Its always Time to Color the World

Polyvore

I love color! You may or may not have noticed yet, but Color is all around us. Rainbows fascinate and catch our eye. We love to plant different colors of flowers for spring, the winter snow is pure, quiet and beautiful against the dark green and brown of trees and bushes hibernating for the long winter. 

The 1998 movie Pleasantville about the perfect 1950’s town in black and white, sure their lives were great in black and white. But in color, fun, intrigue and excitement didn’t return really come around until color entered their lives. Why not feel the same way with clothing. 

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."
           -Coco Chanel 

Shopping the Racks: 

1. Look for Colors and Patterns you are drawn too, and don't be afraid of the shape. There are so many styles that designers are working to make them work for multiple  shapes and sizes.  Pull out each item and examine the size, shape, and style. If you have any incline towards it, TRY it! Dressing rooms are great and if you are like me and ever feel insecure. Remember you are beautiful.  

"Since love grows within you, so beauty grows.                                                           For love is the beauty of the soul." 

-Saint Augustine

2. Know your body. Holding up clothing and trying to visualize on you, sometimes can work for people and I know from personal experience some of my favorite pieces were found by not trying them on. But I always try to remember my body shape. and the silhouette that matches my shape. 

I try not to discredit items on the hanger. For example, today I was at Ross and saw this dress that was adorable, form fitting navy blue dress in the peplum style. I was hesitant about the peplum style due to my hip size already. I don't want to add to my hips. While this style has deterred me for a while.

I tried one on and, it was actually cute! It was absolutely adorable and made me feel good about my hips, waist, and bust ratio. While I decided not to get the dress (zipper was broken and missing teeth) that didn't mean I didn't like it. I now know that I would try this style again and in shirts and other types of dresses. 

"Beauty is when you can appreciate yourself. When you love yourself, that's when you're most beautiful."

-Zoe Kravitz

3. Take pictures. Have you ever tried to find a pair of shoes to go with your favorite dress? A shirt to match that new skirt? or the printed jeans you just got? Of course, ever human has gone in search of the perfect something.  Bring a camera with you to the store and take pictures, if you have a smart phone great, but just make sure you can take pictures and use them to look at your items. You can then create the outfit on your phone and complete in the dressing room. 

"It sounds like a cliche but I also learnt that you're not going to fall for the right person until you really love yourself and feel good about how you are."

-Emma Watson

4. Love yourself!  Does that not sound like every cliche in the book? I figured! But it is true, to find clothing in colors that you don't think of, you must know yourself. 
for example, what is your skin tone? are you more rosy or olive complexion. Tan, fair or deep. Is your hair red, brown, black, blue or green? what is your body shape and what do you love most about yourself and what do you like the least. Once you know yourself. Love and embrace yourself. 

   I have golden red hair, greenish blue eyes, rosy tan complexion and I know that I could lose weight. I hate the way my legs look in the mirror, but I love them because I still have two, I can still walk. I have good strong leg muscles and my hips are well formed. I know that I have a lot to be thankful for in my hips and could use a lot of work in my hips as well. 

   Yellow and Orange are colors I have to be careful of due to my hair and complexion. But that doesn't mean I don't wear them. One of my favorite dresses is yellow and its hue is just right for me. I love to wear dark brown like the color chocolate because it makes my eyes pop. 

Pink is a color I do not own enough of. I am not extremely fond of the color, but there are always reasons to have pink about your wardrobe. 

Patterns are not Scary:

I love cheetah and polka dots together. They have similar shapes and can have a similar color scheme while being different enough to be different. In a similar scheme, not the exact same colors you are trendy, fun, and exciting without being an eye sore or drawing too much attention. Too much and you could have the look of a (insert bad word) woman that you always told yourself you wouldn't resemble.  

Cute, Fun, Fashion Forward. 

 I love this photo, It shows how to add fun fashion in different aspects of your wardrobe. With this, throw in a black fit and flare skirt with a green, blue, or red top and some gold jewlery. It would make a great outfit for walking down the streets of NY or just going to work in a nice office building. 

Mixing patterns can also be more simple, stripes and prints, flowers and stripes. Polka dots and flowers. You name it you can mix it. Fashion favors the bold and allows for creativity and unique style. With that there is freedom and trial and error. I hang my clothing in my closet by outfits for the week. It helps so I don't have to go and look for ideas last minute but it also allows for me to hang them up next to other items and compare and decide how they would look together. 

The mixture of textures can also be unique. Try Jean and sequins, or possibly a nice blazer with a tank top and necklace. Add a sweater to a collared shirt and pop it up a little. I personally have this great dress that I wear with a purple collar and a cheetah sweater that is absolutely warm and beautiful. I wear the sweater over the dress and the purple and cheetah complement each other in such a way that I am able to make a unique outfit, and just to be fun I add pink heels to the mix. Does that seem like a lot of color? Its not, the dark browns of the cheetah are neutral while the purple and pink are bright and happy with just the right amount of spunk and sass.

I love mixing shoes. I have this pair of brown heels that are a quilted design, with flowers, gingham, stripes and polka dots. Its cork heel add to the uniqueness of the heel and makes for an even better shoe that I add to some dresses, dress pants, even jeans.


Adding the color is not hard and being afraid is not the answer. Take some time to experiment with your favorite colors and patterns and see what you can do to add to the outfit. I know I use Polyvore to make outfits out of my own wardrobe and those items I really wish could be in my closet.
My challenge to you. Mix two patterns in your closet. weather it be shoes and skirt, skirt and shirt. dress and sweater or any other combination you can think and share them with me. I would love to see what you can come up with.

Love
Katelyn-Libbie

P.S
Paint your World your own way!