Every year it happens. You are buffeted by the demands of differing interest groups proposing a wide variety of styles for the summer. Should you support the advocates of white, go with the floral team, or bravely mix your colours to include a dash of lemon, lime and orange? But these are not the only options and, before making up your mind to support one camp or another, give some thought to the advantages of remaining neutral.
Neutrality comes in a wide variety of shades, often with only the subtlest differences between one another. Neutral is not white: it is beige, putty, stone, taupe, oyster and dust. It is, in effect, the absence of colour, and it achieves its effect by the same means. There is a certain understandable but misplaced apprehension about wearing neutral because of the element of absence. "No colour" is not the same as "colourless"; neutral can make a powerful impact provided it is worn with bravado. That means avoiding anything too sensible such as trouser suits - unless seen with nothing but a deeply plunging cleavage beneath - and all items in linen; the latter has become an unimaginative and invariably untidy summer cliche.
Instead, think bold, simple shapes and a strong silhouette. All the major retailers are carrying long shift and slip dresses at the moment and the best of these should come in a neutral tone. Despite its great merit as a mixer, resist the temptation to treat neutral as a backdrop for something else - a brightly coloured jacket or stole - try layering the same shade over itself for a fresher, more original effect. Stone on stone is unusually compelling and looks cooler even than white used in the same way.
Similarly, don't be timorous about making a neutral statement. Over a quietly decorous dress, drape a wrap the size of a bed sheet or a sheer voile coat as shown here. Because the colours worn are almost the same, differences of scale between pieces make more of a splash. So, too, do the boldest accessories and items of jewellery which have an opportunity to shine when shown against a neutral backdrop.
Despite tending to be most often worn during the day, neutrals are most successful at night when they best contrast against the skin. They also possess an inherently calming character and so make the wearer look cool in hot weather and warm in cold. White may be more fashionable, black more practical, but no other shade has the potential to make a strong impression than a neutral. At weddings and balls over the next few months, it will cause more of a stir than many other, seemingly more forceful colours. This is the great merit of turning neutral; without doing anything, you irresistibly draw attention to yourself.
