Color Me Fabulous Deborah Boland 2015

Home , Color analysis (art), Geena Davis, Kim Cattrall, Sigourney Weaver

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Table ofContents

Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty 2

About Deborah Boland 5

Overcoming Abundant Black Disorder 10 Add a Pop of Color 10 Try a Print 11

Other Ways to Weave Color into Your Black Wardrobe 11 Jewelry 11 Accessories 12 Make-up to Balance 12

Other Ways to Climb Out of Your Black Rut 13

Colors that Enhance Your Natural Coloring 15 Color Analysis 15 How Color Analysis Works 17 Step 1 – Are you Warm or Cool? 18 Step 2 - What Season are You? 20 Summer 21 Autumn 24 Winter 27 Spring 30

12 ColorSystem 33

Wearing Colors that Aren’t in Your Seasonal Palette 33

Other Benefits of Identifying your Color Palette 33

How to Use Color to Flatter Your Figure and Proportions 34

How to Use Color to Express Your Personality 38

How to Use Color to Express Yourself and Communicate a Message 42

How to Use Color to Look Modern 51

The Newest Trend: Color Blocking 54

The Neon Trend – Can you Wear it After 40? 56

What about Pastels? 57

Nude and Blush 58

Are You Ready to Go Beyond Basic Black? 59

Special Thanks 60

About Deborah Boland Deborah Boland is the publisher of Fabulous After 40®, a global online style magazine delivering daily beauty and fashion tips to help mature women Tweak their Chic®.

Prior to launching the site, Deborah was an award winning Television Producer and Host as well as a top media image consultant.

Now, as chief “Glam Gal” at Fabulous After 40, Deborah believes that life is too short to be Frumpy!

She’s on a mission to help women 40+ look stylish and feel confident, because when you look good you feel good and life is so much more fun!

Color me Fabulous: The Colors You Need to Wear to Look Age-Amazing™ is one of several eBooks in Deborah’s Tweak Your Chic® style series that teaches you how to dress to look vibrant, sexy and Age-Amazing™.

Other eBooks included in the series are:

Jumpstart Your Style: 12 Little Lessons to Dump the Frump After 40

Chic on the Cheap: Tips and Tricks for Building a Wow Wardrobe on a Budget

Mother of the Bride: Secrets to Looking Fab When You Are the Mother of the Bride or Groom

Color It’s the first thing people notice, and it communicates a powerful and lasting message about who you are, how you feel about yourself, and what others can expect from you.

Color has the power to make you look healthy, vibrant, youthful, slim and beautiful. It can also make you look sick, tired, burnt out, old, fat and unattractive.

As a style expert who specializes in helping women 40, 50 and beyond look Age- Amazing™, I love Color! It’s a fabulous fashion tool that I’m thrilled to teach you more about because I’ve seen it work magic, helping thousands of 40+ women dump the frump and step up their style, instantly!

Are you ready to go over the rainbow? Let’s get started!

“Color is life; for a world without colors appears to us as dead.” - Johannes Itten, the founder of color theory

What is ABD?

Abundant Black Disorder is a problem that can occur at any age but tends to peak once a woman hits midlife. If you feel like you’re too visible or you look too fat unless you wear black, black and more black, then it’s time for a color intervention.

Most women who suffer from ABD aren’t

even aware that all that black in their Does this look like your closet? wardrobe is cramping their style and undermining their looks. A wardrobe full of dark, black clothes and little else? But here’s the truth. Too much black is dreary and boring. It can make you look Then join the club because thousands of tired, drained, and years older than you women all over the world share this common actually are. How so? fashion dilemma.

After all, when it comes to clothing, who doesn’t love black? Black is chic, it’s sexy, it makes you look thin, and you can wear it practically anywhere. But the reality is, when it comes to building a stylish wardrobe that makes you look fabulous at 40, 50 and beyond, it’s easy to fall into a “black hole.”

If your closest is full of more black clothing and accessories than a widow, and every time you go shopping you can be overheard asking, “Does this come in black?”, you’re suffering from a common wardrobe dysfunction I have nicknamed: ABD.

That’s short for Abundant Black Disorder!

Like most women, these gals could use some color in their wardrobes to perk up their style.

As we age, our skin changes. Wrinkles appear and our skin starts to get pale and dull. Dark spots from sun exposure surface creating an uneven complexion. Our hair and eyebrows also start to lighten and fade away. In other words, we start to look worn and washed out.

Wearing black, especially near your mature face limits the amount of light on your face and saps the color from your skin. Black is notorious for emphasizing age spots, lines and wrinkles and reinforces nasty dark shadows, especially under the eyes. The result is a sharp and unflattering contrast between your face and black.

If you’re really honest with yourself then you’ve probably noticed that head-to-toe black doesn`t look as great on you as it used to. In fact, it probably looks downright harsh.

If black is so unflattering after 40, then why do so many women keep buying it and wearing it like there’s no tomorrow? Most would say it makes them look thin, but the reality is any dark neutral can do that.

Black can drain you after 40. Color adds energy and energy is youthful.

In my experience, the reason most women suffer from ABD is because there’s something deeper going on.

If you constantly dress in black after 40 it sends the silent but powerful message, “Please don’t notice me. I’m old.” Could it be you’re going overboard with black because you’ve lost your confidence, feel like an old lady and secretly want to disappear into the crowd?

If you’re truly serious about wanting to Look and Feel Fabulous at 40, 50 and beyond, then it’s time to emerge from your black cave. Stop hiding behind black and start wearing some color to let your fabulous personality shine. I challenge you to kick your black addiction once and for all.

