There are a couple of things to consider when choosing a metallic accessory such as jewellery or metallic garments. 1. Undertone (or temperature) of your colouring 2. Brightness of your palette and sheen of your skin Let’s look at each individually. Undertone or Temperature Whether you have a cool or warm undertone will make a…
Not sure what to wear or how to put an outfit together? Stuck for ideas on what to wear so you keep going back to that same old tried and true formula? This weekend, do something different and why not go monochrome and put together an interesting, layered outfit. Watch the video and see examples here…
Monochromatic, meaning one colour (read up on the definition here), outfits can look extremely sophisticated and gorgeous, or if you’re not careful, a little boring and plain. So how do you ensure that your monochromatic outfits are stylish and sophisticated not dull? Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe and I discuss ways to put…
Navy Blue is a colour that seems to get a lot of attention these days. It’s back in fashion (yay!) and makes a great neutral for so many people as it’s way easier to wear than black for the majority of the population. The name came originally from the Royal British Navy and the…
So you’ve got some clothes in your wardrobe in colours that don’t really agree with your colouring. It could be an element of an outfit, or it could be a whole piece. It could be a uniform that you have to wear. So how can you wear those colours that don’t do anything for…
When you think about the value of someone with a darker skin tone, usually they have also darker hair which makes their overall value down the deeper darker end of the value scale. But what is their value contrast and colour contrast? Frequently their colour contrast is monochromatic – one colour – dark brown eyes, skin…
It’s very easy to get stuck in the same colour combination rut. You always put red with white and blue, wear your orange with your brown and then just stick with adding any colour to black as it’s ‘safe’ and you’re really not sure how to mix colours. So sit tight as it’s time to…
When you’re choosing a print, how do you know what contrast it is and how to choose the right value and colour contrast prints to flatter you? Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe do a show and tell inside my wardrobe with a bunch of patterned clothing items. In the video I talk about my “stair”…
Would you consider doing an article on spring and summer looks for high value contrasts? I can’t wrap my head around how to get a summery look with dark colors. Especially if I don’t want to wear navy all the time. I’d love some photos to help me see how to make it work. I…
What are the differences between London and New York Pantone Forecasts? London has a cooler, brighter red in Flame Scarlet as compared to New York’s Grenadine. London’s Primrose Pink is a more muted pink than New York’s highly tinted Ballet Slipper. London’s Toast is a slightly cooler beige than New York’s Butterum London’s Royal Lilac is…
Answering another lovely reader’s question about how to work with a limited colour palette, Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe and I took up the challenge to help demystify and share our secret sauce on the subject. How to Use a Limited Range of Colours and Not Get Bored Is it really limited or is it…
Given the cash that is splashed around in Hollywood, and how many professional stylists are employed to help celebrities choose the clothes they wear both on and off the red carpet. It always amazes me just how much bad advice they are given and how many outfits they wear are not quite right. Doing the…
Contrast – both colour contrast and value contrast can be quite tricky concepts to grasp. Once you see it you can’t go back, but learning to see what is and isn’t working and understanding why can sometimes take a little time. I’ve explained how to figure out your contrast levels in this post – with…
Does the intensity of the accessories (necklace, earrings etc.) have to match with one another OR does their intensity have to match with the clothing worn? Or, both of the above? I’m not sure if the intensity of everything is the same, then there’s no focal point? If I were to wear a warm red…
It took pregnancy to have me really think about building a wardrobe that was versatile, cost-effective and that worked for all the aspects of my life. Most maternity wardrobes are great capsules. So let’s unpack what you can learn from that short gestational time in your wardrobe. 1. It’s Better to Have a Few Great…
I have a burning question: How do I create interesting outfits as a medium-high value contrast and low color contrast gal? Everything about me is warm – my skin, eyes, and hair – all a shade of gold-ish caramel/chocolate. I am by no means Jennifer Lopez, but I feel like her coloring matches mine well…
Yesterday on Australian TV there was an apparent meltdown by one TV newsreader that her colleague was wearing a top that appeared on camera to be the same colour (white) as her own (though apparently it was a very light blue, but it did show up on screen as white). The problem being apparently…
Pantone has just released it’s 2017 “Colour of the Year” a colour you can expect to see in home furnishings and furniture and for 2017 it’s called Greenery. It’s a Granny Smith apple green. It’s verdant foliage. It’s lush grass. This colour represents new growth and change. It’s aim is to calm and remind…
Hair Texture and Highlights or Block Colour Once you have figured out how to find the most flattering kinds of hair colours to suit your complexion so you look glowing, healthy and gorgeous, the second consideration is that of block colour versus higlight and lowlights. The answer to this conundrum comes down more to hair…
Do think limiting yourself to a small palette of colours in your wardrobe is resctrictive? Or do these boundaries actually create a more freeing opportunity to create a cohesive and functioning wardrobe with less colours? This is the topic of discussion for Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe and me in this video. Should You…
Turquoise is one of the two universal colours that can be worn by both warm and cool undertone people. In this video, Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe and I discuss this fabulous colour that is so versatile because it has elements of both warm and cool and why it’s one of our go-to…
