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Style & beauty

What colours to wear

(18 Posts)
Glenfinnan Wed 28-Oct-20 20:34:25

Recently let my hair go grey; pleased with result but my clothes/scarves bought to compliment my auburn/brown hair now make me look washed out. Any advice on what to buy going forward!

phoenix Wed 28-Oct-20 20:45:22

Hello Glenfinnan*!

Congratulations on embracing the grey!

Hard to know what to advise, without knowing you skin tone, but when I went from dyed red to "silver" I found that I could wear colours that as a redhead just wouldn't have worked, for example violet, mustard yellow to name but two.

Have fun experimenting, and scarves are definitely the cheaper way to go on your journey of discovery!

J52 Wed 28-Oct-20 21:32:12

Apparently if you look at the veins on your wrist they are either blueish or pinkish. This indicated a cool colour spectrum or a hot spectrum.
When my hair turned silver I could no longer wear browns or pinks. But blue, grey and olive looked good.

Georgesgran Wed 28-Oct-20 22:18:15

Can anyone remember ‘Colour me Beautiful?’ Had my colours done in the ‘80’s and defined as a ‘Winter’. Still have the fabric swatches I was given and still wear the recommended colours. Strongish pinks, cobalt blue, purples - never yellow, peach or orange. I was also told not to dye my hair - did so for 10 years, but grey now for 10 years and don’t regret it.

Glenfinnan Wed 28-Oct-20 23:26:44

Thank you for all your advice. Phoenix scarves sound like a plan! J52 veins are definitely blue and Georgesgran I too had my colours done and I was an Autumn, must be a winter now!

Mwdebbie Thu 29-Oct-20 06:59:21

Your post resonated with me. I’ve embraced the grey during the pandemic and the colours that suited me as a ‘warm autumn’ no longer work. I look washed out eg if I wear taupe etc near my face. I notice my skin colour is more sallow (grey) now, as well. I’m planning to go back to have my colours done again as a pre-Christmas treat, when I’ve reached my weight loss goal of 4 stones, 5.5lb to go and I’m a Woman on a Mission! I can justify the cost of having my colours re-done - no problem - when I think of all the money I’m saving every time I visit the hairdresser!

NotAGran55 Thu 29-Oct-20 07:07:41

You can’t change from being warm ( autumn) to cool ( winter) however you can suit different shades within your spectrum as your skin tone changes with age .
I had my colours done by House Of Colour 30 years ago and best suited the brighter colours in the autumn range . I had a re-rate last year and now suit the more muted shades that we see in a woodland at this time of year .

Having your colours done is worth every single penny in my view as it saves a fortune in mistakes plus time when shopping.

Scarves are recommended as a good way to initially adapt the wrong items in your wardrobe as the colour next to your face is the most important.

Juliet27 Thu 29-Oct-20 07:10:13

I could have written that myself Georgesgran. Had my colours done and I’m winter too. The colours suggested definitely suited and I still stick to them. Also comfortable with grey hair.

lemongrove Thu 29-Oct-20 08:56:13

When you like something in a store, put it right up to your neck/face in the mirror.....that stops any mistakes before you buy it.

Lucca Thu 29-Oct-20 09:02:30

I know which colours work for me, the issue is finding affordable clothes in nice versions of those colours !

MiniMoon Thu 29-Oct-20 10:05:20

Cool colours suit me best since my hair turned grey.

I wear blues, purples and mauves, pale pinks, greys. I can wear red too if it isn't too bright.

Even when I had brown hair, I looked ill if I wore anything green.

Glenfinnan Fri 30-Oct-20 11:22:56

I been trying the scarf test and my best colours seem to be royal blue, turquoise, bright pink and purple!

clementine Fri 30-Oct-20 18:44:07

My veins are blue, what does that mean? I never seemed to be able to get a defining " season" with colour me beautiful

AlisaFrost Thu 17-Dec-20 11:54:46

Hello!
I think first of all you need choose correct size and style which you are like. The colour this is personal question and for every people make individual. Buy clothes which you like and make your own style.

dragonfly46 Thu 17-Dec-20 12:00:18

I have taken to wearing purple!!

MawBe Thu 17-Dec-20 12:09:24

I did Colour me Beautiful a few years ago and while a fun exercise, it was also an expensive waste of time.
Since going white/grey there are colours I no longer feel “comfortable” in - in the same way you will know the outfits that make you feel good- so look at the colour palette that they belong to and go with your instincts.
One thing about grey/white is that being neutral it can free you up to wear colours you might never have chosen before!
Sometimes a touch of white near your face might be needed to brighten up an outfit but be daring , forget “safe” pastels and look for clear bright colours.

emiliadavid Mon 08-Feb-21 09:26:59

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

TrendyNannie6 Fri 12-Feb-21 19:36:38

Had my colours done by colour me beautiful I was told I was autumn, to be honest I wasn’t comfortable with any of their colours , didn’t like camel russet mustard yellow or any shade of green on me. My colours are purple red cerise pink royal blue ivory black ?