“Ah”, you say, “but black is so easy and so practical!” True! Black is a convenient go-to color but that doesn’t make it the right choice! A heavily black wardrobe stunts your style, drags down your looks and sucks the joy from your soul. You don’t want to look like you already have one foot in the grave, do you?

Black is a cop-out. Instead Tweak your Chic® with color. It can make an incredible difference!

Should You Abandon Black Altogether? Now, I know what you’re thinking, “How can I possibly give up black?”

I want to make this perfectly clear. I’m not asking you to give up black completely.Black has its place in your wardrobe.

All I’m trying to saying is, don’t let black hijack your style. Take control of your wardrobe. Stop buying so much black andinstead,add some color to transform your style and make you look and feel Fabulous. Here’s how to cure yourselfof Abundant Black Disorder.

Overcoming ABD: Inject Some Color

The easiest way to look more modern and youthful is to start adding small bursts of color to your dark wardrobe. Why not: Add a Pop of Color You only need the addition of one color to get a fresh new look. The best place to put it is right near your face. A bright, festive shell top or a rich jewel- toned blouse worn with a black suit will make you come alive. You’ll appear more energetic and therefore more youthful. You see, color is energy and energy is life!

Look how vibrant Jane Fonda looks in her pop of purple.

Even a small pop of color can add life! Jane Fonda photo: amedia/Shutterstock.com

A coat or jacket worn over black brightens up your appearance. Solid black worn below your waist is far away enough from your face that it doesn’t affect your coloring. Make sure any black garments you do own are high quality. Faded black looks tired and cheap especially when worn with brighter colors. Polyvore: Barbara Gillespie/barbara-nonegativeoptions-gillespie.polyvore.com

Try a Print No need to limit yourself to a solid color. Try mixing black with a colorful pattern, or a pattern + a solid to give your outfit a lift. An animal print mixed with black is always a chic look.

Geometric prints and Animal Prints work well with black photo:www.peterkate.com

Other Ways to Weave Color into your Black Wardrobe Jewelry Something as simple as a bit of bling perks up your face and makes you sparkle! Try colorful earrings or a necklace to create a colorful zone between your face and black.

Black garments with shine or gold or silver embellishment, especially at the neckline also help make black less overpowering.

A bit of bling offsets the heaviness of black. Julia Roberts photo:sbukley/Shutterstock.com, Meredith Vierra, photo:HelgaEsteb/Shutterstock.com, Sela Ward, photo: Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com

Accessories A colorful purse, a scarf or pair of shoes can also be used to inject energy into an all blackoutfit for a modern look.

Scarves are a great way to transform black. Judi Dench photo:Featureflash/Shutterstock.com Maria Menounosphoto:DFree/Shutterstock.com , www.peterkate.com

Make-up to Balance If you are going to a formal black tie event and need to wear all black, or you are one of those few gals who can wear black no matter what her age (usually a “winter”– a woman with cool skin and stunning, very dark or silver fox hair), try wearing a deep red or bold pink shade of lipstick to balance the intensity of black. It will draw the attention back to your face.

Don’t go overboard with the rest of your make-up. A heavy application all over will make you look like a drag queen.

Helen Mirren would look lostin black without this swipe of red lipstick. photo:Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

Other Ways to Climb Out of Your Black Rut Swap Black for another Dark Neutral When you want the look of black without the severity of jet black, try a sister shade such as gray or charcoal gray (gray/black) or brown or espresso (brown/black). The slight change in tone can make all the difference as these colors are more forgiving than black.

Black isn’t the only neutral! Brown, gray, and navy are neutrals that are often much more flattering to mature skin. Angelica Huston photo: FeatureFlash/Shutterstock.com, Demi Moore photo:sbukley/Shutterstock.com, Catherine O’Hara Photo:Featureflash/Shutterstock .com

Navy or midnight blue in particular warms up mature skin. If your skin and hair are cool then accessorize navy with silver. If you have golden tones to your skin and hair, gold looks fabulous with navy, too. You don’t have to have matching navy blue shoes and a purse. You can wear black shoes with your navy outfit, nude or something more colorful.

I’ve given you lots of suggestions for how to begin to climb out that that dark black hole. The next step is to get your confidence up and reach for the rainbow.

Learning to Embrace Color

As a style expert I specialize in helping women 40, 50 and beyond look and feel fabulous. The one thing I hear over and over again from women is, “I don’t want to look old, I don’t want to look too young. I just want to look fabulous for my age. In other words they want to look vibrant, healthy, stylish, classy, or, as I like to say, Age-Amazing™! What’s My #1 secret to looking Age-Amazing?--- That’s easy….Embrace Color!

A shot of color here or there is a great way to upgrade your style, but to really look Age-Amazing™ you need to dive deep into color.

Don’t let that scare you. It doesn’t mean you will have to wear bright, wild colors. Remember, there are millions of hues out there ranging from light to dark, bright to deep, and clear to muted. The right color bringsout the real you.

How do you know which colors will make you look Age-Amazing?™ Coco Chanel summed it up this way….

“The best colors in the whole world are the colors that look good on you.”

You see, color is highly personal and individual. There are many things that determine the colors that will be most flattering on you.

In a nutshell Yourbest colors…  Enhance Your Natural Coloring  Flatter Your Figure and Proportions  Express Your Personality  Communicate the Appropriate Message for the Occasion/Season

Let’s Dig Deeper…

Colors that Enhance Your Natural Coloring

In 1947 Swiss expressionist painter Johannes Itten noticed that when his students painted identical scenes, some would use 'warm' colors, while others chose 'cool' ones. After researching this further, he discovered that the students who used mostly warm colors for their paintings had gold-toned skin with warm blonde hair and dark, warm-colored eyes. The students who used cool colors had a blue-pink tone to their skin, ash hair and cool-colored eyes. It showed that the students were instinctively drawn to colors that reflected their natural coloring. This finding led to the theory of color analysis.

