It's not easy being grey
The kernel of this idea, surprisingly, didn’t come from the men’s shows—where the color was in no short supply. Instead, it all started with me staring at my bright red socks, wondering, “Is it time to put red socks on ice?”
The verdict is still out on whether I’ll banish them to the back of the sock drawer (I can’t deny the way a pop of red does something for an outfit). But it got me thinking: what other colors could step in for my beloved red pairs? Black and white were obvious non-starters—they're givens. Green felt obscene, yellow was too mellow, and purple… well, it was just too purple. And then I thought, “What about grey?”
Grey has long been associated with conformity, even banality—you don’t necessarily want to be the man in the grey flannel suit or caught under a grey, cloudy sky. Not because those things are inherently bad, but because they’re just not ideal. But looking at the greys we saw on the runway—from the refined, tonal layering at Auralee to even the ever-classic Brunello Cucinelli—the color felt anything but dull or complacent-grey felt refreshingly modern, and effortlessly striking. The man in the grey flannel suit was suddenly interesting.
Beyond it being runway fodder, what makes grey compelling to me is that, in many ways, it can easily serve as a stand-in for a go-to color like black. Because of where it sits on the color spectrum, it has all the best qualities of black and white but without the starkness of either, allowing it to fluctuate easily between looking more polished and more casual. Not only does it make things appear more relaxed, but there’s also an undeniable sophistication to the color—perhaps that’s why it’s a favorite of Mrs. P. .
And as I thought more about the greys in my closet, I began to think that maybe grey is the unsung hero of our closets.
While putting this newsletter together, I went to my wardrobe and pulled out every grey piece I could find—and to my surprise, I had quite a bit. Sweaters, turtlenecks, pants, a skirt, coats, jackets—all in a rich spectrum of greys. From there, I styled nine looks (and honestly, I could have kept going, but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself), and in many ways tried to treat grey as I would black.
As I pieced everything together, I noticed I used grey in three distinct ways. One was fully monochromatic, while the other two came down to a choice: should grey take the lead or play a supporting role? I’ll dive into that more below.
First up, the monochromatic look—the only one of its kind in this newsletter. (Though, maybe it’s just my eyes, but when I placed the hat next to the greys, it suddenly seemed to take on a grey hue. I’m not sure if it actually has any grey in it, or if my eyes are just playing tricks on me—IDK.) It might not be a groundbreaking outfit, but it’s undeniably classic. To add a bit of intrigue, I focused on the details—popping the lapel, leaving the jacket unbuttoned, and fastening it with a brooch instead. It’s a reminder that you don’t always need a new suit to refresh your look; sometimes, a little imagination is all it takes to rework what you already own.
Grey as the main character
As you all know, when it comes to putting together an outfit—even for this newsletter—it always starts with how I’m feeling in that particular moment. Of course, I’m influenced by what I’m seeing, but at its core, it begins with emotion.
That said, once an idea moves from concept to actually putting clothes on my body, I start identifying what I consider the leading actors and supporting actors of the look. Just like in film or theater, the success of the whole production depends on every role—after all, as the saying goes, there are no small parts, only small actors. The same applies to clothes. Every piece of clothing in your wardrobe has a function; that’s why it’s there in the first place. In an outfit, there are no insignificant pieces—just a limited mindset.
So, what defines a leading role in an outfit? There isn’t a set formula. The function of a piece shifts from look to look, and I imagine it evolves over time the same way our interests do. Not all statement pieces automatically take the lead, and not all basics are destined to play supporting roles—it’s all about how you use them. Ultimately, it comes down to deciding what you want someone to notice and directing their attention to that piece or pieces.
In the case of these looks in this section, the unifying thread is that grey serves as the focal point. Even when it’s not the most dominant color, your eye is still drawn to it because it remains the key point of interest.
As I mentioned earlier, I steered clear of black and instead challenged myself to explore new color combinations. I find that setting small style challenges is a great way to push the boundaries of your wardrobe, encouraging you to experiment with pairings you might not typically consider. In my case, that meant embracing a color I don’t usually reach for—brown—and pairing it with grey.
In the look above, I introduced a third color—green—but strategically ensured that each hue was separated, or 'bookended,' before they directly met. The brown boots with bright green laces are framed by doubled-up grey cashmere socks, creating a visual buffer. The camel skirt with brown beadwork is similarly anchored by the socks and the grey pullover, which also acts as a divider between the browns and the green skull cap. So while the eye is naturally drawn to the green, you can’t fully register it without first recognizing the grey.
In this look, grey still serves as a separator between the bold pops of color—from the shoes (which have a touch of silver trim) to the navy military jacket with red piping. However, unlike the previous look, where grey was dispersed throughout in distinct sections, here it’s concentrated solely at the bottom, grounding the entire outfit.
This look sits in the in-between, with grey shifting between a leading and supporting role—its dominance hinging entirely on whether the jacket is on or off.
Grey as the supporting character
In this section, I explored grey in a supporting role—not any less important or integral to the look, but not necessarily the main focus either.
The focus of the look above is all about white with pops of pink. A black blazer could have worked, but it would instantly make the outfit feel more formal (as black tends to do), while a white jacket might have veered too clinical. Grey, however, strikes the perfect balance—it elevates the look without making it feel overly formal or out of place. It also subtly tones down the brightness of the pink towel while adding just the right touch of casual ease.
I also love how grey enhances softer, muted tones, giving them more depth. It makes whites appear crisper and adds a subtle richness to tans, beiges, and camels, making them feel more vibrant.
I hope this inspires you to take a second look at the greys in your wardrobe. I'll be back soon with fresh intel from NYFW.
Until then here’s Kermit the Frog.
XX
JJ
Your ability to chameleon is also endlessly inspiring love u JJ
I really really love your style