If you’ve been reading my blog for a long time, then you know I LOVE wardrobe colour palettes!
I did a whole series starting back in 2013, which you can find here or in the header at the top of my blog. Now that I’ve got an excess of time at home, I thought it would be interesting to revisit that series and give it an update!
My own palette remains unchanged… that is, until I started dying my hair auburn in the fall, and now I can work in a few additional colours. I’m having so much fun playing around.
Here are a few other the things I’d like to cover:
- how to look at your existing wardrobe to figure out what colours you love wearing
- how to use that knowledge to navigate “seasonal” colour typing, which I’ve always found confusing
- how hair colour and makeup can expand and reinforce what colours suit you
- how to make a capsule collection for outside your normal colour scheme, cause rules are made to be broken
Before I start though, I’d love to know if a) you are interested and b) what questions or challenges you come across when trying to figure out your own palette. Please let me know below!
All my love and hugs during this stressful time of social distancing – we are using the hashtag #sewstayhome on Sewcialists to have discussions and share ideas.
Crafting A Rainbow 
Col8r plays an important roll in our clothes and we know what colors we favor. I am a blue/green po galette but just bought clothes in a salmon color I love. I dintvwear anybsade if pink butc2ith my grey hair and light skin I think it washes me out. I may try a deeper rose or lean toward a shocking pink, which is a stretch for me, to see if I feel comfortable. Not only is color important, but the saying “age appropriate” works here. I know at 76 I can’t wear what you wear. We also need to know our style and what looks good for our age, color and figure. When you find a style that is comfortable for you, go with it bearing in mind the appropriate fit, length and wether it suits your age and personality.
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Funny how you mention your auburn hair…
I have a lot of pure white in the front of my very,very dark brown hair…I like it but have it colored back on occasion (like a job interview…which is a whole other issue on ageism and perception)
I bought my glasses while my hair was dark and when my hair is whiter, they look jarring
But they still work so….meh
I love your palette. After all these years, I am still trying to break the conservative Catholic school uniform mentality I absorbed as a child. I find the prints and colors inspirational. I want to grow up to be Iris Apfel.
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I struggle with color because I find grey and black very comforting easy colors. Last year I found mustard and navy blue as a combination I love to wear also. So I need help finding colors I actually want to wear. I don’t do makeup really. But buying fabric, I love florals and dusty rises and deep magenta’s mixed with creams and yet I make them into things and then don’t want to wear them. How can I differentiate between what I like working with and what I like wearing? Am I really just a wimp who is afraid to branch out and wear bright colors? Maybe?!
I think you I should revisit this! I’ll play along how ever I can!
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I love color and colorful wardrobes, and just in the last few years started realizing that I can’t wear all the colors. I mean I know I can wear whatever I want, but some colors just don’t look great on me. I tried at least a dozen DIY color analyses: David Zyla, Lora Alexander, Leatrice Eisman, the 1980’s Color Me Beautiful, Carol Tuttle typing, Truth is Beauty, Christine Scaman, and several others. Using a photo of my face and image color picker gave me dusky cool colors, while some of the other “tests” resulted in dusky warm colors, some in bright colors, some in pale neutrals – I was more confused than ever. I finally forked over $250 for a professional in-person analysis and she determined I was a Light Spring. I don’t love the Easter Egg colors, and dressing in pastels at my age makes me look like I’m on the way to church or the golf course. At this point I have given up finding colors that suit me and am back to just wearing colors I love! In other words I did all that and ended up where you started. 🤣
Still I am obsessed with color theory and style analysis and I gobble up every book, blog, and video I can find. I loved your last color series and I’m excited to see what’s next for you with your new hair color.