What Exactly is Color Analysis? Color Analysis is based on the idea that wearing the wrong colors – colors that DO NOT harmonize with your natural skin tone, hair color and eye color – make you look dull, drab, sickly and old.

Wearing your BEST colors – the colors THAT DO harmonize with your natural skin tone, hair color and eye color – make you look healthier happier, younger, more vibrant, confident and attractive.

More specifically:

When You Wear YOUR BEST colors:  Lines, shadows, blemishes and scars on your face will fade into the background.

 Your skin color will have a healthy rosy or golden glow as opposed to a grayish, anemic or jaundiced look.

 Your skin will consistently look smooth and even, instead of patchy and uneven.

 Your jaw line will be narrower and lifted, as opposed to looking like you have a wider or double chin.

 Your eyes will appear intense, bright and sparkly, not faded dull and lackluster.

 Your hair will appear shiny and vibrant.

 Others will say “You look beautiful”, instead of “I like what you are wearing”.

 You will look in total visual harmony with your skin hair and eyes. The color you are wearing will not overpower you. In other words, you will wear the color. It will not wear you.

There are literally thousands of colors that will suit you. The trick is to discover which colors have the: Value - degree of lightness and darkness Temperature - degree of warmth or coolness Intensity - clearness or dullness …that work with your coloring.

 For example, on the left, our model is wearing colors that are not flattering on her. Orange and camel are yellow based colors and therefore, too warm for her naturally cool skin, hair and eyes. The gray and purple hues on the right are cool shades. They blend with her blue undertones and pink skin and make her shine.

Yes her hair is different, but wearing the right colors makes the real difference.

Seasonal color analysis is the most popular type of color analysis. This is based on studying a person’s natural coloring and placing the person into one of four categories: Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring.

Carole Jackson made seasonal color analysis popular in the 80’s with her successful book Color Me Beautiful. To discover the colors that enhance your natural coloring, I suggest you have a professional Seasonal Color Analysis done by a Certified Image Consultant. To find a qualified image professional in your area visit the directory at The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) at www.aici.org.

How Color Analysis Works – Are you Warm or Cool? A proper and accurate color analysis begins with a professional image consultant determining whether you look better in warm or cool colors?

In order to decide this, the image consultant will examine the undertone of your skin, the colorthat lies beneath the skin and never changes. She will drape various colored fabric swatches across your chest from shoulder to shoulder to see how the colors work with your skin, hair and eyes. From this she will decide whether you are warm or cool.

Are You Warm? “Warm” people have yellow or golden undertones in their skin.

Skin Tone: ivory, peachy, reddish, golden beige, golden black or golden bronze. You may also have freckles.

Hair Color: red, auburn, chestnut, copper, golden brown, golden blonde, yellow-blonde, golden gray, strawberry blonde

Eye Color: golden brown, rich dark brown, warm hazels (combinations of gold, moss, brown, yellow), greens, aqua, clear blue, and light golden brown

Warm types have golden skin and hair. Cool types have pink skin and ash hair. photo: peterkate.com, photo: shutterstock.com

Are You Cool? “Cool” people have blue or ash undertones to their skin.

Skin Tone: predominantly pink (rosy), pale, white, olive, or blue-black

Hair Color:blue or ash base, including blue-black, medium to dark brown, gray, salt and pepper, platinum ash blonde, ash brown, cool dark brown

Eye Color: dark brown, gray blue, gray green, blue, dark hazel, (brown and green mixes with some gray effects), gray, soft brown, and taupe

Still wondering which you are? Which set of colors If you are still not sure, try this quick test. do you look best in? On the left are the colors that indicate a warm Warm Cool undertone. On the right are the colors that indicate Peach Dusty Rose a cool undertone. Which set of colors looks better Orange Hot Pink on you? Camel Gray Brown Black Gold vs. Silver

You can also tell if a person is warm or cool by looking at metals. Does gold blend in better with your skin and hair? (warm) Or does silver flatter your hair and skin more? (cool) Famous Warm and Cools Are you Warm or Cool?

These famous warms look fabulous in their colors. Sarah Ferguson photo:Featureflash/Shutterstock.com, Carrie Anne Inaba photo: FeatureFlash/Shutterstock.com, Beyonce Knowles photo:PSJaguarh/Shutterstock.com

These famous cools shimmer in their colors. Michelle Pfeiffer photo: Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com, Lucy Liu photo: Joe Seer/Shutterstock.com, Whoopi Goldberg photo: Featureflash.com/Shutterstock.com

Step 2 – What Season are You?

Once an Image consultant determines whether you are warm or cool, she will pinpoint your season. You’ll either be a Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring.

To determine your season, dozens more fabric swatches are draped near your face to see which colors make you come alive, and which ones drag you down.

Remember, she is looking at these colors and how well they flow with your skin and natural haircolor. Eye color, eye pattern and even the color of your teeth are analyzed.

After much testing, a decision will be made as to whether you are a Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring.

Here’s what the four seasons look like:

Photo: Blue Orange Stusio/Shutterstock.com Summer If you are cool you may be a summer

You're a Summer if: you naturally have ash blonde, taupe or light ash-brown hair ("mousy"). Your hair bleaches quickly in the sun and when you go gray it is a blue or silver gray. You have pink, muted, porcelain or rose skin. Your eyes are cool, usually blue or green.

Summers look best in the light, soft colors of the sea and sky, with their cool blue undertones. Think pastels, hazy, muted and ashy blues, baby and dusty pinks, greens, ash browns, smoky grays.

When shopping for clothes, always remember

soft and dusty. Christie Brinkley photo: Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com

The message Summercolors send: classic, peaceful, refined, calm, muted.

