When we talk about various shades of grey, we aren’t actually going to reference that particular movie that everyone was buzzing about this year, just the colour that it gets its name from. (So don’t be mistaken!)

Different vibrant colours and hues might have taken their turns dominating the fashion scene over the years, but it is understated grey (and its various shades) that silently crept up to the top spot as the chicest colour of the year. Once a colour chosen by people as a way to blend into the background, it has steadily won the favour of many, beating out even the most vivid neon, bright colours and clashing prints.

1. The new black

This colour provides a much-needed ‘softer’ alternative to black. While black can be an easy fail-safe option, sometimes, depending on the occasion, you don’t want to give off an overly harsh image when you have apparels and accessories in such a stark colour.

2. An essential basic

Thanks to its neutral qualities (as a midway point between black and white), it is used in creating many basics that are useful in building the foundations of a wardrobe. Armed with such timeless and interchangeable fashion staples, one can then progress to experimenting with more daring styles and colours.

3. Always flattering

An incredibly versatile colour with shades that can go from warm to cool, making it look flattering on every skin tone and appropriate for wearing in any kind of season — from spring to winter. It is also surprising just how easy it is to match with other colours and designs that might look a little odd with black, such as pastels.

4. Granny grey hair

The coolest celebrities and models on the runways have been spotted rocking gorgeous grey tresses, an open defiance to those who say that going grey is bad news.

5. Pretty variations

As if one by itself wasn’t enough, industry experts in beauty and fashion have mixed colours to create new shades that are equally issue-worthy in their own right. An example is ‘greige’, the combination of grey and beige. Once Chanel released their ‘greige’ nail polish colour (Particuliere) in 2010, everyone was taken with it.

Do you love grey too? What grey-coloured items do you have in your wardrobe? Share with us your love for all things grey in the comments section below?