Following on from our last article in this series, where Jules Standish, top Stylist and Colour Consultant taught us how to find our perfect colours at home. We are now diving deeper into all things colour.
We learn more about the way Jules styles herself as well as finding out how to dress for success. After all, who wouldn't want the colours of their clothes to help them out in a job interview!
Since you are a Colour Analyst and a Stylist, when you get dressed in the morning what is it you focus on, colour, fit, style?
All of these things are important and should work together, not in isolation. Looking our best is about wearing styles that flatter our individual body shape, by highlighting the positives and camouflaging the negatives.
The correct colours put health, attractiveness and youth into the face, so the total package is very empowering. Whether we get up and do the school run, or go into a corporate environment, the image we portray is all about US, our message, so it’s important we can express ourselves in the way we want to be seen. Also creating a wardrobe that works for us, is not only ‘sustainable’ but can also save a fortune by never making expensive mistakes again.
My sense of style is based around my best colours and body shape which is boyish and angular, so I love to wear blazers and skinny jeans and trouser suits, with feminine shirts and waisted items that give me the illusion of shape!
Jules wearing Bryony pencil dress
Dresses like the gorgeous Diva one in the picture, is not only my most favourite colour, orange but my best dress shape, fitted, pencil with a high neck and for my age, flattering arm length - just perfect!!!
What do you think the best colours for Spring/Summer are?
Spring is a time of renewal, and new beginnings. In nature, spring heralds’ bright green new shoots and leaves and we get to experience a hit of glorious, joyful yellow in the daffodils and a burst of reds that give us the energy to get going again after the winter.
The Lydia pencil dress in one of this season's leading colours
As well as our landscape, fashion turns bright too, and there are currently many pantone shades that are influencing our wardrobes, and whilst ‘classic blue’ leads the orchestra this year, there are others that appeared on the catwalk and have an impact on the high street, namely; fiesta orange-red, pink peacock, lemon verbena, and a lime green called Pepper Stem; these are all bright and bold and that’s what spring is all about.
Click here for the pink dress, here for the orange dress, here for the lime dress and here for the yellow dress
Summer brings out the pastel shades just as the sun fades the landscape, so the colours get softer on the eye. Of course, one should always be mindful of wearing colours that suit our own palette, and not be swayed by what looks fabulous on someone else! Nature however, is a great colour guide for our senses.
Click here for the pastel green swing dress, here for the coral pencil dress and here for the powder blue pencil dress
Should the colours you wear change seasonally or do their psychological benefits mean that one should stick to their personal palette year-round? Does a colour palette change as a person ages?
Addressing the latter question first as it’s one I get asked all the time, and it’s important to understand that whilst its true our skin fades as age, as all our colouring does, it is my experience that our underlying skin tone remains the same because it is genetic.
The key is to use different shades of your own colours, perhaps not as strong or bright as you would have done (although case in point Mary Berry a seasonal Spring who rocks bright, bold colours) when you were younger.
The mistake often made by older women is matching hair colour that goes naturally grey or white to clothing, thereby sometimes negatively affecting the face, where the skin tone has remained the same just gone paler.
Hair colour is a major issue as we women do like to dye our hair, and this can often have an impact on not only our skin but our overall appearance. If the hair falls into a different category than the skin, take for example cool ash blonde hair on a warm complexion, then I have to look at matching ‘outerwear’ (what I consider secondary, worn away from the face) colours and keep the complexion looking fabulous by ensuring warm colours stay up against the face.
This pencil dress is a great choice for those wanting to keep warmer colours close to their face
I would like to point out that being unwell can also make the skin appear to have ‘changed’ as can someone who tans and finds they can wear different shades. Again, it’s about keeping within one’s best palette and going stronger, darker, brighter, paler, depending on how the skin is looking and also how you are feeling. Which leads us onto the first part of the question.
It’s hard not to want to wear clothing that fits in with fashionable/seasonal changes. Some people get excited about moving from one season into another, changing up their wardrobes accordingly.
However, you need to be aware that if you fit into a seasonal palette be it warm or cool and it really suits you; makes your skin glow and eyes shine, and that you feel really confident in, maybe you get complimented in your own ‘wow’ colours, its best to try and fit these in and around new fashions and seasonal changes that come and go.
Having your best colours in your wardrobe is one of the most important and ‘sustainable’ things you can do. Think how easy it could be to open the door every morning and instantly see all your best shades, right there, the colours that look the most flattering up against your face, your best neutrals too for outerwear? No anxiety and stress on what to wear, ease, confidence and quick decisions knowing that ANY combination will work, depending on what you are doing that day and how you are feeling.
You’ve written a lot on how wearing particular colours can impact those around you, outlining particular colours as conducive for particular successes. We would love to learn more about this, would you be able to tell us which colours to wear for a; first date, a job interview, a wedding, and why?
Colours are wonderful communicators and each colour has a beneficial psychological impact on how we project ourselves and the image we want to portray. Colour combinations are therefore powerful ways to harness different messages about ourselves in certain situations.
Let’s take the first date: what’s the aim, to express your personality whilst perhaps leaving your date wanting more?
For a stunning date night look try the Furlong pencil dress, some red heels and a red bag for an extra romantic flare
My recommendation: choose black as a neutral, it’s mysterious and keeps things hidden, however too much can be intimidating, so team it with fun loving nurturing pink or fiery, attention grabbing red. Dating websites have found that men choose women in red more than other colours, possibly because red is seen as naturally fun loving.
Okay next on the list, a job interview (dependant of course on the industry): the aim is to be the best candidate for the role on offer, so choose blue, the colour of communication, trust and reliability. Plus, it helps to keep you feeling in control in this stressful situation.
To view the left-hand dress click here, here for the top right and here for the bottom right
However, wearing accents of colour will add balance to this calmer colour, like red, which shows your passion for the job, that you are someone with the drive and energy to get things done. If applying for a supportive role, green is a great choice, and yellow shows your sunny, optimistic nature.
Finally, a wedding; if you are mother of the bride, consider your important role in the proceedings, your aim is not to steal the limelight but lead the celebrations and potentially be the mediator. However, it’s important you don’t end up being ‘invisible’ so think about wearing one of the lighter shades in the purple family, i.e. lilac can help with family tensions, then there is mint green, glorious for keeping things harmonious and orange in soft shades of coral, apricot or peach is all about optimism and sociability.
View the lilac dress here, the coral swing dress here and the mint dress here. Learn more about mother of the bride dresses here
Our last part in which Jules helps us learn how to find our own colours at home coming soon! Keep an eye out for the last article in this series, where we learn the science behind colours.