If you’ve been one of my long time blog readers, or a client, you’d be aware that black is not the most flattering color if you have warm colouring or muted/soft colouring, or even light colouring. This is because black’s color properties are:
- Cool Undertone
- Dark/Deep
- Bright/Clear
If you have colouring like mine, as these are my color properties too, black is a great neutral, which is why I wear it. If not, you will find that there are many other great neutrals you can choose from. Here are my tips on neutrals for:
- brunettes
- blondes
- redheads
- silver foxes
But so many of my clients will tell me that it’s hard not to buy black as there often so much of it in stores. So here are my tips to avoid buying black.
1. Get a colour analysis. You may have had one years ago, but your colouring can change as you age, and up-to-date swatch will help you find the colours and that includes neutrals, that suit you best right now.
2. Take your swatch shopping. Your swatch is a tool to help you find the 50 000 colours that suit you. Yes it may only have around 50 colours in it, but what you’re looking for is if the colours that you put next to the swatch ‘go with’ the colours in the swatch, they don’t have to match exactly, but look like they’re in the same family, with the same kinds of color properties – soft with soft, warm with warm, bright with bright etc.
3. Pretend black is lime green or mustard yellow or whatever color is one that you’d personally never wear. Learn to look past the black clothes and start seeing the myriad of other colours that are available. Many people often don’t see the other neutral options because they’ve got into the habit of buying black.
4. Find some great neutrals that suit you that you can base your wardrobe around. Then you’ll get into a new neutral habit and break your black habit as you notice when you do put on black that it’s not as flattering as those great colours you have been wearing. You don’t want to create a double chin with black!
Remember that black may not be your best friend.
