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Dress for Success, part two (Part One Here)

The Fall Palette.

(Labor Day Weekend Through Thanksgiving.)

The Fall Palette - Warm colors in the Fall are very different than Spring. In the Fall, you will not want to be wearing yellows, pinks, anything too ‘electric’ (sort of the opposite of Earth tones.)

Earth toned colors look great at this time of year – even deep or olive greens work well.

Since the weather turns cooler, you can wear heavier material – sweaters and shirts with heavy knits look great and are entirely appropriate.

Look at injecting warmer

Earth tones like olives,

browns, tans, greys

and off whites into

our Fall Palette.

These are the colors

of Autumn.

Winter

(After Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day; St. Patrick's Day in cooler climates)

"Winter: when you shop, think: Contrast, sharp, true or blue undertone, vivid, ICY

In the Winter Palette, Winter colors are intense. Your Winter image depends on sharp contrast and clear colors. A clear color looks pure and 'clean.' Never wear anything dull or muted, especially in ties. Look for sharp navies and reds rather than the muted tones.

In general you wear dark colors, vivid colors, or very light, icy colors - no pastels for you.

Winter Palette:

(The week after Thanksgiving through Valentine's Day)

Winter: The Winter Palette - Probably the hardest break in seasonal colors of the year. The Fall Palette essentially puts on a hard stop right after Thanksgiving weekend - put away the warm Fall-earth tone colors, bring out the electric ultras for the Winter.

The Winter Palette.

White: The Winter Palette - Winter is the only season with pure white. A Winter man is never boring in a white shirt! You can also wear Summer's soft white (but not ivory or yellow-white), though it will not be quite as dashing on you as the bright white.

Black: Winter is the only season to wear black. You look great in dark colors, and any of your colors may get darker and darker until they almost look black.

Gray: Your grays range from charcoal to icy gray. They must be true grays, not yellowish of blue. Once your hair has turned completely gray, you may add blue grays to your palette.

Taupe (Gray-Beige): Your beige is not tan-toned but gray-beige (taupe). When worn near the face, it must be light and clear. You may choose a darker shade in pants, shoes and leather goods. Beige in general is a difficult color for a Winter to wear.

Blue: Navy blue is excellent on you. You may wear any shade of navy near the face except grayed navy. Your otherblues are true, royal, Chinese, and turquoise, all deep or bright.

Red: Winter's reds are either true red or blue-reds, including burgundy.

Your burgundy must be clear, sharp, and bright, rather than a muted or brownish tone.

Green: Your greens range from a true green to emerald to pine.

Pine is similar to Autumn's forest green except that it has a blue cast rather than a yellow tone.

You can see this difference by comparing the two colors side by side. Winter men who previously never liked green often discover that they love their greens.

Pink and Purple: Winter's pinks and purples are deep colors. The shocking and deep hot pink are less conservative, while magenta and fuchsia are quite sophisticated colors.

Icy colors: Icy colors are unique to the Winter palette. You can wear any of your colors in any icy version, including taupe and gray. An icy color is clear and sharp, like wearing white with a hint of color added. Your icy colors are blue, violet, pink, green, yellow and aqua.

Be careful not to accidentally buy a Summer's pastel shirt instead of your icy tone.

You will lose the sharp contrast that brightens your face and makes your Winter image so effective.

(Own note: Gold/Yellow): Metallic/glistening gold material is very in style at this time of year - from ties, to shirts and vests under jackets. Especially for more formal, holiday events.

Pure yellow is a difficult color to wear at this time of year, better to stay clear of it.

In part one we provided an overview of seasonal color palettes to ensure you're wearing the right colors at any given time of the year.

This column completes this seasonal discussion, from Summer through Winter.

One final note - in its simplest,

think in two sets of tones.

Winter and Summer are 'Ultra and Electric,' the Spring and Fall tend to go 'warm and Earth Tone.'

The difference falls into the types of whites, blacks and tones of color we wear. Be seasonal, and you'll start off on the right foot.

The Summer Palette.
Summer: (Memorial Weekend/Late May through Labor Day Weekend/Mid September)

Colors should come alive in the summer.

Light, bright, cool and comfortable.

You don’t want your color or materials

to appear too heavy.

The Summer Palette.

White: Bright white, no ivory.

Black: Limited only to coordinate, evening accents.

Tan: No browns should be worn, unless it’s a light brown (shoes/belts)

Red: Deep reds are too overpowering at this time of year, however pinks, magentas, lighter colors are appropriate and very diverse in the Summer.

Green:

Lime green, true greens are in at this time of year.

Keep away from Earth tones.

Blue:

Very limited, around waterways (lakes/oceans), light/bright blues work well. Turquoise will work especially well.

Yellow/Orange:

Bright, light yellows and oranges, artificial patterns/colors work very well at this time of year.

Grey/Navy Blue:

Tan suits are appropriate at this time of year,

much more so the greys or blues, especially in the daytime.

The Fall Palette.
Fall: (Labor Day Weekend/Mid-September through Thanksgiving)

You like wearing darker, warmer colors? Now’s the time. Pull out those deep tans, browns, orange/rust colored shirts and accoutrements.

Halloween time through Thanksgiving (but not much later, when you’ll want to pull out the pale blues) is the ideal time to wear these deeper colors.

These are good, solid tips to help you throughout the year. Don’t know what to wear? Look at the calendar!

- Razr