Winter 

Once you've discovered your true colours you will find yourself being showered with compliments - this is perfectly normal when you're wearing the right colours. Smile and pat yourself on the back - you can be confident that wearing your true colours will make you look and feel your absolute best!

Winter ladies dazzle in cool colours with sharp contrast.  Dramatic black and true white can be worn extremely well.  True, primary colours, royal shades, and ice colours will always look good. Avoid golden browns, orange, gold and dusty pastels.  When choosing items for your wardrobe, use very cool, dramatic colours.  The Winter palette is cool-toned, which means every colour has a blue undertone. Your pinks are fuchsia and raspberry, your greens are deepest blued-emerald and even your yellows are barely yellow at all - almost an icey lemon with no warmth whatsoever.

The simplest way to start with your Winter palette is to think 'dark neutral, light neutral, bright accent.' Three colours at a time is where your palette really works its magic, and contrast (between light and dark and neutral and bright) is your new best friend, so starting in a really simple way with, say, navy, bright white and a splash of deep red in a scarf or camisole is a really easy starting place which can be as classic or daring as you choose to make it, based on your own personal style. Also try pairing two brights with one neutral for slightly more impact.  Opt for silver grey with cobalt blue,  or navy with raspberry and scarlet accents for a look that embraces a bit more colour .

Don't be afraid of wearing your brightest colours top to toe - just don't wear too many of them at once. A bold bright red party dress can really bring out your sparkle, or electric blue shorts with a Chinese blue top for a tropics-inspired beach look. The important thing to remember is that whether your look is classic, sporty, girly, outdoorsy or romantic, you can achieve any look you want to, whatever your palette.  Beginning with a print rather than big blocks of colour can be a less intimidating way of wearing your colours. But what if you're looking at a print and some of the colours aren't in your palette? As a rule of thumb, as long as at least half of the print is within your palette, it will be ok, but might not be an absolute wow - if the style is perfect, and you love it though, half is plenty. Once you get over two thirds of the print falling within your palette, no one will even notice the 'wrong' colours, as the whole look will tie together. As a Winter, it will look best if you try to avoid the most jarring colours for your palette in prints - peachy pinks, soft blues and sludge greens can all look a bit dull and dreary on you and detract from a pulled together look, whereas a splash of a grey that's a fraction warm or a pink that falls onto the soft side isn't going to detract from a great print.

Accessories are your friend. They can add another layer of texture and colour, which bring that lovely glow to your skin tone. Statement necklaces and scarves (see Shop Online for a range of scarves carefully selected for your season type) can be a great way of incorporating your wow colours into your outfit near your face.  Once you've got your confidence you can upgrade to a bolder coloured scarf and from there the world is your oyster.

Once you've got over the excitement at getting to 'keep' black, there can sometimes be a bit of an anti-climax as a Winter, as often it's the rut of wearing endless black and grey that's brought you to a colour analysis, and now it turns out that it's either that or full on fuchsia.  With a little thought, however, you can retain all the sophistication of black without feeling dreary. Opt for silver or steel greys and pair them with crisp white and silver jewellery for an effortlessly elegant look that will flatter and brighten your skin tone.  Make sure everything fits beautifully, and (especially if your outfit is based entirely on neutrals). Finish off with accessories in silver, and don't forget that diamonds (of course) and white/grey pearls will always work too. If you want to keep your outfit 100% neutral, don't underestimate the power of adding a bright lipstick or nail polish to add a splash of colour without sacrificing your elegant look.

It’s important not to get so fixated on the colour of a garment that you forget to look beyond that. Does it fit well? Does it reflect your personal style? Don’t compromise these things in your excitement at finally finding something in the perfect shade you’ve been hunting for. The aim of colour analysis is to add the power of colour into your own unique personal style, not turn you into a colour clone.

If you want your face to look good, your eyes to sparkle and your skin to glow, then by all means worry only about your t-shirts, scarves, jumpers, dresses, jackets… But if you want to maximise the other amazing benefit of colour analysis – that of a wardrobe where everything goes, and makes you look effortlessly put together without trying – you’ll need to make the leap and start to move your entire wardrobe over to one that sits fully within your palette. If that sounds a little daunting, just think how wonderful it would be to pull out a top and a bottom and know that they will look great together, or to be able to mix and match your clothes for a completely new look without having to face that ‘ugh’ moment when that electric blue top looks unflattering next to brown trousers. Just gradually replace clothes with better colours as they wear out.

 1 Note your neutrals (swatches marked 'N' in your season palette)– start to switch your basic items over to these colours

2 Add a splash – however you do it, get into the habit of adding a splash of colour to your outfit (swatches marked 'B' in your palette)

3 Don’t fear lipstick! A pretty lipstick will add a little brightness and polish (see details regardings cosmetics HERE)

4 Prints – experiment with prints if single blocks of colour feel too much

Spectacles If you are a spectacle wearer, please remember to choose frames in cool metals i.e. silver, gunmetal, pewter, titanium steel etc. or a plastic frame in a neutral colour from your palette e.g. Black, Navy, charcoal, grey tortoiseshell

Hair Colouring Considering changing your hair colour? Refer to your season palette for guidance. Try a free virtual makeover for guidance HERE and instantly explore new hair colours!

Your new image will be a gradual process and you will probably have some "wrong" colours in your wardrobe.  A way to overcome this challenge is by wearing a garment in one of your most flattering colours nearer to your face, or selecting a piece such as a bright scarf or necklace to bring the right look closer to your face.  Consider exchanging gold metal buttons on your garments with silver-toned metals.

A scarf is the most versatile fashion accessory in your wardrobe, adding a touch of sophistication and glamour to any outfit. They form a vital part of your wardrobe - they are your means of bringing the right colour to your face while you are phasing the wrong colours out of your wardrobe.  Visit the COLOUR SHOP for scarves/sarongs  carefully chosen to harmonise with your seasonal colours. Perfect gift ideas for your colour co-ordinated friends! To make shopping easier, all the scarves are grouped by season category so you can select colours with confidence and combine them effortlessly.  See also list of other recommended online suppliers: DETAILS HERE