How to look stylish wearing neutral colors

3. MIX SWEET AND TOUGH, SOPHISTICATED AND SPORTY PIECES Yes, we've learned to wear sneakers with everything from pantsuits to pretty midi dresses. Now take that mindset one step

further. You can wear a ruffled dress with combat boots, track pants with a satin blouse, a tailored jacket with joggers and fancy boots. Simply delete the boundaries between work and

weekend, sporty and party-festive. (Left to right) Katie Couric, Carrie-Anne Moss and Marion Ross Noam Galai/Getty Images The Michael J. Fox Foundation; Jason Davis/Getty Images; Taylor

Hill/Getty Images 4. ADD WHITE TOPS TO BRIGHTEN BLACK Sounds simple, but most of us wear matching black when the chill sets in and forget about the radiance-boosting effects of a white

jacket, sweater or blouse. Since white emphasizes and black diminishes, use that color strategy to your advantage. Wear white on top to grab the spotlights and add glow to your face, black

on bottom to whittle away extra pounds at the belly, hips and thighs. Give all those white jackets and cardigans you thought were out of season a new life. (Left to right) Alana Stewart,

Jennifer Aniston and Ines de la Fressange OGUT/Star Max/GC Images; Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images; Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images 5. USE BLACK OR NAVY TO WINTERIZE YOUR SUMMER NEUTRALS

Who would wear black leather “winter” boots with white jeans in December or pair a breezy white “summer” midi skirt with knee-high black boots and a black leather jacket in January? You! The

whole idea is to push the boundaries between your warm weather and cold weather clothes. Try slinging a black or navy blazer over a white tee and jeans or pair a white print summer dress

with black boots for another alternative to all black. (Left to right) Nia Long, Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis Raymond Hall/GC Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images; Jon Kopaloff/Getty

Images 6. MAKE BLACK LEATHER LEGGINGS A BASIC Grab the leggings and then wear them in heavy rotation with all your other neutral items for a real edge. Black leather leggings truly are the

best new neutral basic to add now. If you're not a leggings fan, you can get the same black leather rocker vibe from a leather skirt, jeans or pants. Wear it with every neutral jacket,

sweater, shirt and blouse you own and feel like a diva. (Left to right) Brooke Shields, Cyndi Lauper and Kyle Richards John Lamparski/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images; SMXRF/Star

Max/GC Images 7. COLLECT ANIMAL PRINTS Pick up animal-print tops and dresses whenever they're on sale because they're a big part of keeping neutrals out of a rut and your style

lively. Spotty leopard or cheetah patterns always work, but trendy prints in snakeskin, zebra, giraffe or tiger stripes also lift black, brown and beige clothes. Even the demurest dress

shapes and classic blouses or blazers can feel feisty with a playful pattern. (Left to right) Susan Sarandon, Annette Bening and Kristin Scott Thomas Raymond Hall/GC Images; Dia

Dipasupil/Getty Images; Jeff Spicer/Getty Images 8. PICK STATEMENT ACCESSORIES Give neutral clothes a jolt with some unexpected add-ons. Any shoes, boots, bags or belts in trendy colors like

pink or turquoise (bought impulsively and rarely worn) get a new attitude when paired with winter-y neutrals. So do can't-miss accessories like airy, oversized scarves, lacy black

pantyhose and a neon cross-body bag. It's the startling color choice, proportions or texture that make these items work their out-of-the-ordinary magic. (Left to right) Lisa Kudrow,

Diane Keaton and Isabella Rosellini Tommaso Boddi/WireImage; Vera Anderson/WireImage; Rich Fury/Getty Images 9. CHOOSE A NEUTRAL WOW COAT A statement coat is the one item that really makes

your entire neutral look gel and probably gets the most wear from November through March. My first choice would be a light contrasting neutral like white, beige or camel. It does double duty

illuminating your complexion and all your black clothes. Runners-up include a tailored topcoat — an always-smart classic — but even a white puffer, textured faux fur or tan trench coat (for

tropical climates) does the trick. (Left to right) Kris Jenner, Jamie Lee Curtis and Bernadette Peters Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for TOM FORD: AUTUMN/WINTER 2020 RUNWAY SHOW; Michael

Kovac/Getty Images for AARP; Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Lifetime 10. ENJOY A SLIMMER PROFILE I saved the best for last. If you do end up wearing black head to toe, know that the

monochromatic look has many built-in advantages. First, an all-black outfit always looks chic and cool, whether you're wearing a dress and boots or a layered mix. Second, the inky-dark

hue has the power to delete bulges, jiggles and pounds (and stains, I might add!), so you look trimmer, more toned and taller whether you're a size 10, XL or 3X. Fashion fatigue? Never!