Month: March 2012

Yellow – a Neutral??

 

Neiman Marcus has been touting yellow as the new neutral this spring.   The first time I saw this, I cringed but thought it might be just a way of grabbing shoppers’ attention.  Then, when it appeared again, I decided to weigh in on the subject.

The last time I checked, yellow was one of the three primary colors and it at the center of the warm side of the color wheel.   These colors are not considered neutrals! Neutrals are black, grey, brown, and white, with their many variations.  Since we generally have either cool or warm coloring, yellow in going to be flattering on those who have warm coloring.

Whether you are in the cool or warm category is determined by the color of your hair, eyes and skin.  Since your skin is the largest factor, it is a greater determiner.   Skin has either a pink or peach undertone.  Pink indicates that cool colors will look better while peach indicates that warm colors will be more flattering.  You can do a quick check yourself by choosing a well-lighted area then holding orange or lime green under your chin.  Look at your skin then compare how it looks when magenta  is held under your chin.  Observe which makes your skin look more alive.

Yellow is bright and cheerful, reminding us of sunshine so if you have a passion for yellow, it is understandable.  I have seen a soft butter-yellow worn by some cool-toned people effectively.  It can be dramatic on dark skin.  Deeper golden-yellow or yellow-green tone will not be flattering no matter how much you love it.

Yellow may not be a neutral but it offers a colorful accent for many cool colors: blue, red, green, or violet.  Just punch it out with a yellow purse or kick it with yellow shoes!

Not sure if you are cool or warm?  Host a style party and have your friends join in learning their colors, body shape and how to best wear this season’s styles.  Only $35 per person.  Call or email for more information:  Beryl@StyleWithAplomb.com or call 404-428-2527.

Fashion for the Birds

Digital fabric printing has opened the door to more creative patterns used for their designs.    And, always looking for something unique, designers have ventured into some rather strange territory.

As you browse through the different spring collections, don’t be surprised to come upon flocks of birds, gardens of flowers, a parade of paisley or even runaway racing cars.  These are not the pattern designs we have known in the past and the past rules of wearing prints don’t seem to work.   There are patterns inspired by wallpaper of years gone by and every other source of innovation one can imagine.

If you fall in love with one of these prints, something about it obviously resonates with you.   How can you make it work for you?

The color should complement your coloring.

Can one see you or is it the print that catches the eye first.  This is why it is often helpful to stabilize the action of the print with a solid.  I find a busy, all-over print is usually overpowering unless the design features a block of solid color.

Choosing one of these more modern prints will be memorable when you wear it.  If you have a limited clothing budget, it might be better to avoid a garment in a dramatic print and just use a modern print scarf, summer bag or hat for accent.

Whatever you fancy for a spring and summer wardrobe, enjoy the variety and find a few new trends to keep you looking up to date!

 

Academy Award Gowns

Although we usually watch the red carpet before the Academy Awards, my husband finds the event about as exciting as a root canal so you can imagine my delight when our house guest wanted to watch.  This gave me a chance to see the presenter’s gowns and take a second look at others.

This year’s gowns were some of the loveliest I have seen.  There were few disasters – well maybe Jennifer Lopez in her down to the naval plunging neckline causing a “wardrobe malfunction”.

I was struck by the lack of jewelry.  Did Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpels and Tiffany decided not to participate?   Maybe their insurance has skyrocketed.

Although there were many to choose from, I selected a few for comment.   Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen was one of the most ornate.  The gold beading complemented her red hair and made the black work.  I liked her hair down, the simple earrings and bracelet were all the bling she needed with the heavily beaded dress.

Octavia Spencer’s white beaded gown was beautiful.  A light color for a full-figured woman is usually not the best but this beading pattern drew your eye in as they converged just under her bust.  This showed off her curves while visually slimming.  I really like the sleeves covering the upper arm.  The only change I might have made would be to change the neckline to a slight “V”.  This would follow the beading pattern, and expose more neck area; a great feature for the full-figured lady.  Her simple earrings and one dramatic ring are all the jewelry this elegant dress needed.

Michelle Williams broke the neutral trend with her bright orange gown by Louis Vuitton.  The style was great for her but I thought the color was too strong.  Whether looking at her on television or in a photo, the dress takes center stage, so you see the dress first, then  the wearer.  Michelle is warm toned but I would have chosen a pretty peach tone so that her beauty was front and center.  Again, she wore only a diamond choker with a pin at the waist.  I would have added simple drop earrings to complement the choker.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s white sheath dress and white cape was the epitome of simple elegance.  It was reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy Onasis.  With the higher, asymmetric neckline, no jewelry was necessary but I would have added simple drop earrings.  What astonished me was that her hair appeared to have been forgotten.  You can just imagine the conversation amongst the team helping her get ready.  “You look fabulous!”  (pause)  “Oh my gosh!  We forgot your hair!”  “There isn’t time to style it.”  “Let’s just pull it back and let it hang.  Maybe nobody will notice.”

Have a special “Girl’s Night Out” a Style Party.   Invite 5-10 friends and we will assess individual color and body shape and offer suggestions in building the wardrobe that works for you.  $35 per person.  The hostess receives 1 hour toward a closet edit.  Call us at 404-428-2527 or Beryl@StyleWithAplomb.com.