STYLE BY SONECA

Color Confidence

A Guide To Colorful Outfit Pairing

By soneCa Guadara

People always say to me, “I wish I could wear color like you, Soneca,” or “I don’t look good in color,” or “I never know how to wear color.”

I get it. Wearing vibrant looks is daunting, and the risk of looking like a child’s coloring book is real. But the truth is everyone can wear bold, bright and beautiful outfits. All it takes is confidence, coupled with a bit of knowledge about color theory and why different colors work together.

So, consider this a “How To Wear More Color 101.” I’ll walk you through not only how to find shades you will automatically look amazing in, but also how to use basic color theory to put together some fabulous outfits. Let’s do this!

Colors That Everyone Looks Good In

There are three colors that suit everyone – red, teal and purple. That’s because in their purest forms, these colors are equally cool and warm (more on that in a minute), which means they work with all skin tones. If you’re shy about wearing color, then these three are a great place to start.

Red is a strong choice that always adds impact to even the simplest of looks. Red is amazing teamed with black and/or white. For a stylish nautical-inspired look that is always on trend, why not try a red lip with a navy ensemble? A quick word of warning about red: look for a “true” red. A red with more of a “fiery” quality is warmer (great if you’re warm-toned) and a more “pinky” red is cooler (yup, you guessed it; good for cool toned complexions).

Teal is an unusual color that is much more versatile than you’d think. Try teal with baby blue or navy for a fun color pop, or pair with either pink or orange toned coral for a striking contrast. Other fabulous teal combinations include yellow, baby pink, white, silver and gold.

A rich, true purple always adds “wow” to any look. You could pair with black or white to home in on your outfit’s purple component. Tonal purple dressing is fun too. Team a rich aubergine with a soft lilac and accentuate with either gold or silver accessories. Alternatively, purple will “pop” against orange, yellow and aqua. When it comes to any other color other than “The Flattering Three” you can wear it, so long as you choose the right shade. That’s where “warm” and “cool” come into play.

Figuring out which colors work with your natural complexion is something called color analysis or knowing your color season. Have you ever heard someone say they are a spring, or a muted autumn? Maybe a deep winter? That person will have done a color analysis.

There are lots of color consultants out there, and any good fashion stylist – like me – should be able to tell you your color season. I’m not going to delve too deeply into specific seasons because I don’t want you to feel too prescribed to a small palette when trying to experiment with colorful outfits. But by understanding if your base coloring is “cool” or “warm” finding the right shades to wear is much easier.

Lots of people misdiagnose themselves because they don’t really understand what “cool” or “warm” and “light” or “dark” mean in coloring terms. It certainly can be confusing if you’re new to this.

Cool doesn’t automatically mean pale and warm doesn’t automatically mean tanned. What “cool” or “warm” refers to is your skin’s undertones. That’s whether your skin is more pink or yellow. Your skin tone (the top color) changes with age, environmental factors and exposure to the sun, but your undertone (the pink or yellow bit) won’t.

Your hair and eye color also help determine which colors will suit you. Cool toned people usually have bright blue, light grey, greyed hazel or deepest brown eyes. Warm toned eyes are most likely to be green, turquoise or a rich chocolate brown.

Meanwhile, warm hair will have a red hue to it and cool hair will have an ashier quality. This isn’t always in-your-face, which is why sometimes it’s difficult to tell. If you do have naturally red hair, then you’re warm toned. And black? Most certainly cool. With any other shade, you need to look for red/ honey/chocolate tones for warm, as opposed to platinum/muted/soft shades for cool.

I never realized I was warm toned because I am naturally fair with light eyes and fair-ish hair. In fact, I have a definite golden glow. On closer inspection, I realized my eyes have a greenish color through them and my (natural) hair has a strawberry blonde undertone – both definite warm traits.

The Vein Test If they have a slight greenish hue then you’re warm toned. If they look more of an obvious blue, then you’re cool toned. I tried to find good photos illustrating the different shades of veins for you but I nearly fainted. I’m squeamish like that.

The Jewelry Test This isn’t which you like most, but which makes your skin tone “glow.” If gold illuminates your skin the most then you’re warm toned. If it’s silver then, you guessed it, you’re cool toned.

The White Paper/White Towel Test If you place your

hand on a sheet of pure white paper or hold either white paper or a white towel to your face, hopefully either a yellow or pinky tint will be obvious to you.

There is an exception to the cool/warm tone split, and that’s olive toned. If you’re struggling to see yourself as obviously pinky-bluey or yellowy then you might be a neutral olive. Like warm and cool, olive skin can be both lighter and darker. The thing to look out for is a slight green tint to your skin. It might take a moment to see it, but if you’ve ever found it a total nightmare to find a foundation to match your skin it’s very possible, you are olive toned. The good news is you olives can rock both cool and warm shades, which is great if you’re looking to wear all the colorful outfits.

Using The Color Wheel To Inspire Your Outfits

If you’re serious about wearing color, then you need to have a look at your color wheel. The standard approach is to split the color wheel into its warm and cool tones and keep those colors together in your outfits. This works, and if you know your personal coloring – i.e., whether you yourself are cool or warm toned, this is a great way to wear colorful outfits that really suit you. That’s why blue and green look good together, as well as orange and yellow.