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I love that you’re revisiting this! I think my biggest question would be working towards wardrobe cohesion with a palette. Especially since I feel like I kind of have two palettes, between my usual blues/greens/ black and then my sudden urge every year to wear all the fall colors. 😂
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a) yes ! love playing with colours palettes too ^^
b) how to incorporate “bad” (season level) colour with that ones that suit better, i did warm for tops and blue (various shades of cold blue) for bottoms. I love contrast, complementary and triade palettes, it is quite difficult to find an exact shade and the fabric that match them, so I don’t really follow the rules of “my season” (and i love all colors ^^)
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a. Yes, I am interested! b. I struggle knowing what colors I should choose and how they relate to the colors I like to wear. I enjoy reading about your processes and learning from you. Thank you!
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I’d be fascinated to read more. I’m trying to work with colour palettes that work on me too, and the need to rebuild my wardrobe recently means I’m aiming to fit my clothes into clusters that mix and match. I’m using grey, navy and brown instead of black as neutrals; black washes me out. But I also love muted jewel colours, purples, pink, shocking pink, burgundy, turquoise, amber, mustard – brighter in summer, more muted in winter.
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This is really interesting. I’m confused and suspicious about how m colours seem to change from summer to winter. I go darker in summer and lighter in winter, how do I work out what suits both? Our weather isn’t suited to putting clothes in storage, we wear fairly similar clothes all week ear round. Love to all, mwah xx
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Yes I’m interested. No, I don’t have a palette. I have a somewhat haphazard color/ fabric choices that don’t always work out. I probably should get help with the colors. My hair is about 50% grey so what I wore before doesn’t necessarily work anymore.
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I enjoy your musing, so have at it.I am not stymied, but find I need to reevaluate my color preferences as my hair after darkening for decades, is now lightening and silvering.
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Seeing your post in my feed brightened my day. This series was how I discovered your blog. So I wanted to send you my gratitude and love.
Looking forward to the upcoming posts. 🙂
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Uh oh, this is where someone tells me that “black” isn’t a palette, right?
It turns out I wear almost all black, and always some black. I supplement it with: Forest green/hunter green, plus some army green, Carribean and cerulean blues (I have some other blues but I never reach for them), Merlot/burgundy and cherry (blue tint) red, dark almost cherry pink, and medium pink/coral tones, heather light grey, darker smoke grey, and camel/tan/linen colours usually when I’m trying for a more professional look and am disappointed by the colours available in professional women’s wear. Also some pops of white, especially in geometric black & white prints, and the occasional bit of purple/orange/yellow to round out a rainbow effect, always with black as an achor. Looking at my wardrobe is kinda funny, but I find it comfortable, and accessible. I will gladly wear ALL THE COLOURS as long as they’re jewel toned, rainbowish, and deeply saturated. I rarely switch it up for seasons, or even parts of the world. I yam who I yam and it transports from winter in Canada to endless summer in southeast asia, and everywhere in between.
I also got thinking about this more with one of your earlier posts, and through your blogs. I love the colours you pick for you, and I’ve developed a much better understanding of the colours I pick for me, fashion be damned! 😀
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BLACK + RAINBOW WOOL is definitely a palette!!! You look good, you feel good, and it works for your life. Perfect! (And you share great cast-offs at my clothing swaps!)
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I have wondered how your hair colour change has influenced your palette! I have to be honest – right now, I’ve never cared less about clothing. I’m wearing the same pjs for days at a time. I realize I have to get a grip on this but, honestly, between work and life (in these crazy times) – I’m not leaving the house. And, apparently, I’m not one of those people who dresses up while staying home. I’m sure my attitude will change cuz, I learned today, that I’ll be working from home for at least another month. I haven’t put on lipstick in 2 weeks, something that hasn’t happened since I was 16.
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Hi great site!
I can answer honestly bthat I’ve struggled for years to find my colour palette. Way back in the 90s I was told I was winter, then clear spring or possibly a summer!
I have naturally mid -dark brown hair, light skin tone (cool) and grey-green eyes. However I was copper as a child and freckle now 🤷🏻♀️ open to any advice out there 🙂
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