Color Palette for the Summer Woman

• White – soft white is best • Orange – no orange

• Beige – rose beige • Pink – pastel pink, powder pink, pink ash, raised pink (medium to deep), dusty rose • Brown – rosebrown, ash brown • Red – watermelon, strawberry, cranberry • Gray – light blue gray to charcoal blue gray blue-red, raspberry, any pinky red • Taupe – taupe, rose taupe, smoky taupe, • Burgundy – blue burgundy, old wine, soft wine graphite, granite, stone • Gold – no gold • Black – no black except for skirts, pants or mixed in a print • Yellow – light soft lemon yellow

• Navy – any navy blue, black or gray navy • Purple – lavender, orchid, mauve, soft fuchsia, soft periwinkle, purple ash, purple haze, purple • Blue – gray-blue, powder blue, sky blue, smoke medium blue, periwinkle blue, soft aqua, Wedgewood, ash blue, ocean blue, salt blue, • JEWELRY – silver French blue, steel blue, blue smoke, blue navy,

blue plum

• Green – pastel to ocean green-soft turquoise, sea foam green, deep blue-green, ash green, smoky green, green haze, slate green, soft aqua

The colors of Summer, polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Famous Celebrity Summers

Hillary Clinton Photo:Todd Pierson/Shutterstock.com, Jennifer Anniston photo: Joe Seer/Shutterstock.com, Candice Bergen photo:sbukley/Shutterstock.com, Lauren Hutton photo:Jaguar PS/Shutterstock.com Summer, your overall coloring is the most delicate and understated of all the seasons. Summer is the serenity palette, so a Summer should always avoid harsh contrasts by keeping the entire look calm and in complete harmony. Other Famous Summers: Uma Thurman, Reese Witherspoon, Jane Fonda

Hofhauser/Shutterstock Autumn If you are warm you may be anautumn

If you are an Autumn your hair is usually warm brown or red with gold, copper or red highlights. When you hair grays it turns a golden gray. Your skin is an earthy beige or caramel brown, and has a peachy or tawny cast (and often freckles). Your eyes are usually golden brown, hazel, green or teal blue.

Autumns glow in the warm, harvest colors of fall. You can wear the muted, rich warm colors of Autumn leaves and exotic spices such as mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, and paprika.

Julia Roberts photo:sbukley/Shutterstock The message Autumncolors send: earthy, woodsy, traditional, strong, rich, old world, globetrotter.

Color Palette for the Autumn Woman

• White – eggshell white, oyster white (white • Pink – no pink tinged with green) • Red – orange-reds, bittersweet, dark tomato • Beige – mushroom, sand, oatmeal, warm • Burgundy – only brown burgundy beige, earth tone beige, camel • Gold – any gold (marigold, harvest gold, • Brown – pecan, spice, cocoa, espresso, wheat, mustard, curry) coffee, mahogany, rust, copper, brick, bronze • Yellow – deeper yellow gold • Gray – warm gray • Green – avocado, moss, olive, forest loden • Black – no black except for skirts, pants or green, sage, jade, khaki, celery, deep forest, mixed in a print jungle, teal green, teal turquoise, teals in deeper • Navy – teal navy, marine navy and golden tones

• Blue – teal aqua, teal blue, teal, navy, deep • Purple – deep purple, aubergine, grape, periwinkle mulberry, brown-burgundy

• Orange – burnt orange, pimento, shrimp, • JEWELRY – gold salmon, terracotta, pumpkin

The Colors of Fall, polyvore: Barbara Gillespie/barbara-nonegativeoptions-gillespie.polyvore.com

Famous Celebrity Autumns

Sophia Loren photo:Vasily Smirnov/Shutterstock.com, Julianne Moore photo: DFree/Shutterstock, Susan Sarandon photo: Joe Seer/Shutterstock.com, Jennifer Lopez photo:Jaguar PS/Shutterstock.com

Autumn, your natural coloring is fiery, earthy, golden and natural. The Autumn palette is easy to remember if you think about a beautiful Autumn landscape or the colors of Thanksgiving.Other Famous Autumns: Geena Davis, Julia Roberts, Sarah Ferguson, Cindy Crawford, Raquel Welch, Debra Messing, Eva Longoria

Yellowj/Shutterstock Winter If you are cool you may be a winter

If you are a Winter, your hair is black or brown- black, (it turns reddish from the sun) or prematurely silver gray. You have pale milky white, olive, or black cool-toned skin. Your eyes are a deep or icy shade, and are often very dark brown.

Winters sparkle in vivid, clear primary colors and cool icy colors. Think strong jewel tones and barely there ice pastels.

The message Wintercolors send: striking, dramatic, powerful, authoritative, presidential. Courtney Cox photo: HelgaEsteb/Shutterstock

Color Palette for the Winter Woman

• White – pure ice white • Orange – no orange

• Black – black, black brown, any black-* One • Pink – icy pink, true pink, hot pink, shocking of winter’s best colors pink, deep hot pink, magenta, fuchsia

• Gray – true gray from icy to dark to charcoal • Red – cherry red, true red, blue red, Christmas red • Beige – stone beige, clear taupe (gray beige) • Burgundy – bright burgundy • Brown – only very dark black chocolate brown • Gold – no gold

• Navy – midnight navy, royal navy, nearly all • Yellow – icy yellow, lemon yellow navy • Purple – icy violet, ice purple, red-violet, bright • Blue – icy clear blue, true blue, royal blue, violet, true purple, vivid purple, royal purple, china blue, peacock blue, electric blue, any indigo blue that is bright and intense • JEWELRY – silver • Green – icy green, emerald green, bottle

green, hunter green, pine green, ice green, ice mint, ice turquoise, vivid turquoise, hot aqua, bright teal

The colors of Winter, polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/ladyof-of-style.blogspot.de

Famous Celebrity Winters

Jamie Lee Curtis photo:sbukley/Shutterstock.com, Kris Jenner photo: Joe Seer/Shutterstock.com, Joan Jett photo:sbukley/Shutterstock.com Selma Ward photo:sbukley/Shutterstock.com

Winter, your coloring is crisp and distinctive like a Winter landscape. High contrast works well for you such as black and white and you look fabulous in rich jewel tones. Other famous winters: Janice Dickinson, Anne Hathaway, Sandra Bullock, Catherine Zeta Jones, Terri Hatcher, Lucy Liu, Elizabeth Hurley.

