DRESS TO IMPRESS – Co-ordinating Colours

Continuation of my book

Whenever someone asks me to describe the greatest error in dressing, I have to answer that it is the co-ordination of colours – or rather the lack of it.

The other day I looked in disbelief at a young woman who was dressed like this: black coat,light grey trousers, beige shoes, blue cap, striped gloves in bright red, yellow, blue,green, and mauve! From the various fashion components one could see that this woman purchased items of the highest quality but because of poor colour co-ordination she looked messy and unappealing. Unfortunately, this kind of dressing is not rare. Many women wear up to five or more different colours at the same time.(Just look around you.) In the winter the problem is worse, since we wear more clothes.

Women speak with respect of someone who is well co-ordinated: “SHE’S SO WELL PUT TOGETHER.’ There is really no secret in looking that way. It just takes planning. The same day I saw Ms. Striped Gloves, I saw another woman who also wore a black coat, but her accessories consisted of a beige handbag, a black attaché case, beige boots, black gloves, and a light grey hat-and-scarf set. Everyone looked at her admiringly. She wasn’t wearing anything special or outstanding, but what she wore fitted together.

I am often asked, ‘How can I learn to co-ordinate my wardrobe better? ‘If you think about what you have in your wardrobe and only buy clothes that will fit into that colour and style scheme, you will have no problem co-ordinating your look.

Most of us know that brown goes with bone, and black with red. But for new ideas, fashion magazines are a real eye-opener. Study the way they combine colours. You would probably never think of wearing a royal-blue blouse with your tan suit, but seeing it in Vogue will convince you that it can look fabulous

Now since we all know that brown and beige, and beige and black go together, the following chart will help you find some additional and more unsual combinations that harmonise well, they are:

Another source of inspiration are the combination of men’s clothing. The colours and prints used in men’s wear are as appropriate for women as they are for men. Many women say they envy men because they always look well co-ordinated. The secret is that the colours used are fewer and stay mostly in the same colour family, with shirt and tie adding life and colour. This should translate for us into wearing neutral basics and adding colour with: blouses and tops, shoes, scarves, belts, and jewelry.