Spring in Your Step Colours -vs- We're "Falling" Down Colours - YouLookFab Forum

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Spring in Your Step Colours -vs- We're "Falling" Down Colours

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

I have just read with a huge amount of interest Angie's post on "Spring in Your Step" and some of her suggested ways to use colour to help 'lighten' up our wardrobe as you guys on the Northern Hemisphere race toward summer.

Being in Australia, that means, of course, that we're now heading into Autumn (Fall).

This has me feeling slightly bewildered (not that that in itself is unusual) about what Northern Hemisphere trends, particularly in terms of colour palatte, we Southern Hemisphere girls should adopt as our weather gets colder. Equally important is answering the question in regard to what colour trends we should avoid (for now).

Yes, of course, I could just go back and look at her posts for getting into the Fall season colour palette. However, my instinct is that I don't think it is quite that simple. I mean, colour palettes change so dramatically from season to season in terms of "what's hot" and "what's not".

Surely, we "Southern Girls" don't have to be six months behind the "Northern Girls" in all respects of fashion, particularly colour trends, do we? (Hmmmmmmm, or DO we? Hmmmmmm, that's an interesting concept!)

So... please educate me!

If you are a Nothern Girl - What colour trends would you choose to adopt now, even if the season's clothing was "back to front"? What trends would you avoid?

If you are a Southern Girl - What "hot" colour trends will you pinch from the Northern Hemisphere to wear now as we head into Autumn/Winter? What trends will you avoid adopting until Spring?

(In fact, Angie, are you there? Any sensible advice? HAY-ELP! ;-))

(For instance, I'm thinking the blue coat idea could be a winner, bright coloured cardigans/tops in cooler months could also possibly be a winner, but white jeans, hmmmmmmm not so sure about that...!)

I will be so fascinated to see what you have to say!

I hope I make sense. *Katiepea scratches her head with a quizzical expression on her face*

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16 replies

Latest reply was from Theresa

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

LOL Katie you sound so much like me!

Here are a couple of similar types of questions I've asked the lovely gals here:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....er-summary

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ion-trends

We are indeed 6 months behind the Northern Hemisphere... I sometimes wonder though... Angie has posted the trends for the Northern A/W of 10/11after her trip to Fashion Week, so I guess if we want to be SUPER fashion forward, we could steal those ideas and try and implement them before the Northerners even do...

http://youlookfab.com/category/winter-20102011/

I'm just wishing it would hurry up and cool down so we can get down to business LOL

RoseandJoan

Veteran

You could try being fashion forward by taking inspiration from the A/ W collections, here is Vogues trend report.
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion.....0101.aspx#
In terms of colour if you go by what colours suit your complexion and tickle your fancy you will not go far wrong. Finding clothes you love and are itching to wear goes beyond what is fashionable. I hope you do have fun incorporating spring looks into your winter wardrobe.

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Goodness, you asked the question far more eloquently than me, Theresa!

But seriously, NOOOOOOO! Do we really have to be so far behind in everything? Not even a bit of blue? A hint of bright colour?!

*Katiepea pouts and stamps her foot* (Sorry, have been hanging around too many toddlers today! <heheheh>)

Anyone else?

Kate

Veteran

I think colors are one of the few areas where I deviate from the YLF majority, so here's my take:

First, I don't think the "in" colors change that much from year to year. There certainly are trends, but nobody is going to say "oh look, Katiepea is wearing red, that's SO 2009!" Pantone is a company that releases color palettes for spring and fall each year, and if you look at them over time you will see a lot of the same colors repeated with the tiniest variations. I really wouldn't worry too much about building a wardrobe each season with the current colors. Instead, I would focus on which colors look good on you!

I'm a fan of color analysis, of which there are many various schemes, but most of them revolve around peoples' skin tones being in one of four categories or seasons. Winters look best in cool bright colors, Springs in warm bright colors, Summers in cool powdery colors, and Autumns in warm muted colors. If you're interested there is a lot of information about this online, and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

These seasonal palettes are very removed from trends. It doesn't matter how trendy, say, mustard yellow might be, if you're not an Autumn that color is not going to make you look good, and thus is not worth buying.

Anyway, the take-away point is that I think you should focus on which colors make you look great, not what's trendy.

stringy

Veteran

I was looking forward to some autumn weather, but over here in Perth it's gone from stinking hot to pouring rain and very cold, with just one week of cool-but-dry weather in-between! I wanted to wear leggings and a dress to work, but I might have missed my opportunity until spring rolls around again ::pouts::

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

hahaha I'm not usually called eloquent LOL But glad my questions were helpful even if they weren't the answers you wanted.

I am going to focus on colours that I like and suit me and make me happy more than anything from now on.

Wow Stringy isn't that crazy! Actually we were watching the news this evening and saw the low off your coast and my 5 yr old asked me if it was a cyclone LOL I hope you get back to autumn before the real winter begins...

Louise

Veteran

I agree with Kate there are certain colours which are the 'in' colour like here coral and turquoise but as kate said i don't think colours are ever really 'out'. In fact kate nailed it again wear colours you like and suit you. I'd personally try the trends for our coming autumn but i have a habit of jumping on every trend bandwagon at the mo *oops* but i guess the trends we had last autum are now coming into fashion for you?