Spring If you are warm you may be a spring

Springs have strawberry blonde, golden blonde, or golden brown hair. They have delicate, almost translucent skin with yellow undertones in shades of creamy ivory, peachy-pink or beige.

Their eyes are clear and sparkly with gold flecks. Springs look radiant in the clear, delicate, light, warm colors of a beautiful, bright spring flower garden.

The message Springcolors send: warm, energetic, cheerful, fresh, youthful and sparkly.

Color Palette for the Spring Woman

• White – ivory, cream (white tinged with grass sprout green, light turquoise, bright yellow) turquoise)

• Beige – creamy beige, clear beige, buff, • Orange – apricot, cantaloupe, light orange, honey, camel, butterscotch peach, salmon, coral, coral pink, peachy pink, warm pink, pink pearl, blush • Brown – golden brown to medium clear tan, including butterscotch, caramel, paprika, • Red – clear bright red and orange-red such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove poppy red, coral red

• Gray – yellow gray, pearl gray, dovegray • Burgundy – no burgundy except for skirts, pants or mixed in a print • Black – no black except for skirts, pants or mixed in a print • Gold – light clear gold

• Navy – clear navy • Yellow – pale golden yellow-buttercup to bright golden yellow-daffodil • Blue – true blue, robin egg’s blue, aqua, cornflower blue, hyacinth, bluebell, all • Purple – all except very dark, the brighter the periwinkles better-periwinkle, crocus, iris, light violet, lilac

• Green – clear yellow green & greens medium • JEWELRY – gold to light (citrus green, apple green, lime green,

The Colors of Spring, polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Famous Celebrity Springs

CharlizeTheron photo: sbukley/Shutterstock.com, Marlee Matlin photo: Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com, Scarlett Johansson photo:Paul Smith/Shutterstock, Jodi Foster photo: Jaguar PS/Shutterstock.com

Spring, your coloring is bright, clear and sunny. Select colors that look as if they are bathed in sunlight. Your best color will mirror the color of your eyes. Other Famous Springs: Jessica Lange, Nicole Richie, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Cattrall.

12 Color System

It’s also entirely possible you may be in-between two seasons which means you are neutral and can wear both warm and cool colors. This is something a qualified image consultant will be able to pinpoint.

Many Image Consultants also now use an expanded 12 season color analysis system. This is even more accurate because it not only takes into account if you are warm or cool, and if you are light or dark, but it also considers your contrast and clarity levels.

Seasonal Color Analysis is a fascinating system and it really works. I hope you’re starting to see how wearing your “best” colors can really make a huge difference when it comes to looking fabulous at any age.

Wearing Colors that Aren’t in Your Seasonal Palette What happens if you love a particular color, or it happens to be very much in style, but you don’t see in your seasonal palette? No worries. It doesn’t mean you need to avoid that color.

Just keep the color away from your face and wear it somewhere else on your body, or wear it as an accessory. For example, orange may not be in your palette but you could carry an orange purse as an accent to one of your seasonal colors. This way the color in question is just a small piece of your overall look.

Other Benefits of Identifying your Seasonal Color Palette Knowing your seasonal colors also makes it a cinch to build a wardrobe because:

 There’s no more wandering haplessly around the mall or agonizing over your reflection in the fitting room mirror and no more wondering if what you’re wearing looks good on you. When you walk in a store and all they have on display are cool colors like grey and dusty rose, and you know you are a warm Spring, you can just move on.

 You’ll save money because the things you buy are things you will really wear – clothing in the colors that really make you look WOW!

 It’s easy to build a wardrobe using color capsules. Pick three colors and buy pieces to mix and match. More about this in my popular eBook, Chic on the Cheap: How to Build a Wardrobe on a Budget.

How to Use Color to Flatter Your Figure and Proportions

Not only can your best colors make you look more vibrant and youthful, they can also affect your shape and size. There are many ways to wear and combine colors to make you look taller and slimmer and to camouflage and highlight various parts of your body. For example:

Monochromatic Dressing to Make You Look Tall and Slim Wearing any single color (it doesn’t have to be black) from

top to bottom makes you look taller and slimmer. This wardrobe strategy is known as monochromatic dressing.

Sound boring? Not at all, if you do it right. To create a sophisticated monochromatic look, simply pick one of your seasonal colors and then:

Vary the Tonality slightly- By mixing various shades of one color, you will still read as one color but have a modern and sophisticated edge. Just think Michelle Obama on her husband’s inauguration day. She wore varying shades of green in her outfit, from her dress to her gloves to her shoes, and she looked modern and sophisticated.

Jane Fonda mixes tone on tone, Vary Textures – An all one color outfit in single material is varying the textures for a chic boring. Mix silks with leathers, boucles and cashmeres to monochromatic look. photo:Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com create an interesting combination that lifts monochromatic up and keeps it from looking flat.

Add A Bit of Metal - Gold, Silver, Copper, and Pewter. Touches of metal on buttons, purses, shoes or any other accessory works well with to make a monochromatic look more visually interesting.

