In the colder months of autumn and winter, we seem to naturally gravitate towards darker neutrals such as grey, navy and black. More often than not we are led and influenced by what is available to us in the stores at that time and the stereotypical colours for the season, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Colour has such a positive impact on how we feel and it always seems ironic to me that in the colder months with the dark short days, when we need lifting the most, we are being sold dark colours that can drain our emotions. Instead, we need to be wearing colour to boost our moods. Wearing colour releases feel-good hormones that you can use to your advantage. If you’re lacking in energy then try wearing red. Need some positivity in your life? Wear yellow. Looking for some calm in all the chaos? Reach for blue and if you’re in need of some love then wear pink.
Shop for your autumn and winter wardrobe in spring and summer. As I said before we are very much victim to the stores and the colours they decide we should be wearing or are ‘on trend’. For that reason when you see colourful clothes that will be suitable for winter buy them when you see them. Colourful cashmere and knits are freely available in spring; just store them safely until the time is right.
Find colourful brands, like Luella, who champion colour all year round. There are plenty of fabulous brands online you just have to look. It’s so important to dress for YOU, how you want to feel and look, don’t dress the same as everyone else. Just because everyone you know wears brown in autumn and black in winter doesn’t mean you have to, don’t be afraid to stand out.
Don’t put away your colourful summer dresses just yet, although your thin cotton sleeveless dresses won’t keep you warm in winter you can easily take them through to autumn. Simply add some ankle boots and a biker jacket and you are good to go. I often pop hidden leggings on under my summer dresses in autumn just for that little bit of extra warmth. If you are a fan of the warm rich browns of autumn you can have the best of both worlds by pairing your colourful knits with neutrals. Camel looks beautiful with bright red or green. Deep chocolate brown is lovely paired with orange or pine green.
Winter is when it can be really easy to fall into a black/grey hole. Colourful knits and cashmere are always a good place to start; they will keep you warm and lift your spirits too. Colourful wool coats are also a great way to brighten a dull winter’s day. You can also go for a full ‘tonal’ outfit; this is when you wear the same colour or different shades/tones of the same colour from head to toe such as a bright coat, jumper and trousers all in a colour of your choice. This is always a standout and stylish outfit choice.
You can also ‘winterise’ your long-sleeved colourful dresses that you may be tempted to save for warmer months. Pop a polo neck on underneath your dress or put a colourful knit over the top for extra warmth.
Spring is probably the easiest season to add colour to your outfits. Traditionally in spring, you start to see colour everywhere in nature and in clothes, it’s a time when you can really embrace colour. Spring is also a time when you will see lots of fabulous prints available that you can really have fun with.
The easiest way to wear a print is to match one colour in the print to the rest of your outfit or pair it with a neutral. If you’re confident with wearing print you may want to try and ‘print clash’ where you wear two or more prints in your outfit. The way to do this is to find two prints and make sure they have at least one colour in common. So you may want to match a coral print skirt with a striped jumper that also has coral in it, it just brings the whole look together.
Naturally, we start to think of more pastel shades in the summer but if you want to wear bright colours then go for it. In the summertime, when we tend to wear a little less clothing, accessories are really important to add interest to your outfit and complete a look. You can pair colourful accessories with your colourful clothes such as a red bag with a pink dress or you can go for neutrals. Tan always looks lovely with colour but black is often too harsh. Metallics also pair beautifully with colour and are a simple way to elevate any outfit.