Fashion Lab: Color Value Placement

Next week I’m going to be talking about how to develop a personal color palette.  In the meantime, I’ve been thinking about what I consider the Great Northwest casual uniform:  black top, army green pants, slip-on shoes.  Or some variant thereof.  And how, while I’m not so crazy about the ubiquitous black top, it is a good formula for some.  Especially those who are curvier on top.

Which leads me to the general principle of wearing lighter colors where you are smaller and darker colors where you are larger.  Let’s play with that using Gap cords, currently $15 off.

Women: Boot cut cords - chipmunkWomen: Boot cut cords - bordeaux

Women: Real straight cords - carbon blueWomen: Real straight cords - fawn

Women: Real straight cords - anthraciteWomen: Real straight cords - bright peony pink

(I threw that last set in just for fun, but I’d love to know if you have any thoughts on neutral vs bright also.)

Speaking of cords (or perhaps I should say “speaking of body image“), I normally avoid them simply because they always made me feel fat, but when Spokane Discount had a deal where any pair of brown pants in size 6, 8, or 10 was so cheap it was almost free, I bought a pair of dark brown, trouser style, corduroy Dockers.  For $3.

Application principle:  aside from monochromatic outfits, I am focusing on darker bottoms with lighter tops.  How do you employ color value placement?

2 thoughts on “Fashion Lab: Color Value Placement”

  1. I wear dark pants- usually black. (One exception rarely gets worn.) Look thinner, and for winter in Canada, makes sense. (Car splash wrecks pale pants.,)

    When I see a heavy woman in pale pants, she is rarely flattered by them- possibly because the pants don’t fit well. The pink is a lot of fun and has way more presence than the pales. Even on a larger woman, I’d say live a little!

    There is this look I see often in the Northeastern and Northwestern cities: the unisex khaki and a fleece top worn with running shoes. Add short hair and you have a woman dressed like a young man- I really do not ‘get’ this look.

  2. Pingback: The Space Between My Peers » Speed-Shopping the Thrift Store for Jeans

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