Fear of White Many women fear wearing white will make them look fat, but wearing any color head to toe, including white, is slimming. Just be sure to wear nude, metallic colored, or even white shoes (which are starting to make a comeback) so you don’t break that long, solid line.

White is right and slimming when you wear it head to toe. Anjelica Huston photo: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com, Fran Drescher photo: Joe Seer/Shutterstock.com, Susan Lucci photo: Helga Esteb/ Shutterstock.com

Use Color to Balance Your Body Color can create the illusion of a more balanced figure. It can be used to camouflage or highlight certain areas of your body. Since dark colors recede, using darker colors like black, navy, and brown, gray over an area will appear to minimize the area.

Bright and light colors advance. They highlight parts of the body they cover so wear them over the parts of your body you want to show off. For example if you are pear shaped with large hips and thighs but have a small bust, wear a darker color on the

bottom and a lighter or brighter color up top.

Panel Dressing A good example of using color strategically to erase pounds is panel dressing. Long, vertical panels nip inches off your frame.

Dark panels trim and create the illusion of curves giving Jane Fonda a sexy look. photo: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

Try a Colum of Color Something very similar to panel dressing is an old Hollywood trick called the column of color.It’s a way of using color to look instantly slimmer.

Here’s how it works. Choose a single solid color (preferably dark) and wear it on both your top and bottom half to create a solid unbroken vertical line that elongates your body and makes you look slim.

Don’t forget to keep your footwear in the same A column of color makes you look tall and slim. color too. Jeri Ryan photo: Featurerflash/shutterstock.com, Florence Henderson photo: Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com

Then add a different color jacket or sweater (light or bright) over top and leave it open all the way down. This pairing creates a long vertical line – a column of color – that draws the eye down up and down and makes you look tall and slim.

Lengthen your Legs with Nude Shoes The color of your shoes can lengthen your legs and affect how tall you look. Shoes the same color as your bottom half vs. a totally different color help create a flowing visual.

If you are wearing a dress, then a nude shoe in a color close to your skin tone makes your legs look like they go on for miles and makes you look taller.

How to Use Color to Express Your Personality

Many women shy away from color because they don’t feel comfortable in bright colors. That’s perfectly fine. You need to wear the colors that express who you are on the inside. If you have a big, lively or strong personality, then you may feel fantastic in bold hues. However, if you have a softer, more quiet and reserved nature, you will want to express that through more gentle, muted shades.

How would you describe your personality? Explore which colors authentically express the true you. It’s very common to wear the same colors over and over again out of habit even though they aren’t really you.

Here are some guidelines for determining the colors that express your personality. Are you the: Natural/Sporty/ Girl-Next-Door Type Khakis, tans, white, denim blue, plus bright clear primary colors like red, blue, yellow are your colors.

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Sexy/ Vibrant/ VaVoom Type Vivid colors, wild blue, vivacious green, fuchsia, bright orange look and suit your fun nature.

Jada Pinkett, photo: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

Elegant/Sleek/ Minimalist type Euro-chic, quiet, neutral chic tones in taupe, cream, slate, navy suit you.

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/ lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Creative/Funky/Artistic/ Boho Type Odd combos of unusual colors like moss green and lavender, orange and teal, rose-brown and blue go with this look.

Rosanna Arquette, photo: Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com

Romantic Type Express your personality through soft, feminine colors like pink and rose, nostalgic shades like nudes, and beiges and pastel peaches, blues greens and yellows.

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Dramatic/ High Fashion/ Jetsetter Type High contrast black and white is truly you, mixed with splashes of bold jewel tones or Avant guard hues.

Traditional/Conservative/ Classic Type The old world “Harry Potter” private school colors suit you best – beige, forest green, navy, burgundy, gray, mustard, brown.

Laura Bush, photo: SBukley/Shutterstock.com

Dramatic/ High Fashion/ Jetsetter Type High contrast black and white is truly you, mixed with splashes of bold jewel tones or Avant-garde hues.

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

“The most stylish women dress in the colors that reveal their true nature.”

How to Use Color to Express Yourself and Communicate a Message

Good communicators know that color is a powerful tool that can be used to transmit messages. For example, if you are going for a job interview and you want to communicate that you are reliable, then wear blue. If you are on a date and you want to send the message that you are feeling soft and romantic, then choose pink.

Within seconds of meeting you, others respond to the color messages flashed by your clothing. Wearing a particular color influences the way a person relates to you.

Medical studies show color affects the viewer's hormones, blood pressure and body temperature. This is the reason bullfighters wave an “exciting” bright red flag in front of a bull, or why hospital rooms and doctor’s offices are often painted in a “calming” pale green. Color creates an emotional response which sways perception, judgment and behavior.

Light colors energize and dark colors slow us down. Each hue has a different psychological effect.

When choosing a color, be aware of its impact, specifically how a certain color makes you feel, the message it sends to others, and what it communicates about your personality.

