I'm new to the Ring 3 concept, but I think my former hairdresser got it when she told me, “Nancy, you wear swamp colors.” You know—ancient khaki, decaying olive, muddy brown, and that yucky ocher my mother used to call “babyshit.”
This is nicely written. It illustrates what breaking the proverbial wheel of dogma surrounding color can do for wardrobe choices and confidence. The color wheel illustration is great too. Thank you.
Within the last year I’ve stepped away from a neutrals-based capsule wardrobe; I was super bored with my look and always enjoyed a bit of vibrancy, but couldn’t quite wrap my head around how to marry them with more basic pieces. Ring 3 is revelatory!!
Wow this is a good post - the color wheel is finally making more sense to me and your illustrations really bring it home. We all want mini color wheels to carry around at all times!!! ❤️😀
Ring 3 - in 3 words “shades and tones”. In color theory take a hue and add black to get a shade or take a hue and add grey and get a tone. I live for ring 3.
I was thrilled to find your substack today as I drafted my own piece about color study in great clothes. Thanks to you I realized that most of my favorite runway shows in recent years have utilized ring 3 colors to bring outfits/collections together!
If I had to define myself on the color wheel, I'd say I'm a Ring 1/2 plus Ring 4. I wear very little from Ring 3 due to the lack of definition of these colors. My only exception in Ring 3 is the camel/tan color near the view arrows in the illustration. I wear my pure camel hair jacket with corduroy or denim slacks in a similar or matching color. This creates a uniformity of line that "stretches me out", as I am not very tall. Navy blue is my dark neutral rather than black. It supports the vivid blues, greens, pinks and yellows I love better than black. I like a bright color near my face and on my torso. Cream or ivory rather than bright white is my "white". Today I'm wearing a vivid aqua hoody over a white T-shirt, with well-washed light denim blue jeans. Here's my question: I have scrutinized all of the color wheels, and I don't find a rich burgundy red or a deep plummy purple on any of them. And yet these are two of my most loved colors, which I wear from October to June.
Long ago in the 1980s I "had my colors done" and I am a Summer, with all my favorite tones a little bit "faded from the sun". Lots of blues, reds, a few grays, rich navy and ivory are the foundation of the Summer palette. I still follow many of those guidelines today, and have saved a fortune by not buying colors that clash with my skin tones. Items I bought in the late 1980s (two gorgeous cardigans) still play a big part in my wardrobe today.
I'm new to the Ring 3 concept, but I think my former hairdresser got it when she told me, “Nancy, you wear swamp colors.” You know—ancient khaki, decaying olive, muddy brown, and that yucky ocher my mother used to call “babyshit.”
The part about Ring 3 colors needing to be described with two words, or an -ish added on. Genius! And SO helpful!
This is nicely written. It illustrates what breaking the proverbial wheel of dogma surrounding color can do for wardrobe choices and confidence. The color wheel illustration is great too. Thank you.
I've just hang your colour wheel on the door of my closet!
Within the last year I’ve stepped away from a neutrals-based capsule wardrobe; I was super bored with my look and always enjoyed a bit of vibrancy, but couldn’t quite wrap my head around how to marry them with more basic pieces. Ring 3 is revelatory!!
Wow this is a good post - the color wheel is finally making more sense to me and your illustrations really bring it home. We all want mini color wheels to carry around at all times!!! ❤️😀
Ring 3 - in 3 words “shades and tones”. In color theory take a hue and add black to get a shade or take a hue and add grey and get a tone. I live for ring 3.
"Ring 3.... they're hard to say in one word." This will stay with me! Thank you <3
"Ring 3.... they're hard to say in one word." This will stay with me! Thank you <3
How can I buy your Colorwheel sticker with the rings? I have looked and looked!
Would like to see "Ring 3" added as a filter option on the resale sites. This is eye-opening!!!
Ring 3's are what has been missing in my closet - I'm excited to try adding them in.
I was thrilled to find your substack today as I drafted my own piece about color study in great clothes. Thanks to you I realized that most of my favorite runway shows in recent years have utilized ring 3 colors to bring outfits/collections together!
This is brilliant. I’m sharing with family and friends. How can I purchase a color wheel? Thank you for this! Truly!
You inspired me. I bought some pieces that are 3-ringers recently, and I see exactly what you are saying!
If I had to define myself on the color wheel, I'd say I'm a Ring 1/2 plus Ring 4. I wear very little from Ring 3 due to the lack of definition of these colors. My only exception in Ring 3 is the camel/tan color near the view arrows in the illustration. I wear my pure camel hair jacket with corduroy or denim slacks in a similar or matching color. This creates a uniformity of line that "stretches me out", as I am not very tall. Navy blue is my dark neutral rather than black. It supports the vivid blues, greens, pinks and yellows I love better than black. I like a bright color near my face and on my torso. Cream or ivory rather than bright white is my "white". Today I'm wearing a vivid aqua hoody over a white T-shirt, with well-washed light denim blue jeans. Here's my question: I have scrutinized all of the color wheels, and I don't find a rich burgundy red or a deep plummy purple on any of them. And yet these are two of my most loved colors, which I wear from October to June.
Long ago in the 1980s I "had my colors done" and I am a Summer, with all my favorite tones a little bit "faded from the sun". Lots of blues, reds, a few grays, rich navy and ivory are the foundation of the Summer palette. I still follow many of those guidelines today, and have saved a fortune by not buying colors that clash with my skin tones. Items I bought in the late 1980s (two gorgeous cardigans) still play a big part in my wardrobe today.