Dress Code: Bright Colours Encouraged

Tricks to Wearing Bright Colours!

Think about the red carpet best-dressed lists. It’s rarely the actresses in black who grab the headlines, is it? It’s the stars in the super bright shades that get the flashbulbs popping.

Wearing not just colour but the right colours can do amazing things for your skin tone, hair colour, and general overall appearance.  Whist basic black will forever be a wardrobe staple; adding in a few more colours can spice up your wardrobe and add real interest and personality to your look.

Bright colours aren’t as tricky to pull off as you may think……

 “The key to wearing bright colours is balance,” advises Stephanie Tyson, Personal stylist at Chameleon Image Consultancy Liverpool. “Just by adding a bit of colour here and there to your outfit can really lift a look you don’t need head to toe colour.  A good example of this is if you were to team a bright red pussy bow blouse with skinny fit trousers and a tailored blazer (both of which are in neutral colours), the blouse will add a sharp injection of colour to your look, but the classic pieces will anchor it.”

My Top Tips for an Instant Colourful Wardrobe Lift!

Start small and work your way up.
Start gradually, and work your way up to wearing colour. Try to avoid throwing on several items in different colours at once as this will put you back to square one! It will feel too full on and too much too soon. Start with one important statement piece of colour and go from there!

Black is not the only neutral!
There is nothing wrong with black – it’s one of my favourites and can make quite a sharp edge to any outfit. However it can be all too easy to rely on black and it can be overused.  If you wear black because you can’t think of anything else to wear, then you need to find a new neutral. There is navy blue, nude, grey and brown which are all options too.

Choose colours that work with your skin and hair.
If you haven’t already, you should book in for a Colour Analysis Consultation.  Once you know what looks good on you, it’s 1000 times easier to wear colour without fear. Remember: start small. Incorporate one or two of those colours into your wardrobe, get used to them, and build from there you would learn more about this from a full colour Analysis Consultation.

A colourful Shoe Choice.
Bright shoes are a fun way to lift an outfit – with no fear that the colour isn’t slimming. 

The great thing about bright shoes is that they jazz up even the most boring outfit, and they always stand out in a crowd. Red shoes with a little black dress or hot pink heels paired with jeans and a top – either way, you can’t go wrong.

A bright bag
A coloured bag ensures your day-to-day look is never dreary.  Bright bags also a hot trend and another simple way to make your outfit more colourful. While black and brown handbags are super popular because they “go with everything”, bright ones are just as versatile! The trick to picking the right colourful bag? Make sure the colour co-ordinates well with the rest of the colours in your wardrobe.

Find a colourful dress.
A colourful dress is a definite head turner, if you are unsure about colour and which to go for then once you have had a Colour Analysis consultation this will be a lot easier to find – as you’ll have your own personalised swatch made for you when you’re out shopping.  My advice would be to look for a red dress. Red is actually very wearable, and delivers an instant confidence hit.   

Get Some colourful jewellery.
Paired with a neutral outfit, a bright piece of jewellery can really stand out and be seen. Try this yourself by choosing one colourful piece – perhaps a chunky turquoise bracelet or bright cocktail ring, and wearing it with a simple top/jeans combo or a little black dress.

What about some colourful accessories.
Too often I see clients forgetting bout these!

Bright accessories are brilliant because they’re cheap and so easy to add to your outfit.  A really simple way to add some colour to your outfit.  Think about your belts, scarves, gloves, hats even your tights!

The most important colours to think about are the colours which are closest to your face.  Since scarves sit right next to your face, a very bright colour can be draining especially if it is in the wrong shade.   My advice would be to try something multi-coloured instead; it’s a much safer bet and can suddenly add personality to a dark coloured coat!

Bright tights are also a fun way to enliven your look, and they’re very on-trend as well.

Just have fun!
Have fun with colour and enjoy yourself! Experts say wearing colour gives you the same feeling as when the sun shines!


Article written by Stephanie Tyson, Personal Stylist at Chameleon Image Consultancy.
Contact on 07809740048 or steph@chameleonimageconsultancy.co.uk or for more information visit www.chameleonimageconsultancy.co.uk