Wearing White Well

As I watch the longest EVER match in Wimbledon tennis history; I'm struck by the notion of wearing white. How do you wear it well? What does white as a colour mean? And frankly, should any of this matter?

In Western culture, white is associated with purity; in Eastern culture it's associated with mourning.

In North America, there are unwritten rules about not wearing white before Memorial Day (end of May) and after Labour Day (first Monday in September).

Different cultures; different countries; different rules; but the same colour. So, what does white mean when it comes to clothing?

Combining white with a deep colour (e.g. black, navy, slate grey) for clothing creates a powerful and authoritative look. For both ladies and gentlemen, combining deep and light colours in our clothing enables us to look our most formal and professional.

White reflects light and so is more comfortable to wear in warm weather than black (which absorbs light), and in which we feel the heat more easily.

To wear white well means knowing what TYPE of white suits us best. If you have glorious warm colouring, then actually cream will look better on you. Cream is in fact a warm white - and by that I mean it's a white which has yellow in it. Cream and chocolate brown (which is high contrast), will look much better on you than black and white.

If you have 'salt and pepper' colouring in your hair, then probably a muted white (i.e. it has grey in it), will look better on you than a bright, sharp, clear white. And by the way a clear bright white looks glorious if you have high contrast between your skin and hair colour, or if you have gorgeous, bright eyes. I love wearing a bright white, and combine it often with black; because it matches my hair colour. If you have white hair; wearing white will suit you!

Knowing your best white is extremely useful to identifying some superb staples for your wardrobe - shirts, blouses and tees for example.

Why do some women typically hesitate over white trousers? Because white is a light colour and will increase the perception of size - so great if you want to wear a white top and make your bust appear larger - less good if you have a larger bottom and want to make it appear smaller.

As soon as any of your whites appear tired (e.g. through washing, piling, dullness of colour); replace them. They're not worth keeping and if you wear 'tired whites' in a professional environment, then beware of communicating tired and dull through your clothes. Nobody wants to say that do they?

FINE HATS AND FRIPPERY

As it's Ladies Day at Royal Ascot, it seems only right to talk about hats. Big hats, small hats, silly hats, sassy hats will all be out in force today.............and most women love to wear them.

Why?

It's a chance to express our individuality, creativity, femininity and drama.....all through an accessory which, outside of a wedding, has vanished from our daywear wardrobe.

So what are the dos and don'ts?

1. A hat should harmonise and balance with your face shape and size- not overwhelm it or might your face look 'bigger'.
2. Most people wear the hat incorrectly - it should sit on the crown of your head.
3. I'm all for wearing a hat at a jaunty angle - but make sure it's fixed on properly. There's nothing more damaging to the delight and look of wearing a hat than having to spend your whole day with your hand on your head trying to keep it on as the wind blows.
4. A great alternative to the hat is the 'fascinator'. These gorgeous creatures come in all shapes and sizes and can attached to the hair with a slide or clip.
5. Don't feel that you have to match all the colours of your accessories - so for example - cream bag, cream shoes, cream fascinator, cream pashmina etc. This can all look too 'matchy matchy' and can look dated.
6. You can pick a colour as an accent to wear for the hat/fascinator, or if you are wearing a pattern in your clothes, then choose one of these colours as the colour for your headgear.
7. Don't do pattern in the hat or fasinator AND in the outfit. You'll look like a pair of curtains.
8. Dark colours and bright colours suit ladies with high contrast (e.g. dark hair; light skin). Low contrast colouring suits lighter colours for the headgear.
9. Decide on which part of your outfit is the focal point - is it the hat or is it something else? Don't have too many in the whole 'look' - the eye likes to be deceived - but not confused.
10. Whoever thought that wearing a fruit bowl; telephone box, a kitchen utensil or any item of furniture on your head looked great......clearly needs their eyes testing.

Finally - never buy hats....rent them. Much cheaper and much more practical!
Happy hat hunting.