With the Jubilee celebrations starting in earnest today I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about three colours synonymous with the UK; red, white and blue. In this post I’ll take you through…
- How to identify your best red
- The shade of blue that suits everyone
- Wearing white to flatter your colour characteristics
Not only are these three colours versatile and wearable, they’re also timeless classics that will always have a place in our wardrobes.
Read on for more guidance on how to wear your red, whites and blues this bank holiday weekend…
How To Identify Your Best Red
As with most colours, there is a shade of red to suit everyone but there are few things to take into consideration when selecting the best shade for you…
We all have either a Warm or Cool undertone – understanding which one you have is key to helping you select the best shade of red to complement your colouring…
Warm Undertones – your hair will have warm tones (think coppers/reds and strawberry blonde) and eyes that are brown, green or hazel). Some Warms will also have freckles. If this is you than orangey-reds will look best on you (shade ‘Fire’ by VBB is a great example of this and is the shade I’m wearing in the picture on the left)
Cool Undertones – your hair will be grey, black, cool brown or platinum/ashy blonde, your eyes will be blue/grey. If this is you then a blue-red will be best for you (think raspberry reds and berry tones like Charlotte Tilbury’s Natural Berry Matte Lipstick)
I’ve referenced two lipstick shades above as these are one of the easiest ways to incorporate red into your overall look. However, red accessories are another great way of dipping your toes into this attention-grabbing colour without going ‘all in’ (speaking of toes – a mani or pedi is also a great way of incorporating this classic shade).
The other factor to consider when selecting the best shade of red to wear is how bright and bold to go. Believe it or not, you can get more muted shades of red which if you are fair or have medium depth colour characteristics you may want to opt for as a brighter red may overwhelm you.
If you have contrasting colour characteristics (think fair skin and dark hair) or a darker features then a bold, rich red will probably work better for you.
A Shade Of Blue To Suit Everyone
There are actually two shades of blues that I feel work well for everyone…
Navy – you cannot go wrong with navy! If you’re fair to medium depth in colouring go for a Light Navy, if you have contrasting or darker colour characteristics then a Midnight Navy will work best. What I love about Navy is that is as classic and versatile as black, but much softer on your complexion than black when worn next to your face.
Cobalt Blue – I have never met a shade of Cobalt Blue that I didn’t love and believe it really looks amazing on everyone. This stand-out colour is a real show-stopper on it’s own but also stunning in combination with pops of orange, yellow and pinks or even styled with zebra/animal pattern.
Fancy adding a pop of Cobalt to your wardrobe? This simple linen V neck tee from Mint Velvet is a Summer staple.
Wearing White
Most of us will have a white t-shirt in our wardrobes, and a classic white shirt is considered a capsule piece by many – but choose your whites wisely.
A Soft White shade features in all six of the dominant colour categories and for good reason, it complements all skin tones.
If you find that wearing white on its own next to your face is too draining it could be that you’ve chosen a shade that is too stark. Experiment with creamier shades and tactile fabrics to lessen the intensity.
You could also try combining your whites within a pattern or by adding a darker or brighter shade to give some contrast or depth overall.
Another way to ensure your whites look as good as they possibly can is to strengthen your make-up (a stronger blusher or bolder lip for example) to make sure the focus stays on your face (and it’s true what they say – whites always look great with a tan and my go-to is always Bare By Vogue)
So now you’re all set with your reds, whites and blues for the weekend ahead – three classic colours to add to your wardrobe and a shade to suit everyone.
If you’d like to discover all 42 colours within your colour palette and how to combine them effectively then take a look at my colour analysis sessions over on the Services page (available both in-person and online by the power of Zoom).
Until next time
AM xo