Combining colours with confidence!

Did you know that by combining interesting colours together, your outfit takes on a whole different look? In the simplest form, adding colours to base colours like black, grey and brown can give amazing results. For instance, if you are wearing all black, then a bright, chunky necklace in a fabulous colour will make others stop and say 'gosh, you are looking great today'. Even if you are wearing the same old clothes you have been for ages.

People can become obsessed with matching. So often I see a woman walking down the street wearing say a black and white patterned skirt, with a black top and black shoes. Well co-ordinated you say, but to my eye I see TOO much matching and zero added colour. I would have her in the skirt, a coloured top and maybe silver sandals with matching or colour contrasting jewellery.

What colours go with what you ask? Cool colours with cool, warm with warm. Lets take burnt orange. A safe combination would be with brown, a daring partner would be with the sludgy light green that is currently out in the shops. I wear these two colours together often and always have people say 'wow, I wouldn't have put those together but they really do work" in a very bemused voice!

Wearing colours does take confidence, but the key is to start slowly and work up to combining your colours together. I helpful hint is to look at the colours on patterned skirts, dresses and accessories. Often these are well combined - but not always! So if you pick up that dark purple skirt with bright lime green swirls, then yes, you can see the colours together look amazing. If the skirt scares you, think about buying a purple T-shirt and a simple long string of lime green beads with a pair of jeans. Easy, but a fun and interesting outfit.

Trudi www.wardrobeflair.com