Oct 11, 2019 | colour, Uncategorised
Did you know that everyone can wear every colour? It’s true, although as colour consultants we do have to iron out a few important details all around the depth, clarity and tone of the colour whilst relating it to your dominant category.
There are some shades of colour within the colour spectrum that we refer to as universal colours. This means that they are suitable for all of our 6 dominants.
So what is a universal colour? It’s one of medium depth, that is half way between a pastel and black. It’s neutral in undertone, so neither warm or cool, and it’s clarity is also neutral, in other words it’s neither clear or soft.
Although the universal colours are suitable for everyone, each dominant will be advised on how to get the very best out of those colours within the guidelines of their individual palette, to ensure the best results when dressing for their colour type.
So what are the universal colours and how can you get the best out of these shades for your wardrobe? Well, the 12 universal colours are ideal for investment pieces as although you spend more on them at ticket price, they get the most amount of airtime from season to season.
Soft white is an elegant choice for blouses, camisoles or even trousers (depending on your body shape) for Spring/Summer.
Stone, taupe and pewter make great accessory colours for shoes, handbags and belts as they will go with everything in your wardrobe to give you that polished and co-ordinated look.
Turquoise, emerald and teal make great investment buys for casual wear alongside holiday wear as they never date and go with all the neutral shades in your palette.
Periwinkle and purple can feature in both your Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter collections as they make great shades all year round.
Blush pink can add an air of femininity to any outfit, whilst mint can lift one of your darker neutrals.
Finally, true red can work well as an accessory colour as many of us shy away from wearing it head to toe.
With universal colours in mind this Autumn, I have 3 bespoke scarves in the Colour Me Beautiful range which are universal in colour so if you’d like to pop an instant winning colour to your Autumn/Winter scarf collection you have the choice of purple, teal or true red to pick from, simply contact me for more details. Alternatively, if you’d like to find out more about which colours suit you the very best, with Christmas fast approaching a gift voucher from styled In Colour compliments any wardrobe. Find out more at http://www.styledincolour.co.uk
Feb 11, 2019 | Accessorize, Clothing, colour, Fashion
Scarfs are a fantastically versatile accessory that can be tweaked to flatter most people. Having said that not all clients will accept scarf wearing as part of their daily ritual as this has more to do with style personality than the actual scarf itself.
The colour of said scarf is clearly important as this is the colour that will draw all attention up to our face. Because of this you have to be sure that its not drawing unwanted attention to that spare chin or dark shadows that already might be lurking as it will only work to enhance these if its the wrong colour! I always opt for one of my “wow” colours for scarfs, I have around 20 in my collection and team them up with most outfits, especially when I’m making a bit of an effort (admittedly not very often these days but I’m hoping this will improve as the kids get older). If you don’t know what your “wow” colours are but would like to find out more then why not research “colour analysis” on my website at http://www.styledincolour.co.uk
The second thing to consider when choosing a scarf is the bulk factor. Generally speaking, the longer the neck, the bulkier you can go. However, there is a word of warning here, if you have an extremely long giraffe neck like mine, coupled with big boobs then tone down on the bulk just a smidge, otherwise you’ll be using the scarf as a makeshift table top because of those bresticles! With a long neck you also have the luxury of being able to double up on scarfs which is what I often do when using our raw silk range as the colour blends that you can achieve are simply stunning.
The third thing to consider is how to tie said scarf and where to house the knot/tie. For those of you with shorter neck proportions you can create the ultimate optical illusion of a longer neck, simply by fastening your knot lower down your breast bone.
Finally, you need to consider patterns and prints. The classic in me will often opt for block colours in scarfs whilst rarely venturing in to the world of patterns. That said, patterns are hugely popular. The size of the print is crucial. If, like me you are carrying around a rather large skeleton, then avoid delicate petite patterns or prints. Conversely if you are petite then go small with the patterns you choose. Interestingly, your body shape can factor in to the choice of patterns too. If you’re lucky enough to have lots of curves then think spots, swirls or animal print designs. If however you are more straight and angular then head for geometric patterns or stripes instead.
There’s such an array of colourful scarfs out there at very affordable prices so what are you waiting for?
Jan 16, 2019 | Clothing, colour, Footwear
Being predominantly a Classic style personality, nothing makes me happier than having matching outfit staples that all effortlessly co-ordinate. This can include anything from jewellery sets to underwear to matching handbags and shoes. Over the years, shopping for shoes and boots has been born out of necessity rather than any real choice. Having a size 10 foot can limit what’s available and create challenges when looking for something specific. This made my historical purchases rather predictable, black was a colour that I could source in shoes and boots so my wardrobe was filled with what I could get. I didn’t really consider how limiting this was until I had my colours done back in my twenties and then it suddenly dawned on me that black is not the most versatile of wardrobes staples, especially, if like me most of your neutrals are navy’s or taupe’s.
It got me thinking about finding the most versatile colour for a winter boot that would co-ordinate with your entire wardrobe, thereby harnessing the concept of creating a capsule wardrobe with fewer items inside whilst providing more options of what to wear. My conclusion was to look for a pewter alternative in the form of a winter boot and handbag combo and the results have been fantastic. Pewter is such a fabulous neutral to have at your disposal. Not only is it a universal colour, meaning that it suits all 6 of our colour dominants, but it is also an extremely adaptable colour that will co-ordinate with any shade within your wardrobe.
