I love vibrant, saturated colours, but neutrals hold an equally special place in my heart. They often freshen up or tone down an outfit, adding the crucial element that makes it all work together. Their versatility makes them a very hard working component of a wardrobe. Clothing can also look its best in a neutral colour, especially if you’re after an ageless and timeless sense of sophistication.

Over the years my preferences for specific neutrals has changed. In my teens, white was my favourite neutral. That changed to black in my twenties with white and cream coming in second. In my thirties my preferences changed again and this is how I rank my neutrals today:

1. White and cream
2. Black
3. Blue denim
4. Red
5. Silver grey

Red is a bright, but acts as a neutral in my book. Blue denim is a fabric, and a colour at that, but its ubiquity has made it a neutral in the modern wardrobe. Silver grey is a new neutral in my wardrobe and I’m enjoying its soft and pretty possibilities for Spring and Summer.

My wardrobe would not function without neutrally toned clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories. They provide a strong foundation that works with every fashion trend and retail season. Simply brilliant. Your turn. How would you rank your favourite neutrals and have your preferences changed over the years?

Some style books suggest sticking to heels with skirts and dresses to ensure a flattering leg-lengthening look. That doesn’t mean sticking to stacked four inch heels when a two inch wedge or platform heel works just as well. I agree that frocks and skirts look fantastic with heels, especially when they’re on the dressier side. It’s a flop proof outfit formula that makes a fabulous impression.

But I also love the look of skirts and frocks with ballet flats and flat sandals. It dresses down the outfit to casual, practical and less fussy. Wearing flats does shorten the leg line, but if you have proportionately long legs, it’s no problem. If your legs are on the short side, raise the hemline to either right above the knee, or a few inches above the knee. This will make your legs appear longer.

I often wear flats with frocks and skirts and not just in a casual sense. I’ll go as far as adding dressy flats to a dressy dress. I adore wearing flats or shoes with a one inch heel, AND I adore wearing skirts and dresses. For me, marrying the two items in the right way is a perfect solution. Am I alone in liking flats with skirts and dresses? Do you feel dumpy if you don’t wear heels with this look?

The first dress is dressier than the others, but looks just as fab with refined, flat thong sandals. The hemline of the second dress is below the knee, which isn’t quite as flattering with flats. It doesn’t look bad, but a shorter length dress would look better. The third dress is a mini. A super Summer look for younger gals with killer legs.

Tomorrow is the official start of the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale, but in store the markdowns are already in place. I was shopping with a client this afternoon and we got some great deals.

While not as much of an event as the Anniversary Sale, which previews upcoming merchandise, this clearance of Spring product is still a great opportunity to get premium items at bargain prices.

If you can’t get to the store before the weekend, consider shopping online to nab the best deals early on.

For the first 25 years of my life I cursed my pale skin, envying dark-skinned, tanned gals who always looked healthy and fabulous in Summer clothes. In the 70’s and 80’s, living close to the beach in a tropical climate would do that to you. Back then it just wasn’t fab to be un-tanned.

So in my early twenties I lay on a few sun beds and slathered blotchy self tanning lotions on my body in an effort to look sun-kissed and fresh. I thought it would increase my style quotient.

In my late twenties everything changed. I became paranoid about what the sun and tanning beds can do your skin. I started to loath the idea of rubbing self-tanning lotion on any part of my body. My deliberate sun tanning and self tanning days came to an end.

These days I am extremely mindful about protecting my skin from the sun. I use SPF 40 on my face and hands every day. On sunny days I use it all over. I am never tanned and stay my pale, fair-skinned self all year round.

My natural skin colour is what it is and I’m relieved now that I can embrace this fact. My legs are super white, but I wear dresses and skirts all the time. Dark-skinned, tanned gals still look healthy and fabulous in Summer clothes, but I have learned to love my milky complexion.

Over to you, pale skinned lasses. Do you find the need to tan or self tan? Do you feel better with a bit of colour? Or do you leave it au natural like me.