| HOT HUES, COOL
COLORS
Ever notice that when you shop for the holidays,
the
clothes you purchased look better on the mannequins
than they do on you? In this great month of
gratitude, the style component for which I am most
thankful is Color. Did you know that color is one
of the best weapons in your arsenal when it comes to
crafting Personal Style? It’s true; color can
instantly
transform your look either positively or negatively.
Now, I can wax academic on color properties and
psychology, but one needn’t a PhD in color theory to
make powerful use of this secret
weapon. Let me draw up a quick primer on color and
then I’ll give you some tips on finding the best
ones for you.
There are
3 basic components to color:
Hue
If you want to impress your friends, say “hue” and
“harmony” instead of “color” and “color scheme”,
they mean the same thing, but you’ll sound scholarly
using technically-correct verbiage. For simplicity’s
sake, however, I will stay with “color”.
Value
This is the lightness or darkness of a color. An
obvious example is that yellow is light in value and
purple is dark in value, but a single color can also
have a difference in value. For example, the color red
can have a light value like pink (by tinting it with
white) or a dark value like maroon (by shading it with
black). The difference in value is called value
contrast. To get a visual, imagine a scale going from
pure white, with different shades of gray in the center,
then ultimately to black.
Temperature
Most of us are familiar with the concept of warm and
cool colors; this is a color’s temperature. Examples of
warm colors are yellow and orange, while blues and
greens typically classify as cool colors. However,
color temperature can be a bit more complicated as one
can easily visualize the difference between an
orange-red and a blue-red.
Does any of this matter?
Well, yes, if you want to make the most of every free
advantage nature has to offer you! You can literally
take years off your age and go from
blushing to boring one day to the next, depending on
which colors you choose to wear.
To determine which colors are best for you, take
a moment and make careful analysis of your skin, hair,
and eye color (for the more advanced, note the white of
your eyes and teeth). Is it light or is it dark? Is it
warm or is it cool? Now note the contrast of your skin,
hair, and eyes. This can easily be done by pretending
that you are looking at a black and white photograph of
yourself. If you “see” a lot of black and white, you
have high value contrast. On the flip side, if you see
mainly shades of gray, you probably have low value
contrast. Your most flattering colors will mirror your
own hair and eye color in temperature and value
contrast, while your best neutrals are those closest to
your skin tone.
3 tips for using color:
To look polished and put together in an instant, choose
a monochrome (different shades of one color) outfit head
to toe and add textures like ribbing, suede, or tweed to
raise the sophistication level. Accessories in
metallics should mirror your own value contrast.
Lighter and brighter colors will draw attention to that
part of your body. If you want to finesse a flaw, avoid
shiny or heavily textured fabric in that area.
Use colors as a communication tool. To make a
commanding presence, choose stronger and darker colors.
To be more approachable and friendly, opt for softer,
lighter colors.
Using the right colors can give you a rich and radiant
look all of the time. Yes, at first it can be daunting
finding ones that best suit you, but start with one or
two colors and build your wardrobe from there. It takes
practice finding colors that pull out your unique glow
but over time you will develop a knack for it and you
will be well on your way to creating an image of
flawless impact, beauty, and style!
Fawn Cheng is a Brand
Strategist & Personal Stylist and an Associate Member of
AICI. She is a graduate of New Mexico State University
and has continued her education at the London
Institute. Call her at: 480.216.8202 or visit
www.FawnCheng.com
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