Just because I said that most of my favorite colors are more muted than clear, or more deep than bright, and sometimes just softer, don't think that means I am dull and dreary.
When I came into my studio yesterday morning, this colorful pile of clothes waiting to be ironed caught my eye. The bright red on the bottom is an old pair of J Crew Chinos that I purchased several years ago and put off hemming for too long. Shame on me. Now, however, they fit me better than they did when I purchased them, and they have been hemmed and are ready to wear. I am determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past. They are not actually as bright as they appear here, the morning sunshine and the reflected light from the colorful knits seem to intensify the color through the camera lense.
Now I firmly believe that if we all buy only the colors we dearly love, we will buy colors we can wear well. I think we are naturally to those things that look good on us and we dislike those things that are unflattering, that is, if we don't let friends, family, and society tell us what we "should" wear. My color palette contains my favorite colors, and I love it. These colors are the mainstays of my wardrobe. But there are things that don't appear on that palette that look good on me. I think this is true for most people. Everyone one of us has a unique combination of skin and hair and eye colors and they all work together in different ways.
Take this green. I have been color-typed as an Autumn, a Winter, and a Summer at various times in my life, but never a Spring. But this shade of yellow-green is one of my favorite colors — yes it has white added, and perhaps the tiniest bit of gray, but not much gray. Yes I have yellow greens in my eyes, but not this light. Yet this color works for me.
My gray/white/yellow outfit fit the spring-like weather that we are having again, but I needed a light jacket this morning. This bright green cashmere jacket from Akris provided warmth and the perfect touch of color. It is the kind of jacket that garners complements every time I wear it. All morning people were commenting on how fabulous and pretty I looked (not the jacket). The sun is higher in the sky now and it brings out the warmer highlights in my hair, the ones that get lost in the winter-time, when my hair looks darker, and those warm highlights also reflected the warmth of the jacket
It has also not escaped my attention that yellow-green is the complement to purple, my favorite color, and the dominant undertone in my skin.
Comments
6 responses to “Just Call Me Rainbow Woman”
I agree about color being so personal. I have been identified as a “clear winter” and I agree for the most part on the color selection, except the icy greys and purples – yuck on me! Too pale. And instead of the bright yellow I substitute lime green, all supposed to be a no-no, but I never wear yellow in any form, and the green contrasts with a bit of red in my hair. I consider their guidelines to be suggestions and think women should be free to play around a bit and have fun with color combinations.
I agree about color being so personal. I have been identified as a “clear winter” and I agree for the most part on the color selection, except the icy greys and purples – yuck on me! Too pale. And instead of the bright yellow I substitute lime green, all supposed to be a no-no, but I never wear yellow in any form, and the green contrasts with a bit of red in my hair. I consider their guidelines to be suggestions and think women should be free to play around a bit and have fun with color combinations.
Mardel
In the original “Color me Beautiful” book had maybe one sentence, which I think is completely overlooked. I can’t quote it but the sum total is that the pallets were developed to look good on you and good together. There will be colors that look good on you and look good with some of your pallet that are not in the pallet.
I interpreted that to mean that my pallet should be my basic wardrobe, but that I could use others colors, perhaps in limited ways.
The same book also talked about using popular colors that were not “your” colors. The suggestion was to use them as accessories or in combination with your own colors, just keep your colors next to your face.
That opened the door for me. As long as I keep my best colors next to my face, I wear anything I want. I am often complimented, so I must be onto to something right.
Another concept that wasn’t dwelt upon but is important, is that your colors are your colors from dark to light. So if that green is in your eyes, even though not that light, it is your green. Wear it with pride and joy.
So many people take the pallets and put themselves in jail. They think they can only buy exactly the color on the chips. As you are discovering, there is a whole lot more to personal color.
I hope my comments here encourage you and help with your continued liberation.
Mardel
In the original “Color me Beautiful” book had maybe one sentence, which I think is completely overlooked. I can’t quote it but the sum total is that the pallets were developed to look good on you and good together. There will be colors that look good on you and look good with some of your pallet that are not in the pallet.
I interpreted that to mean that my pallet should be my basic wardrobe, but that I could use others colors, perhaps in limited ways.
The same book also talked about using popular colors that were not “your” colors. The suggestion was to use them as accessories or in combination with your own colors, just keep your colors next to your face.
That opened the door for me. As long as I keep my best colors next to my face, I wear anything I want. I am often complimented, so I must be onto to something right.
Another concept that wasn’t dwelt upon but is important, is that your colors are your colors from dark to light. So if that green is in your eyes, even though not that light, it is your green. Wear it with pride and joy.
So many people take the pallets and put themselves in jail. They think they can only buy exactly the color on the chips. As you are discovering, there is a whole lot more to personal color.
I hope my comments here encourage you and help with your continued liberation.
After I have done my shopping, I sometimes compare the color with `my´color palette. Especially if I have something that hints to red, a color I detest. Amethyst, lilac and pale pink are very ok. I´m not so sure of purple at all. I only like a blue, if it is a nearly blackblue. In denim, a dark bluish wash , not solid, would be mine. But then again I´m not wanting jeans at the moment. I too think that next to your face a wrong color looks horrible. I like to use my summer colors there. The right color gives you a glowing look.
After I have done my shopping, I sometimes compare the color with `my´color palette. Especially if I have something that hints to red, a color I detest. Amethyst, lilac and pale pink are very ok. I´m not so sure of purple at all. I only like a blue, if it is a nearly blackblue. In denim, a dark bluish wash , not solid, would be mine. But then again I´m not wanting jeans at the moment. I too think that next to your face a wrong color looks horrible. I like to use my summer colors there. The right color gives you a glowing look.