Colour Blocking

is a very popular trend ie wearing two or three blocks of colour at one time, usually very bright complementary hues (see Colour Terminology item)

Classic’s won’t feel comfortable with this so try wearing your favourite neutral and one colour, then add another colour in an accessory.

Expressive’s will be thrilled, just remember to be careful as colour blocks can very easily make you look shorter and wider.

Avoid wearing lighter or brighter colours on an area you prefer to camouflage, and remember a horizontal line adds width at that point. Understand your shape, use flattering lines to work it. If you’re a Triangle opt for darker colours on your bottom half. If you are a Rectangle, avoid horizontal blocks across the tummy. Minimise a large bust with a darker shade on top, do the opposite for a small bust. You need to be a tall Hourglass shape when colour blocking cuts you in half ie right on the waistline.

Remember to wear your best colours near your face. Winters & Springs wear Brights, Summers & Autumns wear Muted versions. One of the popular combinations is cobalt blue and orange ie a Cool and a Warm together. How can you make that work?

Either get the right colour near your face:

Winters: wear a bright cobalt blue nearest your face (and the bright orange away from it).

Summers: choose a greyed blue for near your face (a muted orange for away from it).

Springs: wear the bright orange near your face (the cobalt blue away from it).

Autumns: choose a burnt orange or a muted warm blue to wear near your face

Alternatively, substitute the ‘wrong’ hue for another fashion colour which is in your palette:

Winters: bright cobalt blue with shocking pink or raspberry red

Summers: smokey blue with muted pink or a soft berry tone

Springs: bright mandarin orange with warm aqua

Autumns: burnt orange with warm muted teal or blue