How is it possible that I’ve been writing this lovely blog for…dear lord, is it 8 years now?!…without uttering so much as a word in praise of what is quite possibly my favorite color in all of fashion? It’s unthinkable, I tell you.

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Taupe goes by many names, nearly all of which are more appealing than “taupe”. You might have heard it called greige, truffle or mink. Personally, I prefer the French “étoupe” – and I can attest that those impossibly chic Parisians can’t get enough (my entire hotel room in the Marais, in fact, was a veritable Ode to Taupe). Whatever the name, they’re all variations on the classic. A traditional taupe is grey at its heart, with hints of milky brown and warm pink or lilac blended in – the ratios of the three colors (and the whim of the designer working with the trio) account for the fact that you’ll almost never see two identical shades.

Besides being pretty much universally flattering (you should see what it does for hazel eyes), the magic of taupe is that I have yet to find a color it doesn’t play well with. My all-time favorite combination is taupe with black, but it’s also gorgeous with pink, yellow, cognac, cream or white. In summer, taupe is my secret weapon – I wear it instead of black, or use it to soften up the black pieces I can’t resist wearing. Need a little more inspiration?

 What do you think, friends? Ready to add a bit of taupe to your summer wardrobe?

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