Struggling to Find Clothes in Your Color Palette? Here’s What to Do
Have you ever felt like the universe is conspiring against your wardrobe? You know your colours, and you’ve done the work, but somehow, after countless hours of shopping both in-store and online, you still can’t find anything that fits the bill. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
A lovely reader with a summer complexion and white hair—much like mine—reached out recently with a dilemma that might resonate with many of you. Despite her diligent efforts, she’s spent a year and a half searching for tops, skirts, and pants in her color palette with little success. It’s a frustrating experience and one that can leave you questioning whether you’re ever going to find what you need.
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Struggling to Find Clothes in Your Color Palette? Here’s What to Do
Have you ever felt like the universe is conspiring against your wardrobe? You know your colours, and you’ve done the work, but somehow, after countless hours of shopping both in-store and online, you still can’t find anything that fits the bill. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Joan, a reader with a summer complexion and white hair—much like mine—reached out recently with a dilemma that might resonate with many of you. Despite her diligent efforts, she’s spent a year and a half searching for tops, skirts, and pants in her color palette with little success. Shopping can be a frustrating experience, and one that can leave you questioning whether you’re ever going to find what you need.
But before you throw in the towel, let’s take a step back and reassess.
Are You Using Your Colour Palette Correctly?
You are not supposed to have to match the colours in your palette exactly. Think of your color palette as an executive summary of the 50,000 colours that you can wear. Rather than match exactly, the colours you are looking for should look like they blend with your palette (check out my post here on exactly how to do this). It would be almost impossible to ever find clothing to match a very small palette of colours because even in dye lots colours change slightly. What you’re looking for is the color to blend, to be in the same family – similar undertone, intensity and value as your palette, not to match any particular color specifically. This is something I show my clients in their personal color analysis – how to look for colours that go with their palette.
Are the Colors Really Missing, or Is It Something Else?
It’s easy to believe that the colours you need simply aren’t out there. However, in my experience, there are always colours available for every palette—though they might not be the exact shade you’ve envisaged. Fashion trends ebb and flow, and sometimes a specific color isn’t in vogue. But if you’re not finding anything in your palette, the issue might not be the color availability but rather the style or fit of the clothing.
Ask yourself: Are you rejecting clothes that technically fit your color palette because the style doesn’t appeal to you? Or perhaps the fit isn’t quite right, so you pass on something that might have worked otherwise. If this rings true, it might be time to consider alternative solutions.
Customisation: The Key to Unlocking Your Perfect Wardrobe
If your style or fit preferences are the primary roadblocks, consider the possibility of customization. There are two powerful ways to take control of your wardrobe:
- Alterations are Not a Sign of Failure: Maybe you’ve found something that fits your palette and you can get on, but it doesn’t fit well, maybe some alterations are the way to go to make the garment fit like a glove. Check out my posts on easy and hard alterations, and the alterations you may need to do based on your body shape. Remember that retail fashion is mass-produced and you are a unique individual.
- Have Clothes Made: If you can’t find the styles you love in your colours, why not sew it yourself or have something custom-made? This allows you to choose fabrics in your palette and ensure the fit and style align with your personal preferences. While this option might seem daunting, it can be incredibly rewarding. There are countless online resources to help you find patterns and fabrics that suit your needs, and if sewing isn’t your forte, many tailors specialize in custom clothing.
Here’s a dress I made (because I couldn’t find a summer dress in stores that fit my colours and personal style
And then I made it again in a different fabric. - Dyeing Your Clothes: Another creative solution is to dye clothing in your desired colours. Natural fibres like cotton, silk and linen are especially suited to this process. If you find a garment you love in white or another light, easily dyeable colour, consider overdyeing it to match your palette. There’s a wealth of information available on how to safely and effectively dye fabrics, allowing you to expand your wardrobe without compromising on colour, check out the posts here on how to overdye your clothes.
- Customise Your Clothes: Alternatively, maybe you can find a garment that fits OK and is a good color but it’s dull and boring. Why not think about customisation. There are lots of ways to add interest and detail to your clothes to make them unique to you.
I customised this jacket with the embellishment to take it from plain and give it some pizzazz up in the portrait area (a great way to draw attention to your face).
A Personal Journey in Sewing
I understand the frustration of not finding what you’re looking for. In fact, it’s what led me back to sewing. As a teenager, I sewed many of my clothes, but over time, and as I became busy with work and family I drifted away from it. Recently, however, I found myself dissatisfied with the styles and colours available in stores, so I returned to making some of my own clothes. It’s empowering to take control of your wardrobe this way, especially when the market doesn’t offer what you need.
Of course, I still shop and find pieces that work perfectly, but when I don’t, I’m no longer stuck. I can make what I want, in the colors I love, with a fit that feels right for me.
Your Wardrobe, Your Way
If you too are struggling with finding the clothes and styles you want in stores, remember that you have options. Whether you choose to customize your clothes through altering, tailoring or dyeing—or even learn to sew your own garments—you can take control of your wardrobe. Your perfect pieces are out there; they just might require a little extra creativity to bring them to life.
Embrace the challenge, and let your wardrobe reflect not just your color palette, but your personal style and confidence as well. After all, fashion is about expressing who you are, and sometimes that means stepping outside the conventional shopping experience to create something uniquely yours.
The more you know about what really suits you, your body, colouring and personality the easier it is to make great decisions when shopping. So often we hesitate when we’re just not sure if something is really right or wrong for us. This is where getting your education in color and style is so vital as it give you the personalised guidelines to follow, whether shopping or making your own clothing. Find out more about getting your style education here.
Shop For Your Palette
Because it can be hard to identify colours to go with your palette, I created an Amazon Storefront and have been regularly adding garments in to it for each of my 18 Absolute Colour System Palettes.
If you’ve had a seasonal analysis and are looking for some possible hits try the following palettes:
Cool Undertones:
Winter: Dramatic, Mysterious, Dynamic
Soft Winter: Elegant, Sophisticated
Summer: Sublime, Serene, Tranquil
Clear Summer: Refined
Warm Undertones:
Spring: Radiant, Zesty
Soft Spring: Spicy, Intriguing, Exquisite
Autumn: Exotic, Enigmatic
Bright Autumn: Rich, Opulent