Color Me Beautiful

Conquer Color-Phobia and Find Your Perfect Palette

by Sue DiAntonio

Basic black, khaki and other neutrals are great to pair up with your more eye-catching pieces, but if your wardrobe resembles what’s in Darth Vader’s closet or the contents of Indiana Jones’ carry-on, you may need to brighten things up. The time has come to step out of the dark closet of neutrals and into the world of color.

Every woman has an article of clothing that makes her look and feel fabulous. Perhaps you have a little red dress that makes your skin appear radiant. Or maybe it’s a blue sweater that always guarantees at least one compliment on your eyes. Regardless of one’s shape or size, color has the power to enrich lives and boost self esteem. When you wear a shade that suits you, your features look healthy—your eyes shine, your skin looks smoother and your teeth appear whiter.

So why do so many of us still find it difficult to “chase the rainbow”? While neutral colors are the foundation of any good wardrobe, it’s the addition of color that brings excitement, vitality and youthfulness to our appearances. The following tips will help you select colors with convenient confidence:

Discover your best color palette.
Determine whether your personal coloring is warm or cool. Stand next to a window for natural lighting and examine your eye color, hair color, and skin tone. Get pieces of gold and silver fabric and drape them each around your neck close to your face. If the gold fabric looks best, your colors fall within the warm palette. If the silver fabric looks best, yours is a cool palette. Even better, take the Color Me Beautiful color quiz available on the Phoenix Woman website.

Rework your closet.
Get rid of clothing in those colors that don’t work with your personal palette. Have a party with your friends and swap color items that no longer work for you but may look great on someone else. Donating clothing is also a great way to give back while updating your wardrobe.

Add new color items to your wardrobe.
Once you’ve cleared your closet of unwanted items, make sure any new purchases you make fall within your personal color palette. Working within your color palette, you will develop the ability to put together captivating new outfits quickly and easily. Team your sweaters and jackets with different tees and camisoles in bold unexpected colors for a sharp, sophisticated look.

Be mindful of your hair color.
This is a very important yet often overlooked area you need to consider. If you color your hair, make sure the color you choose is consistent with your personal color palette. If your hair color doesn’t match up, it will be difficult to color coordinate your look.

Face your fear of color.
If you’re not ready to plunge into the world of color full throttle, begin incorporating color in small increments; jewelry and scarves are both excellent ways to add a dash of color to any outfit while accessorizing. Sometimes even a brightly colored nail polish will do the trick!

Whether you are a brooding babe in black or a perky pink lady, it’s important to expand your relationship with color and discover which shades make you look and feel your very best. Let go of your color-phobia. Have fun with your wardrobe, add the most fun colors in your palette and bring out your inner radiance.

Sue DiAntonio is Senior Editor of Color Me Beautiful. Her roots run deep in corporate America. She brings her Fortune 500 perspective and her love of all things colorful to Color Me Beautiful, where she offers a wide spectrum of thought and vivid perspectives on the value of color: how we see it, how we use it and how it shapes us.

www.colormebeautiful.com

Click here to take the COLOR ME BEAUTIFUL COLOR QUIZ and determine your personal color palette!