New Year’s Resolution #3: Take a r...

Are you a cautious person?

I know I am. Someone I used to work with often teased me for being risk- and change-averse. And it’s true.

In matters of personal style, though, I often think it makes sense to throw caution to the wind. Here’s how I look at it. What if you were to try something different — two colors (or three!) together. Or the addition of a jacket with an outfit you’ve never worn that way. Or, say, a shoe that doesn’t “match” the rest of your outfit but that pleases you nonetheless in that combination.

Really — what’s the worst that could happen? Will people line up in the street to jeer you? Will you lose your job, your dignity ….? Of course not!

So why are we so afraid to take risks? What’s the worst that could happen? We all make mistakes — it’s just that in this arena, our mistakes only last as long as it takes to get back home and change our clothes.

But on the up side — when we take those risks, we sometimes discover things about ourselves we never knew before.

Like, for instance, that we look awesome in that particular shade of green. That our red shoe looks amazing with our purple dress — and everyone seems to agree. Or we look good in that kind of hat, something we’ve never worn. I often hear a complaint from my clients that they have no style — and my standard response is that they simply need to be a little less careful, to add that something extra to their outfit — even if they’re a littl unsure about it.

So next year, let’s all resolve to take a few more risks.

Try a new hairstyle (it will grow back!) or highlights. Go crazy with nail color. Add a layer or an accessory to your outfit before walking out the door. Buy a handbag in a … gasp! … color! And please, let me know how your risk-taking works!

(Note: Images are, from top, from B. Jones Style, Style & Pepper, and Fashion for Nerds — personal style blogs by three fantastically creative women.)

New Year’s Resolution #2: Embrace ...

I am a huge fan of color — bright colors, muted colors, and colors put together in unexpected ways.

Most of all, I’m a big fan of color that suits a person’s coloring.

Do you know what your best colors are? If not, make 2012 the year you resolve (more…)

All About Color, or What I Learned in Or...

This woman's colors flatter rather than overwhelm her

A reader asked me yesterday about color, and the timing is perfect, because I thought a lot about color during the Association of Image Consultants International conference last week, in Orlando.

She wrote:

White House Correspondents Association D...

Michelle Obama was stunning at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner style. Her draped red dress by Prabal Gurung was, no question, unbelievably beautiful. But, more important, she looked fantastic. That is my big takeaway from this dress: A big-deal dress should be fabulous, sure, but it should shine a spotlight on its wearer, not overpower her.

This dress lived up to that standard. (You can see more images here — especially the jewelry — and here.) Here’s why. The dress itself is so, so gorgeous. But it looks as if it was designed for Mrs. O — that neckline that frames her best assets — her shoulders, neck, and arms — so perfectly. The draping around her hips flatters her there, too. Need convincing? Compare these lines with the buttoned-and-unbuttoned cardigan style she often wears, which just makes her looks hippy.

Here’s another reason it was fantastic for her: the color. She has warm undertones, and the warmth of this yummy tomato red makes her glow. She can wear anything, but she doesn’t look nearly as good, in my opinion, in cooler colors, like the hot pink of this dress. I think she probably knows this and frequently picks dresses in orange and red, like this beauty (below right).

Orange crush

Compare that to the way her skin looks in this cool fuchsia dress. Pretty? Sure. Glowingly incandescent? No, I’d say just a wee bit ashy.

Now, let’s talk about her accessories. The earrings and the upper bracelet are apparently by Bochic, and Mrs. Obama apparently wore another pair by the same company at the Indian State Dinner, as seen here.  I have two things to say about them. First, no matter how much money a client of mine had, I’ve never recommend spending $17,500 on a bracelet that, although striking and beautiful, wouldn’t be something you’d get a lot of wear out of. But maybe she didn’t actually buy them — I really hope not, in fact, because a purchase like that in these times would seem foolish and out of touch politically.

But the other quibble I have is this: The two bracelets, while effective, move the observer’s focus from beautiful Michelle to the bracelets. I get that she loves bracelets on her left hand, and I get that she made the risky move of subbing out her engagement ring for one that better complemented her outfit and bracelets, but the three pieces are too much, and she should have stuck with just one bracelet. (Who’s that second — lower — bracelet by? Leave a comment and let me know!)

Oh, and if you’re new to this blog, stop by again soon — and make sure to subscribe before you go. Thanks!

Color yourself beautiful...

I hear it all the time: “I wear a lot of black. I’d like to wear more color, but I don’t know how.”

Here are a few ways to bring more color into your life. (And, believe me, once your life starts playing in color rather than in black and white, there’s no going back!)

What colors do you love most?

* Visit the paint store. Give yourself the treat of a half-hour dawdling in front of the paint-chip display in a paint store. Collect a handful and shuffle them. Which ones do you love? Enjoy their visual appeal.

* Visit an art museum. If you live in or near DC, it’s free! Take an hour and walk around a museum and pay especial attention to the art’s colors. Again, what appeals to you — and what doesn’t?

* Browse magazines and art books. Try this same approach with magazines or art books. Open yourself to new colors and combinations.

* Notice the physical and natural environments. Mother Nature pairs colors together beautifully, so take your cue from her. See the irises blooming, or the beauty of some warm-red tulips against the fresh grass. Or think of the rich mix of colors in an autumn treescape. It’s all beautiful!

Not sure which colors look best on you, or want help getting used to the wonderful world of color? Send me an email or give me a call at 202.352.7120 and we’ll figure out how I can help you color your world beautiful.

[Next time: More ideas about your best colors]