Choose Red  To look dynamic and confident  Give a visual boost of energy  Project assertiveness, power  To attract the opposite sex

Avoid Red  If your position is controversial  If you are overtired or stressed

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Choose Pink  To look feminine, pretty  To look soft ,sexy and nonthreatening

Avoid Pink  If you want to show authority or look credible

Brooke Shields, photo: SBukley/Shutterstock.com

Choose Brown  To open doors of communication  To appear supportive and nonthreatening  If you want to portray comfort, casualness and practicality

Avoid Brown  For evening wear generally  If you want to be noticed  If you want to look authoritative or lead

Polyvore: Barbara Gillespie/barbara-nonegativeoptions-gillespie.polyvore.com

Choose Beige  To appear neutral and non- confrontational  If you wish to look serious efficient and capable  To blend into the background

Avoid Beige

 If you want to look dramatic or turn heads

Hillary Clinton: Spirit of America/Shutterstock.com

Choose Green  To radiate harmony and calmness  To appear refreshed  To look balanced and orderly

Avoid Green  If you want to look assertive  If appearing on TV, in meetings, speaking- it can look drab or make you look sickly

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Choose Yellow  To be noticed  To elevate your mood  To reveal joyfulness and playfulness  Hold their attention and keep them alert

Avoid Yellow  In serious business situations  If you are trying be a calming force

Vanessa Williams, photo: JaguarPS/Shutterstock.com

Choose Peach  To look soft, feminine, light  To look elegant, sophisticated

Avoid Peach  If you want to appear assertive or authoritative

Patricia Arquette, photo: DFree/Shutterstock.com

Choose Orange  To appear energetic and spirited  To show confidence and an outgoing nature

Avoid Orange  In most business situations  Where you seek relaxation

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Choose Turquoise  To look slightly exotic  To appear calm in thought and communication  To balance the spirit  When you want to create peace

Avoid Turquoise  When you want to appear serious

Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver/Shutterstock.com

Choose Purple  To express power and forward thinking  To look regal or sophisticated  To express your creative, artistic or spiritual side  For evening elegance

Avoid Purple  Unless you have a good eye for fashion. Mixed with too many bright colors it can look clownish

Jane Krakowski, photo: SBukley/Shutterstock.com

Polyvore: Annette Hoeldrich/lady-of-style.blogspot.de

Choose Blue Avoid Blue  To project credibility and  If you feel depressed authority  When working with  To appear loyal and creative types trustworthy and businesslike  To appear friendly and approachable

 When you want to create calm

Choose Gray  To appear neutral and non- confrontational  If you wish to look serious efficient and capable  To blend into the background

Avoid Gray  If you wish to be noticed  When interacting with creative types or children

Tina Fey, photo: JaguarPS/Shutterstock.com

Choose Burgundy  To look refined, worldly

 To look mature, experienced, stately

Avoid Burgundy  If you want to appear casual and fresh

Penelope Cruz, photo: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

Choose White  To show innocence or freshness  To show sportiness  For happy occasions

Avoid White  Unless your grooming is impeccable

Janet Jackson, photo: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

Choose Black  To look sophisticated or dramatic  To look serious, authoritative  For respect -funerals and evening events

Avoid Black  Near your face, unless you can handle it  If you want to appear approachable

Kyra Sedgwick, photo:Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

How to Use Color to Look Modern

Colors and color combinations come in and out of fashion, and while you shouldn’t be a slave to color trends, it is important to incorporate some current colors into your wardrobe so you look modern and youthful.

Pantone, the global authority on color and the provider of professional color standards for the fashion and home furnishings industries for more than 20 years, has surveyed the designers of New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring you the season's most important color trends. Here is their report on the most prominent hues for Spring 2016. Spring/Summer 2016:

This season “colors transport us to a happier, sunnier place where we feel free to express a wittier version of our real selves.” 1

6-3310Lavender Herb

Rose Quartz is gentle and composed like a serene sunset.

Peach Echo is a friendly, warm accessible color.

Serenity is weightless and calm like a blue sky.

Snorkel Blue is a maritime inspired navy that is happy and energetic.

Buttercup is a sunny beacon that transports us to a happy place.

Limpet Shell is a clear deliberate, modern aqua.

Lilac Gray has a distinct purple undertone which adds an edge to classic gray.

Fiesta is high energy and a free spirited color.

Iced Coffee is a transitional color with an earthy softness.

Green Flash is a color that pushes the envelope. It is open can calls the wearer to explore.

Below: Limpet Shell, Rose Quartz

Fiesta and Snorkel Blue flowers make dark, cropped pants pop

The Colors of Spring/Summer: Pair Fiesta with Snorkel Blue for Hot Spanish Feel

It’s always a good idea to add at least one or two of these new colors into your wardrobe, but be careful you are adding in colors that work with your seasonal palette. There is no sense wearing the latest colors if they look horrible on you.

Remember, you don’t have to wear every “in” color in order to look fashionable. Sure,

You may get lucky one year and find that all the trendy colors may fall within your seasonal palette. But that’s not always the case. You can always wear a seasonal color that is not in your pallete away from your face, on your bottom half, or an accent, in a shoe, purse, or in your jewelry.

An example of this: If Yellow (Buttercup) is not your best color or you happen to prefer cooler or darker colors, then you might wear a skirt with a touch of buttercup in it.

Other color combos that are popular:

Rose Quarts + Serenity Blue

Buttercup and Snorkel Blue

Limpet Shell and Peach Echo

Green Flash and Snorkel Blue

Lilac Gray and Rose Quartz

For more information and to view/download the full Pantone report, please click here. Still Going Strong: Color Blocking

Color blocking is still hot. What is it?

Color blocking is wearing chunks of color. Many women dress in blocks of color all the time, but this new trend exaggerates the look. Think Lego, or huge building blocks of bright, daring color!

Color Blocking is modern and fun. Tyra Banks photo:Helga Esteb/Shutterstock.com, Jennifer Lopez photo:sbukley/Shutterstock.com, Helen Mirren photo:FeatureFlash/Shutterstock

Some of these candy coloredbrights are so vivid they’re almost neon. This is a playful, dynamic and confident, look, but it is not for everyone. If you want to give it a try, here are 54 a few tips for putting together a color© 2015 blocked Fabulous outfit After 40 with All rights class: reserved. www.fabulousafter40.com Stick to 2-3 Colors

Some of these candy colored brights are so vivid they’re almost neon. This is a playful, dynamic and confident, look, but it is not for everyone. If you want to give it a try, here are a few tips for putting together a color blocked outfit with class:

Stick to 2-3 Colors Too many patches of color mixed together can look clownish and vulgar, especially after 40, so keep it to 2 or 3 blocks of color.

