Adding Color to Your Capsule Wardrobe

Clothing is a part of our everyday life. Whether dressing up for an event or throwing on sweatpants to run to the store, what we wear tells a story about who we are. One of my favorite parts of being a personal stylist is helping women discover their color palettes. A color palette is a compilation of a person’s best colors based off of their features and personalities. When I started my styling business, one thing I found is that many people are overwhelmed with shopping and styling their wardrobe simply because they don’t know what colors to pick!

I wanted to create an easy way for my clients to be able to identify their colors while they were out shopping or putting together outfits. Out of this need came color palette books! I love sitting down with a client and going through their personalized colors. It’s a joy to watch them go from being unsure about the clothing they wear to having full confidence when they shop and style outfits! Figuring out what your color palette is may seem daunting but I’ve come up with a few easy steps that will point you in the right direction.

Hair, Skin, Eyes

When I’m creating a palette for someone the first thing I do is look at their hair, skin, and eye color. You want the colors you wear to bring out your  features, not hide them, so finding the colors that go best with your features is the perfect place to start. For example: I have green eyes, and my hair and skin color are almost the same with very little contrast. I would be considered a soft Autumn so deep greens and light nudes work great with my complexion. Let’s say your hair is significantly darker than your skin and eyes, this would mean there is a high contrast between your skin and hair: start experimenting with bright colors that bring out your hair versus wearing a lot of dark colors.

 Experiment

 A lot of clients I work with are intimidated by color and I get it. Neutrals are safe and easy to wear with everything. But I always like to encourage people that wearing color doesn’t mean putting on a bright yellow neon dress! There are so many different ways to incorporate colors into your wardrobe. I love to wear a simple t-shirt and then add color through accessories like earrings, a watch, or a headband! Makeup is also an easy way to play around with fun colors. I like to wear nude and bright pink lipsticks to bring out my green eyes.

Be Yourself

I have found that people tend to be attracted to the colors that they love and that suit them. At the end of the day if you are not happy in the colors you are wearing then it’s not worth wearing (even if it’s in your palette). Fashion is all about self-expression. What you wear should reflect who you are and what you love. The clothes we wear communicate a message to everyone we meet and if you’re not happy or comfortable in your clothing it will show! Who you are as person is special and unique, and hiding by being someone you’re not is a disservice to the world! When I work on building a client’s wardrobe I avoid creating something that they wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing. Wear the colors and shapes that you love and make you feel confident. That’s what looks the most beautiful.

I started Garments of Salvation because I wanted to make styling accessible to everyone. I love the process of creating wardrobes and watching people bloom into who they were created to be. Remember don’t be afraid to embrace adding different colors to your wardrobe. You might be surprised by what you find.