Make Colour Blocking Work For You

This is colour me beautiful season. If the latest colour blocking trend makes you feel like running a mile, stop right there!! We have the easy, non-terrifying guide on how to do colour blocking in a way that shows you understand what it's all about without falling into the pitfalls of high fashion.

Think Style As Well As Colour The first key element of colour blocking has nothing to do with colour but looks at styles and shapes. Each garment, whether top, jacket, skirt or trousers, should be plain with no embellishment whatsoever. You are most likely to have some simple pieces like this already in your wardrobe: a red top, a navy blazer or even a pair of colourful shoes. Then you need to decide whether the garment in the colour you like suits you; can you carry off a floor length dress? Do pleats work on you? And so on... Choosing The Right Colours For You Here is a simple guide to who can wear what from subtler combinations to seriously bold blocking. As long as you stick to colours within your palette you can play with opposites (say, red and blue) or make it more subtle by wearing one of your neutral colours (say stone, chocolate or charcoal) with another brighter colour from your palette. The ultimate colour blocking is of course white (your best white of course, say for a shirt) and black (say for the trousers/skirts), together with some bold coloured shoes and handbag this is an easy combination to put together. See below for ideas within your colour palette. (If you don't know which palette is best for you, now is the time to have that Colour Consultation you have promised yourself). LIGHT colouring Sensible colour blocking: light aqua with stone Bold colour blocking: dusty rose with light periwinkle Bolder colour blocking: violet with geranium DEEP colouring Sensible colour blocking: emerald green / dark navy Bold colour blocking: scarlet / purple Bolder colour blocking: lime / bittersweet WARM colouring Sensible colour blocking: lime / camel Bold colour blocking: purple / bittersweet Bolder colour blocking: amber / teal COOL colouring Sensible colour blocking: light periwinkle / purple Bold colour blocking: hot pink / royal blue Bolder colour blocking: duckegg / blue red CLEAR colouring Sensible colour blocking: true red / charcoal Bold colour blocking: bright periwinkle / blush pink Bolder colour blocking: apple green / true blue SOFT colouring Sensible colour blocking: verbena / cocoa Bold colour blocking: claret / soft violet Bolder colour blocking: sky blue / emerald turquoise Bring colour into your look, not only with clothes but with shoes, handbags, nail colour (go for bright reds (within your palette, of course) or if you dare, go for the bright blues, greens and purples too). A shirt dress becomes part of your colour blocking wardrobe when cinched with a contrasting belt and teamed with a brightly coloured handbag to finish off your look. Make-up Finishes Your Colourful Look If you are going for colour blocking with gusto, make sure your make-up stands up too. Your lips in particular should receive special attention. You should opt for the stronger shades in your palette to balance the look. Enjoy putting all those colours together and, if in doubt, do visit me or your nearest local consultant who is ready to advise you not only on your best colours but also on the best styles and shapes of your clothes for you.