So the next time you’re investing in new footwear, ask yourself this simple question. How many items from my existing wardrobe will these new boots/shoes go with? If your estimating over 50% then they’re definitely worth your investment as they will get plenty of airtime in the weeks and months ahead.
If you’ve enjoyed this months blog and would like to hear more from Styled In Colour then why not subscribe to my monthly newsletter featuring monthly tips relating to the wonderful world of colour, style and make-up, simply visit http://www.styledincolour.co.uk and hit the subscribe button.
Dec 12, 2018 | colour, hair, Uncategorised
Being a naturally flat dark blonde, my hair when left to it’s own devices is a little non descript and dare I say “mousey”. Having not coloured my hair up until the age of 21 I started to experiment with the usual quick fixes, namely “sun in”, lemon juice and other lightening agents that were readily available on the high-street in an attempt to brighten and lighten my locks and give me a bit of a boost. It wasn’t until much later that I started down the highlighting route and I feel as if I’ve been on this merry-go-round ever since!
I put a stop to this earlier this year and experimented with my natural colour, thinking A. I would save heaps of money (as with naturally fast growing hair it couldn’t take that long to grow out hey)? and B. With 40 fast approaching I had multiple “platinum” shades coming through which I naively presumed would do the work of a highlighter and “lift” my mousey base. Fast forward 7 months and I was feeling more than a little drab as my natural colour zapped my every life force and just made me feel a little plain.
On a whim I bought a home hair dying kit, thinking I’m missing a trick here, surely it can’t be that difficult can it? I was persuaded by the lull of saving money and time spent at the hairdressers on a 3 hour appointment every 8 weeks. The result as you can see in the main picture was horrifying, I looked like a yellow parrot and as many of you will already know, warm undertones do not harmonise with my natural skin tone. Helped massively by the wine that I had consumed that evening, it wasn’t until the next morning in the cold light of day that I could really assess the damage that I had inflicted upon my hair. This is when the panic set in, but luckily for me I had a very sympathetic and accommodating hairdresser, Rachael Kennedy at Gronn eco-salon in Bury
http://www.gronn.co.uk
Rachael was a total star from the minute I contacted her and squeezed me in to her jam packed Saturday schedule to commence restorative work on my yellow locks immediately. Not only did she calm my heightened anxiety which after 12 hours of looking like a sunflower was alarmingly high but within 45 minutes she had worked her magic and I was starting to look and feel like me again. This, as Rachael described was stage one, a temporary improvement with an all over toner to remove the brassy tones which was going to need additional work to create a long lasting colour that was going to harmonise with my skin tone and eye colour. Another 3 hours with Rachael the following week and the cost of a full head of highlights has taught me a very important life lesson as the owner of a blonde crop!
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DYE BLONDE HAIR BY YOURSELF! Lesson learned, thank you Rachael Kennedy!
Oct 10, 2018 | colour, Fashion, Style
Arriving in October, I wanted this months blog to reflect the abundance of colours available on the high street and how to introduce them in to your wardrobes. Following on from London fashion week and the A/W 2018 catwalks, these were the colours of the moment as identified by Pantone.
Green is everywhere this season and rest assured there is a green for everyone that will harmonise with your skin tone, hair colour and eye colour. If you’re unsure why not make it your mission to step out of your comfort zone and discover the perfect shade for you.
Burgundies and purples return every autumn, but this year reds and pinks are staying too. A great way of adding a splash of colour to the neutrals that feature in your palette.
For lights like myself, autumn/winter can be tough seasons to navigate whilst not “being worn” by some of the more dominant shades that are available. Try and keep the colour of your tops within the neutral and lighter shades of your palette. Prince of Wales fabric is elegant without being too overbearing.
For all the deeps, brown is the new black! From black/brown to chocolate to coffee and mahogany, embrace all these intense colours that will make you look co-ordinated and on trend. Don’t be afraid to wear dark colours from your palette together to make a truly show stopping entrance.
For all the warms out there, if ever there has been a season for you, it is now. Embrace all the wonderful display of chocolates, oranges, ochres and mustards. If choosing a navy or charcoal grey as a neutral then team them up with one of your warmer hues for full effect.
For all the lovely cools, I can assure you that your colours are out there too, from animal prints in greys and blues to checks in purples and damsons, via pinks and silver. Big chunky necklaces are in this season too, so aim for a silver, pewter or gun metal backdrop to set any outfit a blaze. Be warned though, if you’re going for a chunky necklace then don’t over do it on the earrings, unless you’re as tall as me that is!
The clears can enjoy the vibrancy that a new season brings. Team up your black/browns with greens to really make an entrance. This is the time to wear colours at their most striking, the more contrast and boldness the better.
Finally for all our softs, as brown is the new black then favour the paler versions from your palette in taupe’s and coffees. Team your neutrals with blues and pinks this season to get the most amount of variety within your palette. When masterminding your outfits, keep to a similar shade from head to toe and you will look instantly put together and effortlessly stylish.
Of course if you’re unsure what your perfect shades are, then with Christmas approaching why not consider a gift that will keep on giving and treat yourself to a colour session here at Styled In Colour.
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