Can you Combine Colours?

The above shawl was designed by  Melanie Berg aka Mairlynd as part of the Fell Garth Range in the most beautiful colourful ‘Cumbria’ fibre and is available to view on The Fibre Co. website.   This photo was taken in Cumbria by Tommy Martin , styled by me  Maggi Toner-Edgar and worn by Debbie Ingram. These colours make you want to knit something in preparation for the colder weather returning.  this summer has been so colourful – lets just keep those colours going all winter.

This summer’s colour schemes have been influenced by neon and brightly colour-blocked sportswear. If you love colour, but don’t want your colours to be too  garish, here are a few ideas.

Choose one of three methods

1. Monochrome = entire outfit in one bold colour or shades of a similar colour.

2. Separates = mix garments of 2 or 3 complimentary combinations.

3. Let the designer do it for you = buy one colour-blocked garment, then match accessories to it.

For No.2 Separates – try Complimentary colours, which are opposites on the colour wheel (I prefer almost opposite combinations) – bright contrasts.  Analogous colour schemes, are colours next to each other on the colour wheel, slightly more harmonious. Two to three colours work best in an outfit, especially if one of them is a Neutral colour (black, grey, white or nude).

The secret is to ensure the focus is on you, rather than what you are wearing, choose a favourite colour that flatters your complexion. If you are not sure of the best colours for you, don’t give up! Just try a few two-tone accessories, or  stay confident and ensure that your colourful summer continues through the autumn as it lifts your spirits and makes you look and feel so much better when you wear  colours you love that suit you the best!

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Athleisure

Athleisure

I am sure you have noticed how cool people look on their way to the gym – even if  they’re not?

Increasingly, daywear looks more like sportswear, including stretchy, high tec sporty fabrics. When Stella McCartney designed our Olympic team GB’s kit, suddenly everyone was wearing neon trainers and colour blocked clothing with go faster stripes. She produces great sportswear, as do other brands which are springing up everywhere. If you fancy getting into stocks and shares, I predict that athleisure is here for some time to come.

Whether it is yoga, pilates, running or dance (it is really specific to each sport these days) the garments are usually very well-made. When people wear fabulous sports gear, they look like they are really good at it – somehow that they know what they are doing – even if this is not the case. This is how we are – it is amusing how clothes make us feel emotionally, how uniforms affect us!

There is so much thick spandex in use, it has become like the playtex corsets our mothers used to wear. Strange how previously corsets were physical restraints to look slim, now for women the restraints are uniforms to become slim.

Figure Types

Do you know which figure type you fit into and how to use proportions and garment shapes to enhance or emphasise your form?

If you have been to one of my events or talks and took part in identifying figure types then please download one of these leaflets.  They are of course generalised statements and all women tend to be a mixture of two figure types, e.g. Slim and Latina etc.  If you wish to have a consultation to see where you fit in with these six body types, then contact me on blog, twitter or Facebook and we can do an online consultation.

1.   If  you are an even figure type top and bottom with a waistline 8″ smaller or more, then you might fit the curvy jude shape.

Curvy Jude 

2.   If you have larger hips and thighs by about 2″ then the Latina (Pear-shape) is the shape for you.

Julie Pear Shaped

3.   If you have a very average to small, slim figure type quite even all over but not very   curvy. Then you probably fit the Slim Jess type.

Slim Jess 

4.  If you have a fuller figure with weight mostly at the top half and a waistline not much smaller than your bust, then you may be similar to a guitar shape, curvy but not as curvy as an hourglass or curvy Jude.

Guitar Jenny

5.   If you have a Bust measurement larger than your hips then you could be similar to the Busty Jane figure type.

Busty Jane

6.   If you are the slimmest figure type of all, carrying very little body fat, maybe even a model or training athlete you are a pencil thin figure type.

Thinnest Jan

Enjoy!  It is meant as light-hearted suggestions and not to be taken as  fixed rules, just a few methods, if you wish to balance things up a bit – if not, go with enhancing the differences and use clothing to emphasise what you have in your own personal creative way.