How to Wear Colour When You Own Mostly Black
You do not need a new wardrobe. You need one good colour, in the right place, worn with confidence.
Black is a wonderful default and a poor habit. The trouble is not that it is dull but that it stops you noticing everything else: the way a good colour can lift a face, or turn a simple outfit into a deliberate one.
Start with one colour and one place. A rust scarf. A cobalt knit. A bottle-green bag. Then follow these three rules:
- Pick near your face. Colour works hardest where it reflects light onto your skin, so begin with a scarf, a jumper or a collar.
- Keep the rest quiet. Let the colour be the single idea, and keep everything around it neutral.
- Wear it three times before you decide. A colour you are not used to will feel loud for a week. Give it time.
🎨
A shortcut. Look at the inside of your favourite flower, painting or postcard. The colours that sit together there will usually sit together on you.
Written by
Imogen Vale
Fashion director. Writes about tailoring, the economics of getting dressed, and why most people already own enough.
More in Fashion
