Clothing color combinations

[chanteuseCarey]

but I already HAVE black and white clothes...

Okay, so you've got black and white clothes in your closet but you are a Summer, Autumn or a Spring. What to do?? Make it WORK, by 1) getting the strongest color as far away from your face if possible- scarves are great and very vintage style, or 2) draw attention away from the black or white in creative ways.

BTW, contrary to popular belief- if you are heavy wearing black does NOT make you look smaller... Its a good color if you are a Winter and are also heavy, but its because black is a good color for a Winter.

Today I wore black and white with MY red (Spring's orange-red) as the accessories- adding them as accents to punch things up and add some pizzazz.

Key point: I DID NOT change my makeup with wearing black and white! Same colors, same intensity of application as always.

Another key point: I got a natural colored straw hat near my face. I did not wear a white or black hat.

Note: this cotton jacket is a blk/white stripe, a solid white or a solid black jacket would have been much more overpowering. The red rose (Rosa. "Show Biz" plucked today from our front gardens) is even my orange-red.

 

[JennyLou]

Okay, so you've got black and white clothes in your closet but you are a Summer, Autumn or a Spring. What to do?? Make it WORK, by 1) getting the strongest color as far away from your face if possible- scarves are great and very vintage style, or 2) draw attention away from the black or white in creative ways.

BTW, contrary to popular belief- if you are heavy wearing black does NOT make you look smaller... Its a good color if you are a Winter and are also heavy, but its because black is a good color for a Winter.

Today I wore black and white with MY red (Spring's orange-red) as the accessories- adding them as accents to punch things up and add some pizzazz.

Key point: I DID NOT change my makeup with wearing black and white! Same colors, same intensity of application as always.

Another key point: I got a natural colored straw hat near my face. I did not wear a white or black hat.

Note: this cotton jacket is a blk/white stripe, a solid white or a solid black jacket would have been much more overpowering. The red rose (Rosa. "Show Biz" plucked today from our front gardens) is even my orange-red.

I love the whole look and color of this outfit, especially the red- which finishes it of perfectly.

 

[Viola]

I really love that look, chanteuseCarey. I love the natural straw summer hats, and ideas for how to wear them.

I might steal bits of your ideas, reinterpreted for my own colours. I adore that orange red (I love bright colour) but I don't know if I could wear it.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

thanks Viola and Jenny Lou...

Thanks for the kind and encouraging words. This hat happens to be like sixteen years old! I got it from the J. Peterman Co. catalog. The red Nordstrom pumps with louis heels are probably close to twenty years old! Only the corde' purse is true vintage.

 

[Viola]

Oh, I meant to say: I love how the red-orange gives you a healthy glow. No fake tan, just warm vibrant glow.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

You've hit the nail on the head Viola!!

Good for you! That's exactly what the whole color thing is all about. Getting the hair color right (I do dye mine), using the correct makeup shades and wearing the colors that are best suited for that person's season (this whole color thing applies to men too) does just that.

Thanks.

QUOTE=Viola]Oh, I meant to say: I love how the red-orange gives you a healthy glow. No fake tan, just warm vibrant glow.[/QUOTE]

 

[DameIniquitous]

How do you find out what season you are?

 

[LaMedicine]

How do you find out what season you are?

There are a number of links in some of the posts on page 3 of this thread.

 

[Paisley]

I've copied Mary. I won't apologize for my bare face, but I will apologize for the fuzzy eyebrows - I'm growing them out so they look awful!

In my opinion, the light pink, light blue and yellow don't suit me. Of the print fabric swatches, the green jungle print doesn't suit me.

Laura, almost all the colors look good on you. My faves were the purple 1, purple 2, dark gray, dark green, brown, and fruit print. Note that the brown is a grayish brown that summers and winters can wear. A reddish-brown or orange-brown wouldn't have looked good on you.

I didn't like the light pink on you, either, I know it's a winter color, but I don't think it suits you. Forget the yellow, except as an accent if you really like it.

 

[Paisley]

Hi, Crazy Daisy

My faves:

Black suits you as well. The red-orange lipstick looks better than pink.

My suggestion for a color palette is deep autumn (but without the blue):

 

[Laura Chase]

Paisley, you are so good at seeing this! :eusa_clap I thought crazydaisy was a winter, but I see what you mean.

chanteuseCarey, I think that outfit is really, really nice! I would chose some different shoes, but color wise it's perfect! And the jacket is just beautiful on you, fits you perfectly.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

Thanks Laura...

I've been fortunate with finding in the last six years a brand that fits me very well, has things in my colors, and their pieces often have just that bit of vintage-inspired that suits my style.The brand I turn to over and over again is Ralph Lauren (at Nordstrom) and Ralph Lauren Chaps (at Kohl's).

I often tweak things a little to make it my own; remove belt loops, cut pocket linings, put safety pins between blouse buttons, remove pant cuffs, dart blouses, turn back shirt cuffs, etc.

