How to Wear Colour–Fashion Trends Spring 2011

 

One of the major trends this season is colour, from cobalt blue to tangerine, neon brights and clashing jewel tones.  In other words, you can keep your neutrals in their place but at some stage you’re bound to be tempted by the riot of colour to be found in the stores.

Having recently invested in a pillar box red Diane von Furstenberg dress, yards away from the neutrals (mainly black) I normally wear, I know full well that this is a seismic shift and that you have to be very careful.  There are so many shades of each colour to choose from.  There’s a red for everyone from a deep blue red to red with more than a hint of orange.  Darkest blue everyone can wear, it practically becomes a neutral.  Teal blue and turquoise is good for all skin tones.  Tangerine is definitely not and cobalt blue is very tricky.

Experiment with them all if you don’t mind the fact that some will immediately make you look tired and wan, draining your skin tone of any natural colour.  Be very very careful if you do.

There are several things you can do to follow this trend and make sure that it works for you:

Go to a major brand skincare and makeup counter and ask them to recommend the right shade of blush.  Make sure you check in daylight.  It will either be cool with a blue overtone or warm with a peachy one.

Do a test, again in daylight, to find out if you are basically a ‘cool’ or ‘warm’ colour person.  Red is a very good colour to do this with, some reds will drain your skin immediately and others will give it a glow.

Keep any bright colours away from your face unless you’re absolutely sure they’re right for your skin tone.

Wear colour for accessories rather than as clothing

Don’t make any major colour decisions in artificial light.  You are bound to get it wrong.

Don’t invest too much in a colourful piece unless you already own it in your favourite neutrals.  Neon pink may not be in next spring…………..

   

   

This is a good year to ring the changes and wear/carry/step out in colour.  But carefully…………………..

I’m off to Paris tomorrow for a few days – I’ll be very interested (and will let you know) about how much colour they’re showing right now in the stores.  And yes.  My red dress is definitely travelling with me.