The birds are singing, the sun is
shining, and the annual April downpour has finally given way to the lush greenery and brightly coloured
flowers synonymous with summertime. But while the warming weather has brightened the outlook of winter,
many still don the dark and drab designs of Canada’s dreary winter days. To match your outfit to your fresh
outlook (and kick those winter blues once and for all) read on for Lifestyler’s colourful tips on summer style.
A Little Goes a Long Way
When it comes to
brighter colours, some people tend to shy away from shocking fuchsia pinks or electric cobalt blues for fear
of standing out in all the wrong ways. But your foray into the world of wearing brights doesn’t necessarily
mean trading all things black for a neon pantsuit. Get your feet wet by adding pops of colour with your
accessories. Try belting a neutral tunic with a rose-coloured skinny belt, as seen in Max
Mara's Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear collection, or try out a brightly coloured scarf around
your neck or tied onto your handbag. Other ways of incorporating a little bit of colour into your everyday
wardrobe could also include: In an everyday purse or clutch, a pair of playfully coloured wedges, jewelry
such as bold bangles or chandelier earrings, or even in a colourfully framed pair of sunglasses. By testing
out the appeal of sunny yellows and grassy greens in small doses, you can decide what colours work best for
you before taking brights to the next level in your wardrobe.
Don’t Forget Your Makeup Bag
Colour can be
incorporated into accessories and into clothing, but it can also be worked into your beauty routine. While
bright lips were sported in spring shows by designers such as Jill
Sander,
they may not always fit the bill for a work environment. To create a more everyday look, try adapting a
tangerine lip by applying a more muted shade of coral. If lime-green eye shadow swept across your lids has
you reminiscing about the ’80s, test it out as a coloured liner underneath the eye instead, to add a subtle
pop of colour. Finally, don’t forget about your nails. As possibly the most infallible way for you to test
out any bold hue, try painting your fingertips with a colour you’re not yet brave enough to wear beyond your
hands. It will allow you to see how the shade suits your skin tone, while ensuring you haven’t gone overboard
prematurely.
Neutralize Acidic Tones
Intimidated by
the toxicity of neon colours such as highlighter yellow or radioactive green. Defuse them with neutral shades
of nude, cream, pink and soft grey. By paring down a colourful separate like this orange linen pant by
J.Crew with a lightweight cream-coloured blouse, you can highlight the vibrancy of the
coloured piece while still maintaining an overall look that remains clean and sophisticated. If you really
want to emphasize a colourful separate, try balancing it with a crisp white piece. Though white is as neutral
as it gets, the effect of pairing it with a vivid colour can often be a little sharper or stronger than with
an off-white counterpart. Pairing any neutral with a colourful separate, though, is the next simple step into
the world of wearing brights. By choosing to match a quieter colour to a louder one, your outfit will
undoubtedly be receiving affirming attention, without having to scream “Look at
me!”
Colour Multiplied
After tiptoeing into
the world of colour with accessories, and learning to walk confidently by paring down with neutrals, it’s
finally time to break into a breezy stride with colour-on-colour ensembles. Put away the grey pencil skirt,
white button-up shirt and beloved black blazer, because you won’t need them here. The prospect of pairing a
ripe orange with a hot pink, as seen in collections by designers like Prada, Bottega Veneta, DKNY, and Milly may be frightening at first, but by this point,
you’re ready to take the colour-on-colour plunge. Trade out the cream top you paired with those orange
J.Crew trousers and trade in a bright pink one like
this design from Vivienne
Westwood. Wear
electrifying blue trousers like this cotton pair from
Joseph and team them
with a silk, sunshine-coloured tank, like this lightweight design by
Tibi. The
possibilities for intensely hued pairings are as endless as the rainbow itself, so give brights a chance and
colour outside the lines this summer. •
Photo Courtesy: Alejandro Heredia
