This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
We all used to wrap ourselves in dark colours when the clocks went back in October and winter officially began. Perhaps the odd flash of colour – maybe a scarf. I wore nothing but black for the four winter months when I lived in London. This made life simple as everything went together and I only needed one bag, one pair of shoes etc. However, black can be draining on older skin tones, and I always feel dowdy in other dark colours. The good news is that navy used to be a Spring colour. Now it is acceptable to wear it whenever you want. Best of all, every fashion brand embraces colour in its winter collections. Black clothes are now in the minority. So let’s talk colour and shape for our winter fashion…
ANNABEL: Silky Roll Neck Royal Blue, Infinity Scarf Denim blue, Evie Sweater Malibu, Betsy Ponte Trousers Bright navy
Grace and I have long been fans of Kettlewell Colours, with their range of over 300 colours all year round. You won’t find black there! However, as we grew older and collected the extra pound or two on our long-forgotten waists creating what is affectionately known as our muffin top, we found the Kettlewell collection sometimes a little unforgiving. I know it is entirely our fault and those mini Magnums we are both addicted to this summer were just part of the problem. We yearned for the Kettlewell colours and the quality of their clothes but needed some help disguising our lumpier bits.
Kettlewell Colours are not only superb colour advisers but also brilliant at dressing our less-than-perfect shapes. Look around your friends and see how many different shapes we all are. A standard size 12 cannot be expected to suit everyone in that size range. When I gain weight, it is around my middle. However, I have girlfriends with enviable waistlines, but the weight sticks to their hips and thighs. It’s bums or tums.
Whilst Kettlewell Colours still appeals to the younger market with figure-hugging shapes, they have also recognised that their original customers (they have been going for 18 years) have grown older with them needing some more forgiving shapes. With the professional advice of Jo, their in-house colour consultant and stylist in this post – Dress your body shape – you can find help with the shapes that will suit you. If you then go to the Kettlewell Colours website and click on Full Collection, you can choose your body shape, and they will show you the shapes that will suit you. Then, click on your season, which will guide you to the right colours.
This season we were thrilled to see some longer jackets and jumpers in a boxier shape. Also colours that will uplift even the palest of skins. It’s all about finding the colour that brings that sparkle and zing to your complexion. Then accepting that you are a column, an Apple or a Pear. Once you have found both of these, your style will start to come together.
For your information, I am a ‘Winter’ (with a little bit of Summer) and a ‘Column’ shape. Grace is an Autumn with an ‘Apple’ shape.
To go to the Kettlewell Colours website, click HERE
Lots more interesting fashion and style tips in our Fashion section