Do you wonder if getting a tan will change your colour palette? I know it's a question on many women's minds as it's one of my frequently asked colour questions.
Plus what should you match your shoes to in your outfit? Your hair, your clothes and accessory? What are the choices?
And finally, in the video, I'm sharing my tips on choosing a flattering column of colour - this time for a V shape body.
Watch the Video
0:15 : Does having a summer tan/some color allow you to wear higher contrast or darker colors in your pallet if you have a recommendation of overall light colours?
0:59 : If you don't want to match your shoes to your pants or hair, is it best to choose a color that is a skin enhancer or eye enhancer or something else altogether?
2:48 : Column of Colour for a V shape - is an inner or outer column best? How different can the values be between top and bottom to still be effective but also meet my body shape goals? (lighter on bottom).
The Impact of a Summer Tan
Let me first say, if you fake tan, these are all warm and particularly spray tans will make your complexion appear much warmer and can completely change your palette. That said, we are talking here about a natural tan, which your skin will tan and not change your undertone as there are both warm and cool versions of melanin and you'll have the one that relates to your undertone.
A tan can reduct your value contrast (the difference between the light and dark elements of your colouring) and it can up your colour contrast (as a tan can make your skin appear more coloured rather than neutral. If it does increase your colour contrast, then you may want to wear more colourful outfits during the time you have the tan.
It's unlikely to change your palette, but it will change how you put colours together in outfits.
You may also find that if you are very light (very fair hair), more medium value colours look better than the really light value colours that suit you well when you are not tanned.
A tan can also make you look less washed out if you are wearing colours that are not in your palette as it can disguise a little of the negative effect that the reflection of an unflattering colour has on your complexion.
How to Wear an Unflattering Colour
3 Ways to Choose the Best Colour for Your Shoes
- Do you want to make your legs look longer? Then choose a shoe that either matches your skin (if you're showing some skin by wearing a skirt or dress or cropped pants), or match the colour of your shoes to your trousers. This creates a longer unbroken vertical line of colour, and verticals elongate.
- You can also match shoe colour to your hair colour as this creates a visual loop, focusing the eye from the feet back up to the face, bookending you in a harmonious way. Hair colour shoes are ideal as your "multi-purpose" shoe colour that goes with most outfits, as you're always wearing your hair.
- Match your shoes to another element of your outfit, relate the colour to something else in your outfit rather than wearing a shoe in a colour that is different from every other colour in your outfit. This helps to create flow in your outfit.
Top 6 Ways to Choose Shoes to Go With Your Outfit
How Do You Select the Most Flattering Column of Colour?
Should you select an inner or outer column?
- An outer column is the same colour bottom with jacket or outer layer.
- An inner column is the same colour on your top and your bottom, but you can have an alternate outer layer such as jacket or cardigan.
How do you marry up your body shape recommendations - such as for a V shape wearing lighter on the bottom and darker on the top, with also wearing a column of colour?
You can use shape to create the balance with your body shape, if you want to wear only a top and bottom (and not use a column of colour)
For a V shape you could do an outer column of colour where the jacket ends at your thighs, adding horizontal details down low to provide body balance.
You can do an inner column and just balance your shape using the design of garments, such as wearing a fit and flare shaped dress or skirt, or a wide leg pant.
Not sure of your body shape? Take my free body shape calculator quiz here and download your body shape bible for all the tips and recommendations to flatter your shape.
5 Simple Steps to Choosing a Patterned Garment in a Column of Colour
