pack black pants, skirts and jackets with white and red tees and spark it up with colorful scarves" and I'd like to see more colorful options while still meeting the packing light "mix and match" needs.

I usually look a mess on vacation (as in "real life"). I basically own only black, khaki and jeans bottoms (shorts, pants, skirts), and just about everything I own coordinates with those colors. I own mostly black shoes, plus a couple of brown pairs, and some white sneakers.

My clothing choices are dictated by the weather wherever we're going. After that, I pick out a couple of pairs of appropriate shoes for our plans and the weather, and then go from there.

I have started trying to spruce up my travel wardrobe lately, though. I have bought a couple of scarves and a cute hat. I'm sure I will add more accessories as time goes on.

By the way, I'm a 30-something who travels with her 40-something DH. We've both been told that we look younger than our ages, so I think we both still fall into that jeans and t-shirt "style" that a lot of young people have. I am trying to break out of it by shopping more at Ann Taylor LOFT and I've started exploring some of the online sites that specialize in "travel clothes".

I tend to "agonize" over what to pack. My shoes are mostly black and I have always packed at least one pair of black slacks. But, I noticed that black gets lint on it easily and my gray slacks don't show lint. So, I plan to travel with gray "bottoms" more often. And yes, I love purple and pink & variations of those colors! My feet are a problem, and it is hard to find comfortable travel shoes. I have SAS shoes now, plus I took Ecco sandles that I wore in Rome at least 2 days when it was so warm.

My base colors are usually either black or brown, as most of my travel is at least partly work-related, most of it occurs during cooler month, and most of it is to cities.

Once I've decided on either black or brown I then choose one accent color that's either present or predominates in my non-base items. I'm fair-skinned and my hair is somewhere on the brown/red spectrum, so the accent color is generally one that looks good on me. Green, aqua/teal, and purple are all good at the moment. Aqua/teal and purple will pair nicely with either black or brown. With green it depends on the shade.

In warm weather (for non-work trips)I may use beige or white as a base, or may actually use a bright color (like aqua or pink) as my base. It all depends.

I don't buy any travel-specific clothing and I pack carry-on only.

I wear a lot of black at home and while traveling. For thrills I'll throw in some chocolate brown :) I do add berry color t-shirts to wear under my (black) cashmere sweater.

I do love your ideas of color - great post!

OK toedtoes, I'll add eggplant since purple doesn't look good on me. Remember when everyone got their colors done? Even without that I knew I was a "winter". I love pastels but consider them blond colors and I'm a brunette.

I'm a "Winter", too, esm! My Mom and I had our colors done back in the 80's. I don't really pay attention - I just wear what I like. I think it's pretty obvious for most people what colors look good on them and what colors don't.

In the past few years we've been mainly travelling to Europe, for short trips.

I usually take denim jeans and black trousers plus long sleeved t-shirts in pale pink, aqua and raspberry. Scarves are warm and either bright pink or lilac. Winter hat is soft pink. Coat is plum coloured. This brightens up the whole look for me. Colour is important to my mood. A lot of European women look great in all black but I just look washed out.

I take low heeled black ankle boots and a pair of comfortable burgundy leather walking shoes. In summer it varies a bit obviously, I take skirts and tops, in light summery colours, plus flat sandals.

I never, ever iron when away on trips, everything is able to be washed in a sink and drip dried overnight.

Kay

I have done several variations on the black plus two colors theme since many of my favorite travel clothes are black.

Black, white, hot pink.
Black, khaki, red.
Black, white, turquoise.
Black, ivory, burgundy.

I usually pack: pants, shorts, skirt and/or dress in a solid color.
Tops to mix and match.
Always pack layers.
Always pack scarves, pashmina, or pareo depending on temperature/destination.
Wear one the heaviest shoes and pack one or two, never more.

Carry on one bag plus my camera bag. No lost luggage. Lots of clothing options=happy travels.

<b>Brown coat (brown boots &amp; shoes)</b>-- aubergine, wine, dark red, taupe, green, teal, blue, rust, magenta, pink.

<b>Camel or taupe or khaki jacket (matching shoes)</b>-- orange, red, black.

<b>Black coat (black patent boots)</b>-- chartreuse, camel, taupe, charcoal, green, aubergine, maize, rust, bronze

<b>Prussian-blue coat (brown or black boots)</b>-- brown, black, maize, rust, chartreuse, bronze

<b>Charcoal</b>-- dark red, red, chartreuse, aubergine, purple, green, black, camel, bronze

We went to Greece November 1-11. Four days of the trip was a cruise and the remainder in Athens with two day trips. I took brown pants, brown skirt, black pants, black skirt. For tops, I love a camisole under a short sleeved v-neck sweater, so took a med. blue set (which goes very nicely with brown and black), a black sweater with a red cami, pink cami, and a white cami. Then I can mix and match the blue and black sweaters with all of the cami's and all of the bottoms. For shoes, I took Clarks Privo in black suede and another pair in copper, different styles but both worked well with pants and skirts.

Heading to Italy in March, so will probably pack similar things, but not take as many and will try to stick with dark colors and neutrals. I'll probably take black pants, brown pants and one skirt. Also, for the Italy trip I'll take a few silk scarves. I try to blend in as much as possible so as not to be a target for scams and pickpockets.