Contrast seems to be a topic that many find kind of tricky so I wanted to post more pictures to give you examples of different kinds of contrast. Here I’ll be showing you examples of Medium-High Contrast which sits in between Medium Contrast (that is a medium depth colour with either a very light or…
Low Value Contrast means colours that are only 1-3 shades away from each other (on a grey scale such as this): It doesn’t matter where on the grey scale the items sit, just they need to be close to each other in depth of colour. What it doesn’t mean is that the colours have to…
Following on from my post on how to find your ultimate contrast levels, here are some examples of putting together outfits and choosing patterns for a lower contrast. Whether analogous, or neutral plus a colour, you can create a low value contrast with light, medium or dark colours. Here I’ve used a column of colour…
When it comes to choosing patterns for your clothes, it’s not just about the style or design of the fabric. Another important factor to consider is the value contrast. This refers to the difference in lightness or darkness between the different colors or and neutrals within a pattern. Choosing patterns with the right value contrast…
Dear Imogen, I am a big fan of your contrast series. I had never known about this concept before, and often kept myself wondering why some particular outfit felt off to me – but couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It all really boiled down to contrast levels! I am amazed that so few…
Accessories can be a great way of adding contrast in your outfit. You can add interest with pops of colour in accessories and create focal points for which to draw attention and encourage the eye to linger. You can raise your colour contrast. You can raise or lower your value contrast. This is why accessories…
Following on from my post on working with your low contrast colours. Here are some examples of Medium Value Contrast outfits to get you inspired! Medium Value Contrast Now let’s look at patterns Medium Value Contrast – Patterns As you can see in this picture, even with a medium value contrast, you still…
The next in Carol Karl and my series on choosing jewellery is all about getting your contrast right. Contrast is a hot topic in my online style program 7 Steps to Style – as it’s the key to how you take a generic colour swatch and then choose colours in a way that work for…
In This Video 0.011 How to create a wardrobe between classic and casual that doesn’t feel too formal as I live in a relaxed location 4.04 How do you wear a hat for warmth or shade when hats just don’t suit you? 7.34 I don’t always want to wear dark colours – how to wear…
High contrast is the easiest of the contrasts to master as it’s the most obvious. You can find out how to discover your contrast here. Working with low contrast here and medium contrast here. Here we have an achromatic (black and white) high value contrast. A monochromatic (one colour) high value contrast. A complementary (high…
Colour is a passion of mine, and helping people find the colours that truly make them shine is something I’ve been doing for the past 14 years (or so) and I know just how much wearing colours that harmonise with your natural colouring really makes a massive difference to how you look and feel. The…
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 16 Style Types do a show and tell inside my wardrobe with a bunch of patterned clothing items. In the video I talk about my “stair”…
So when we think about our value contrast – it is the contrast between our lightest and darkest values. So taking the scales pictured here what is the most similar lightness and/or darkness to your hair, eyes and skin colours? If they are 3 or less apart – you are low value contrast If they…
In this video: How many crossover colours are there between the palettes? Are babies who are born looking very pink cool and with yellow skin warm? How to wear white bottoms such as capris and shorts in summer? Crossover or Universal Colours Universal Colours – How Universal Are They Really? What are Universal Colours? White…
Recently I did a personal colour analysis for two women who ended up with the same palette, even though they would never have guessed that their colouring fit the same palette. One was a dark blonde with golden skin and brown eyes. The other was a light golden blonde with green eyes and fair skin. …
Hi Imogen, What do you wear to work when your colouring doesn’t suit the traditional light/dark and neutrals of corporate classic dressing. Especially for people with light colouring and low value contrast that still need to be “in charge” and taken seriously. I’m working on this now and find it hard to find the sweet…
How do you select prints and patterns that work well with your personal value contrast? If you’re new to the subject of value contrast, it’s worth reading these posts first, so you can discover your value contrast and see how it’s important when putting outfits together. Value is the technical colour word that means how…
In interior decorating, there is a concept of the 60/30/10 rule – that is percentages of different colours to use in a decorating scheme. 60% + 30% + 10 % proportion formula is considered to be a timeless decorating rule that can be used to mix different colours in a balanced way in a room.…
Struggling with Your Style? Every day I get emails about style struggles and I put them into these video Q&A sessions as I want to empower you to look and feel your best every day and stop wasting money randomly buying clothes that end up sitting in you wardrobe unworn cos they just aren’t quite…
Does Changing Your Hair Colour Change Your Colour Palette? Reader Question: How does your hair colour affect your palette. For example, if I was to return to my natural dark strawberry blonde/reddy brown colour, would that make me a different palette. I understand that it would affect my contrast but would it mean that I…
I have found at 52 I no longer like the way prints look on me. Printed tops were once a significant part of my wardrobe, but as my hair and colouring have cooled they now overwhelm me. Can you explore the types of style changes one may need to make? What are the changed I…