Watch Where Colors Meet These colors are intense so be careful where the two colors intersect. You don’t want two jarring colors meeting at a trouble spot (think a large tummy) as it will highlight it. Pair Brights with Neutrals If you want to get in on the bright colors/color block trend, one of the simplest ways to do that is to buy a pair of colored jeans. How do you wear colored jeans after 40 without looking too loud? Simply pair your colored jeans with a neutral top. You’ll look modern and sophisticated in this toned down version of the trend.

Tone down bright jeans by pairing them with quiet neutrals for an elegant look. photo: peterkate.com

The Neon Trend – Can You Wear it After 40? Brights can look great, however neon, which has been very in style for the last while, is challenging. Acid yellow, pink, green and orange are weak and shallow colors that can look sour and unflattering. Fluorescents like these are hard on the eye. They exaggerate physical imperfections, age you, and can make you look tough.

Kathy Griffin has the correct warm coloring for this acid green shade. Cameron Diaz does not and complicates things further with this gaudy necklace. Kathy Griffin photo: Paul Stafford/Shutterstock.com, Cameron Diaz photo:sbukley/Shutterstock

If you want to infuse some neon into your wardrobe here are some guidelines:  Make sure your neon item of clothing is classic and unfussy

 Don’t over accessorize with big loud jewelry, the color is loud enough.

 Save electric citrine shades for warm skin that has a yellow undertone

 Make sure your make-up, nails and hair is flawless. Neon exaggerates imperfections.

 Try wearing neon as an accent. Use it sparingly as a fun, sporty accent. For example, a scarf, shoe or bag instead of an all-over color.

The bottom line is that “a little dab will do you”. Don’t spend a lot on anything so trendy like neon. You want to save your money for the important stuff.

What about Pastels?

If you prefer quiet colors you may want to get in on the pastel trend. You need to be careful how you wear pastels after 40. Powdery shades of pastels like dusty pink, pale blue, light green or soft yellow, even if they’re within your seasonal palette, can make you look old, powerless and frail after middle age.

Don’t believe me? Visit any senior’s center or nursing home and take a look around at the sugary sweet color spectrum.

Faded flower colors like dusty rose, yellow, blue and mauve can drag you down after 40. The key to wearing pastels is

1) Choose pastel clothing in simple, modern shapes - Avoid anything frilly, soft, or flouncy that looks shapeless and senior.

2) Get the right mix - Make pastels look modern by pairing them with darker neutral shades like black and gray, taupe.

3) Wear a pastel as an accessory- A touch may be all you need.

Read more about how not to look old in pastels here.

Black Skinny jeans give pastel green an edge. Violet looks modern combined with gray accessories. photo: www.peterkate.com

Nude and Blush

Nude and blush shades are similar to pastels and have been very popular in the last couple of years. Nudes are supposed to resemble skin tones and come in a wide range of subtle shades that have hints of beige, peach, pink, tan or gold.

They’re very soft like pastels, but more sophisticated and are great for women who don’t like bright colors but need some warmth. You just have to make sure you get the right shade. Springs and autumns need warmer (peachy) nude shades,while Summers and Winters can go for the cooler (pinky) beige tones.

From runway to reality Demi Moore in nude and real life style.Nude tones combined with white and grey make a modern combination Demi Moore photo:FeatureFlash/Shutterstock.com, photo:peterkate.com, Rosanna Arquettephoto:sbukley/Shutterstock.com

Are You Ready to Go Beyond Basic Black?

Dressing after 40 is a challenge. It’s easy to feel insecure about your aging body, and the lack of 40+ female role models can easily make one feel invisible. But that’s no reason to cop out and fade to black. My mission at Fabulous after 40 has always been to guide you, and cheer you on, so you can look and feel fabulous in phase two of your beautiful life. I encourage you to stop hiding behind black or a closet of drab clothing, and get out there and shine!

As you’ve seen throughout this eBook, color is truly magical. It has the power to transform -- to make you look vibrant youthful, healthy, sexy and to help you feel excited about life.

So let go! Be the artist of your life. Paint a picture of yourself as the Age-Amazing™ woman you are by making color an important part of your style. Step away from all the black, let the rainbow in and SHINE!

I hope you have enjoyed Color Me Fabulous: The Colors You need to Wear to Look Age- AmazingTM

For more solutions to your style challenges over 40, check out my other eBooks:

Jumpstart Your Style: 12 Little Lessons to Dump the Frump After 40,

Chic on the Cheap: Tips and Tricks for Building a Wow Wardrobe on a Budget

Mother of the Bride: Secrets to Looking Fab When You Are the Mother of the Bride or Groom

Cheers, Deborah Deborah Boland – Image &Style Expert and Publisher Fabulous After 40® www.fabulousafter40.com

Special Thanks

Peter Kate Peter Kate, a women's clothing and shoe boutique located in beautiful Greenville, Delaware, was established in 2001 by Kathy Savage and Sissy Harris. They specialize in stylish clothes for women over 40. Visit them at www.peterkate.com

Annette Hoeldrich Annette, who lives in Bavaria, Germany, presents her elegant yet wearable personal outfits on her fashion blog, Lady of Style. She shows how women 40+ can look stylish and trendy without spending a fortune. Her motto is, “Style is a reflection of your attitude and your personality”. www.ladyofstyle.com

Amandine Nealton Amandine is a personal stylist and fashion expert in the San Francisco Bay Area. Be sure to visit her site at www.rendezvous-with-style.com/#!