These RL linen high waist lined trousers were bought about six years ago. If I find a trouser or blouse by RL I really like, I'll hang in there until it goes on sale if possible, then I'll get it in 2-3 colors.

As to the jacket fit, I owe it to the following; Pilates classes, Playtex 18 hour bra, Flexees and the Rago Shapette long line long leg girdle, and eating REALLY excellent Italian or French dark chocolate almost daily-in very small amounts!

chanteuseCarey, I think that outfit is really, really nice! I would chose some different shoes, but color wise it's perfect! And the jacket is just beautiful on you, fits you perfectly.

 

[Darhling]

I can't wait to get my hands on some beautiful and rich jewel toned colors, I think they would go absolutely amazing with my red hair now.. I dream of rich dark blue satin evening gowns, dark and midtoned purple for office wear, forest and bottle green silk blouses..

 

[Annalai]

This is two interesting books to buy or lend

Colour me confident
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Me-Confident-Change-Your/dp/060061395X

and colour me younger for women age 40 or older.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colour-Me-Younger-Look-Great/dp/060060313X/ref=pd_sim_b_2

Annalai

 

[crazydaisy]

Hi Paisley!

I did think about deep autumn at some point, but I ended up rejecting it because of all the gold, yellows and mustard in it which I can't wear. Also can't wear pale stuff like peach. But those reds, the green and purple are great. Not so much the turquoise, although I do have a turquoise top, which I have been wearing lately with - surprise, surprise - my orange jumper.
But if I am an autumn, what about the blues? Because I strongly feel that cobalt blue is one of my best colours next to tomato red and deep green?!

 

[Paisley]

Every color in the palette might not work for you (like the yellows, etc). There are a few colors in mine (rose beige and green) that definitely don't do it for me.

As for blue, maybe I just didn't lke the photo of you in the blue dress. [huh] I did like the blue and black sweater more.

 

[crazydaisy]

Paisley, I know what you mean about that blue, I suspected it might not be my best color, although I love it as such. Maybe it's about how I accessorize it as well? This is how it looks in natural light. I still think it is all right, but maybe I am kidding myself...once again[huh]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36778968@N03/3496723538/sizes/l/
However I think the sky blue which you liked looks ok only because of the contrast with black - that would not work on its own at all.

But I'm talking more about the dark blues, like royal blue, cobalt blue as being good colors on me. Don't have any pictures though at the moment. I seem not to have any pictures in the right colours! That says it all...

I am getting now rather keen to get rid of half of my wardrobe!!! Must put a stop to coveting colors that, really, don't work for me All my life I loved soft, pastels, in spite of the obvious. To me pastels meant being delicate and feminine. I still hate it that I can't wear them as they apply greatly to some vintage fashions. Especially when one is buying reproduction or vintage inspired clothing with a 20's/30's feel to it, there is a lot out there in these muted shades and not a lot in brighter colors! I mean how much red, forest green or bright blue have you seen as opposed to the omnipresent pale peach, salmon pink, muted rose, mink and so on...?!!!
Then another problem appeared when I discovered strong colors worked better for me so I started pushing it by choosing rather garish shades. Part of it is my personality too, because while not being exactly an extrovert, I do like to have fun with color, and I like uplifting shades that fight boredom and flatness. But it is so easy to go wrong down this route.
Lately I became more discerning, but still make sometimes choices with my heart rather than going by the evidence. And I find a lot of shops stock clothes that are the right color but the wrong shade! This happens a lot lately.
And finally there are of course cases when I don't know what to think (mainly about browns )

 

[crazydaisy]

This is the kind of blue I'm talking about - I found a picture, it is not great and has a lot of black too, but I think you'll get the idea.

This is khaki, typical autumn colour; I find there isn't enough contrast to make it look great (in spite of using a very bright lipstick)- and that is my feel in general about a lot of autumn colours on me. Like something is always missing ?!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36778968@N03/3495931163/sizes/l/

 

[Paisley]

Delicate colors. Ivory would work well for you, better than the pastels common in the 20s. Maybe Mojito would know where to find vintage or VI 20s clothes in colors that work for you.

Khaki color in the apple blossom photo. I would call the hat and scarf color in the photo taupe, and I think it looks good on you.

Bright blue. The outdoor photos of you in bright blue definitely look better than the one taken indoors. I can't say that I love the color on you, though. But it would be a great accent color for ivory.

A different shade of blue might work better for you. This is the silk chiffon sofia dress from J Crew in vintage blue:

I also think certain shades of purple are worth trying. The brownish-colored jacket you're wearing a few posts above is close to purple--compare it to the aubergine swatch just below the photo.

 

[crazydaisy]

I wouldn't call that taupe at all [huh] .

Insisting to wear not so autumny colours, although I do generally agree that warmer is better on me: