The Illusion of Colour

I was delighted when I found these gorgeous cropped trousers in a local boutique (Doux-Amour, Stow on the Wold) just before lockdown. I love the cute little ingenue bow detailing. I love the feel of the fabric, it feels a quality fabric, soft and comfortable with a bit of stretch to it. The colours are also brilliant Winter colours. So, which to buy? The fuchsia pink, navy, or both?

 

I carry my weight on my hips, thighs and tummy and generally don’t want to draw attention to them. Too many times in the past, before I learnt the art of illusion dressing, I would buy a beautiful pair of trousers in a bright colour or pattern that became a wardrobe mistake. I liked them but when it came to actually wear them I would always choose another trouser. They became the guilty mistake lurking at the bottom of the wardrobe unworn and unloved because every time I tried them, they made me feel uncomfortable. I couldn’t quite understand it. I could get into the trouser but always felt self-conscious of my thighs and tummy so took them off in favour of an old favourite. Have you ever had those wardrobe crises? Now no more!

 

Having done my Style and Colour journey with House of Colour I now understand why. The shape of the trouser has to work for my curvy bottom, the fabric has to be right. The style has to reflect the wearer, this Classic Ingenue loves the bow. Colour is important too I want them to mix and match my existing clothes and be a flattering colour for me. Having had my colour analysed I now know my Winter colours, but it is also about HOW and WHERE you wear those colours.

 

Colour is memorable. We are all attracted to and our eyes are drawn to colour. The marketers know that and that is why we do not go to the supermarket and see a load of grey and black packages on the supermarket shelves. We would not notice them! As shoppers, we need the visual stimulation of colour to draw the eye to the brightly coloured package to make the purchase.

 

Now, this is a powerful concept. If bright colours attract and draw the eye the opposite can be said of neutral colours. They are non-memorable. We can, therefore, use colour as an illusional tool to draw the eye to the best bits of our body away from areas we don’t want to be noticed! A dark neutral is, therefore, better for me rather than a bright or patterned trouser.

 

So back to my cropped trousers. If you look at the pictures above. I feel very comfortable in the non-memorable navy crop and pink top. When I reverse the colours, I feel less comfortable. So, should I only ever wear a dark neutral on my bottom half? I already have navy culottes, dark grey jeans and would so love a change with the pink! The solution is to wear two bright colours. Suddenly your eye is drawn to the whole of me not just my bottom half. I feel comfortable in the bright blue top and the pink cropped trouser especially on a “thin day”.  So, guess what I bought both pairs!

 

Sian Davies

House of Colour Gloucestershire