Sunday, February 8, 2009

Restored: Colors That Flatter Everyone






Today I found a cashmere sweater at a thrift store while shopping with my sister. The sweater's a like-new turtleneck from Nordstrom's in a pretty teal color.

I don't normally buy this color, but I decided to throw the sweater into the five-dollars-a-bag bag when I remembered something I read a few years back. It's an article from Real Simple Magazine about colors that flatter every skin tone.

The colors are "true red," "Indian" teal, "mellow rose," and eggplant.

Here's what the article says:

"Some colors work for all skin tones and hair colors, because they fall into the middle of the color spectrum, meaning they're not too warm or too cool," says Leatrice Eiseman, author of The Color Answer Book (Capital Books) and director of the Pantone Color Institute (http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/index.aspx), the international authority on color.

The Pantone Color Institute site is also very interesting reading if you like color, or would like to know who the people are who decide what colors are going to be trendy next year in fashion and home decorating and stuff like that.

The 2009 "Color of the Year" is a brightish yellow-gold called "Mimosa." I'm not sure this color looks good on everyone--I know one person who won't be wearing it--but that's just me.

Moral of my story: With my new dark-framed bifocals, my cashmere turtleneck kind of makes me look like Velma from Scooby-Doo. It's not because of the color, though. I love the sweater. I that it cost me fifty cents. And I love the color: Indian teal.

4 comments:

Gal Friday said...

Cashmere for 50 cents?! I am SO envious of(and happy)your most excellent find. (being that I am a thrift store shopper and cashmere fan)

I don't know that I would look good in the pink color(above) or feel good in the dark purple--I have to feel good in the color, too, to wear it. I feel best and think I look best in in emerald green, white, hot pink and turquoise shades.

Zuzana said...

I LOVE colours in my clothes. Everyone here in the north wears black and very dark colors in the winter, but not me.
The golden "Mimosa" I am sure I would wear; as I am dark, it would fit me well.
Glad yo found a way of restoring your posts.;)

Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP said...

I have to say I don't agree with the red and rose colours - I find pinks and reds are the most telling - the right ones make us look fabulous, the wrong ones make us look terrible.

Other 'universal' colours are taupe, stone and marine navy, plus of course charcoal - but these are more in the neutral variety.

sallymandy said...

Tina: yes, it was a deal. It turns out it's not the greatest quality cashmere...(which I think warrants a separate post someday). My sister lives in a part of the state where you can often find $5/bag thrift store sales.

Protege: I'd love to see how you look in that yellow. It's such an uplifting color. Pretty sure it wouldn't work for me, though.

Imogen: Yes, I had the same thought at first about the red in particular. I wonder if since these colors in her story are all in the middle of the warm/cool range, if they kind of look acceptable on everyone but not fantastic on anyone...?