You can also use a more in-depth color wheel to keep your outfit tonal. This will demonstrate shades and tones of a color – i.e., what that color looks like with different degrees of black and white mixed through. For example, if you owned a lot of blush pink, you could accentuate that with one hot pink piece, or baby blue with a rich, cobalt blue. On the warmer side of the spectrum, camel looks great with orange.

Then there’s complimentary color pairing, and this for me is when your outfit will really pop. What this means is taking colors directly opposite each other on the color wheel, like orange and blue or purple and yellow. There’s also triadic (and tetradic – that means four) color schemes, where again colors are equally spaced on the color wheel. That’s why red, yellow and blue just work together. Triadic color pairing can feel a bit “clowny” or childish looking to most people, so proceed with caution if you’re not going for a bold look.

Try to keep different colors in the same outfit of the same tone or saturation. Pastels with pastels and bright with bright will keep your styling looking deliberate. For example, in these photos my dress is vibrant in a deep purple color. I paired the dress with silver/clear tone shoe to not take away from the dress.

How To Add Color To Your Outfit

Now you’ve nailed your perfect colors, and you’re a pro at teaming them together, here’s some colorful outfit ideas to get you started:

Choose comfy pieces A colorful jumpsuit is so easy to throw on, but you’ll instantly feel like you’ve tried. The top half of your outfit is also what people will

results in the glass wiggling a bit when you pull the grab handle. And when you lower your windows while see when you’re sat at a desk or a dining table, so driving, the glass tends to bounce around. It reminds it makes sense to start here. Plus, if wearing color me a bit of the days of being in a school bus, rattles is out of your comfort zone, then at least the outfit and all. That’s not the experience I was hoping for. itself will be comfortable, right? food-handling guidelines and ServSafe protocols and can tailor meals to meet any dietary restrictions or food Lastly, the suspension in the Black Diamond and Wear lipstick in a complementary color Now you’re allergies a recipient may have. Wildtrak variants I piloted were firm. Bumps are felt hot on your color theory, it’s time to show it off with throughout the cabin, especially in the shorter wheelsome complementary color pairing! Go for a red or orange-toned lipstick with a blue outfit, or a purple shade with a yellow outfit. A bold eyeshadow is another fun option, although I’d advise sticking with Holly Ingraham, a Wallington wife and mother, is among the local volunteers have been delivering compassion — one tray at a time. base, two-door variant. If you want a more leisurely experience, opt for the four-door that boasts a 16-inch longer wheelbase. Pure physics smooths out the ride a touch but know it won’t work miracles. colorful lipstick or eyeshadow. A child playing in her mom’s makeup bag is not the look we’re after here. “When we were earlier on in the pandemic (pre-vaccine, mid-winter surge), I wanted to find a tangible way to So, that’s the rub. The Bronco boasts some truly great attributes but it’s not perfect. It strikes me as a bit of a Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize If you are still help out,” she explained. “Donating money just wasn’t enough.” novelty, honestly. Overall, it reminds me of a roofless and less refined F-150 pick-up truck. Of course, this cautious about color, then accessories are you biggest begs the question: Why not just get an F-150? Unless friend. Whether it’s a hat, bag, chunky necklace, After learning about Lasagna Love from a friend in you plan on doing heavy-duty off-roading, that’s what dangly earrings or a scarf, that little touch of color Virginia, Ingraham put on an apron and got to work. I’d recommend. instantly up-levels a simple outfit. It’s details like Since January 2021, she has made and delivered 30 this that show you’ve styled your look, instead of just meals; this year she’s already done seven. If you’re comparing the Bronco to a Jeep Wrangler thrown something on. though, that’s a different story. To me, the Jeep doesn’t “I’ve had the honor of cooking for frontline first stand a chance anymore. Provided you can score Pull the colors from your prints How many of us responders, families grieving a loved one, people out of a Bronco without the $5,000-$15,000 markup that

NJ-area dealers are charging. will team printed skirt or trousers with a plain black or white top? Well, you’re a color queen now, so that just won’t cut it. Look for the subtle color running through a check, or the smaller color pops in a jazzy work, recovering from surgery, having just brought floral print, for example. Wearing a top or match a newborn home, and so much more. I know that ing jewelry in this color shows you really know your I’m making a difference for these families, even if stuff and will score you some serious style points. it is a small one. I can help ease their burden for a meal or two, which is why I continue to cook,” Look to social media for inspiration Ingraham said. I still regularly

turn to Pinterest and Instagram for ideas on how to The ongoing pandemic — coupled with rising prices wear more color. Don’t be afraid to do the same. You due to inflation and supply chain issues — have only can take inspiration from influencers, then work a exacerbated food insecurity levels, nationally and more pared-down version of their bold shade pair locally. ings if you’re not totally confident. Even prior to COVID, at least one in 14 Bergen I’d love to see your fresh color combinations. Feel County residents had limited or uncertain access to free to tag me in your outfit posts on Instagram an adequate supply of nutritional food. @styledbysoneca. Be bold and live colorfully. Since Spring 2020, local food pantries have seen a 50 percent increase in clients and some sites have reported a 200 percent spike in visitors, a recent survey by county officials found.

Are you looking for more colorful outfit ideas using the clothes you already have? My personal service offers just that. Want to learn how to dress vibrantly download my free ebook at www.stylebysoneca.com. Continued on page 72