Here are our autum trends
http://youlookfab.com/2009/05/.....09-trends/

http://youlookfab.com/2009/09/.....nter-2009/

http://youlookfab.com/2009/09/.....in-autumn/

plus the autumn MOTG formulas

http://youlookfab.com/2009/10/.....on-the-go/
x

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

In terms of colours for new clothes, we are really limited by what's in shops anyway - you can't buy whats not up for sale! However whats in your wardrobe is always available and as long as its a colour that you like and works for you, wear it anytime I say! Having said that, I haven't looked around enough shops lately to know what colours are "in" for the Australian autumn. Has anyone sussed it out??

stringy

Veteran

I'm seeing lots of blue and purple, and a zillion shades of grey, but a lot of summer stuff is still on the racks too so it's a bit hard to tell.

Theresa, we saw that low and thought it looked like reverso-cyclone for sure! It hit a bit lower than Perth, but we got a lot of wind and rain off the edges. Nothing like the stormpocalypse from the week before, though, that was a real surprise.

Kristine

Veteran

I agree with Kate. I'd base your wardrobe on "your" colors, which might shift with each season but won't be dramatically different. For example, I have a lot of blues and greys. That's not really going to change going into spring and summer, I'll probably just add white jeans and more light colored tops. If I was going into fall, I might add plaids, chocolate brown, darker plums, etc.. I try to add one or two things in a trendier color, but I don't go crazy.

Didn't the NY fashion week that Angie just attended show fall fashions? I think the designers are always one season ahead. So the ideas are already out there and you could be ahead of everyone if that's what you want!

puffenstuff

(website)

Veteran

There seems to be alot of muted colors around too - most of which look awful on me so I'll be avoiding them like the plague. I guess unless you want to run out and get all new clothes you're limited to whatever you already have and like the other ladies have said to work with what you already have.

How about getting accessories in the current season colors and zing up your outfits that way? Diva ia great for that, Target had alot of jewellery marked down last time I was in there or try the op shop too for cheap jewellery and handbags you can experiment with without breaking the bank.

By the way I just looked at the weather forecast and fellow Queenslanders look out because it will be getting down to a daytime high of 26 next week (is that all!!)Katie you might get more chances to wear your boots soon!

Susan

(website)

Hmm.. I think that some of those trends could be applied to autumn. Like leggings, paler colored boots, lightweight scarves, trenches. Actually, florals are ALL over NY this season and I bet that you could incorporate those as well, with some nice darker wash denim. I'm interested to see how you incorporate this (I've never thought about this before so I fascinated about how hemispheres affect fashion).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Correct me if I'm wrong, but your Winters in Australia are probably like my Springs here in Seattle - in terms of layering clothing. So why don't you keep the formula items on that post the same and slot in darker colours.

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Thanks ever so much for all of your feedback everyone!

I can re-read my initial post now and giggle as I have definately over analysed this matter. I absolutely agree that using colours that flatter you (and using clothes you already own!) should be the top priority, not what is 'trendy' overseas.

I guess I mainly posed the question because of an experience I had when I was on my honeymoon where what was "so cool" in Australia at the time was "so daggy" a week later in the UK. For the curious, it was a big pair of hoop earrings I'd bought the week before in Australia ("You look SO cool Katiepea!"). 10 days later in the UK, that very same pair of earrings made it onto the (literally) "only the totally clueless would wear still be wearing these(!)" list of the Sun. Can you hear the violins playing in the background? <giggle!>

I've never forgotten my bemused 'my goodness we are SO behind the times' feeling and was very curious as to whether it was possible to somehow 'fuse' the different seasons together, so that I didn't feel that far behind in the fashion stakes.

I'll certainly re-read the Spring list and try my best to fuse it with the colours mentioned in the earlier Autumn posts.

Thanks again!
x

Maya

Veteran

You think too hard Katie

As I wrote in Angie's post, I wear the same color palette year round. I simply change the balance of neutrals. For all the discussion on color trends, I think it's an exaggeration to say some colors are "in" while others are "out." Certain colors come to the forefront each season, but that doesn't mean all other colors are "out." If a color looks good on you, it's always in. Jean wears her autumnal colors beautifully in winter, spring, and summer. I wear my brights regardless of season, but I change the fabrics and the balance of black and white, or black and color.

Theresa

(website)

Veteran

Angie I'd say you are probably spot on in your comparison of your spring to our winters - particularly where I live in Central Qld! I think your Autumn/Spring posts will be as "cool" as I'll ever really need to be looking.

I was briefly in the shops today and saw a lot of blush, grey, cream and black at the one store I actually looked at I walked past...

I don't know about you other gals, but I'm pretty sure I can say its Autumn here now! We have had that slight chill in the air first thing in the morning and late in the afternoon, and my daytimes have been a max of 26-28 (78-83F)! Still fairly warm in the middle of the day, but I'm LOVING the hint of chilliness.

Yippee I say!