Fashion vs. Style
Yves Saint Laurent once said, “Fashions fade, but style is
eternal.”
So what does this really mean? Isn’t fashion and style the same thing? NO!
When YSL said, “Fashions fade”, she is talking about trends of the
season, what the hottest “look” is. But
style, style is not something that can be dictated by the design houses, the
advertisers or celebrities, style is unique to YOU. Well, many of my posts have been about
fashion trends, ways to dress, what to wear for your body type, what styles fit
you best. But, what I have begun to
realize is that I never really offered you any guidance as to HOW to wear
it. That’s the thing, my job here is to
offer up all the information I know on fits and trends, what’s hot? What’s
not? Now, I will offer up my assistance
in helping YOU figure out what your personal style. This isn’t something I can just tell you, but
only give you the steps and methods to help determine your own personal style. Here are some ideas to discern your personal
style?
1.
Visual inspiration. When you are dressing for the day,
what do you want to say with your color choice?
Colors say certain things, red can be a color of power, it’s very
aggressive. Blue causes the body to
remain calm and peaceful; it’s also the color of loyalty.
2.
Past inspiration. Do you want to focus on a certain
era? Do you like 50’s detailing’s like
cat-eye glasses? Are you a fan of 60’s
fringe? Or 70’s bell bottoms? Use
inspiration from the past to construct your image now!
3.
Celebrity inspiration.
Now, when I say this, I don’t want you to pick a celebrity that you want
to be EXACTLY like because then that wouldn’t be your style, it’s not even
theirs, they have stylist, like me, to dress them.
But what I want you to look at is certain things about them that you
think, “Hey, that might look great with my style.” Or maybe you identify with a certain
celebrity because of their story.
Whether it’s a pixie cut hairstyle or you love the way an actress always
wears rings with animals on them. Use
them to inspire you, not to dictate how you dress! This also doesn’t have to be an actress; this
could also be a singer, dancer, public figure or even a historical figure like,
Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O., or Marilyn Munroe.
4.
Last but not least sometimes you just feel like
it! There are tons of times when I am
out shopping and see something I like and just simply want to wear it! I don’t need a reason. But I know my personal style, and as should
you!
So I want you to go out there and have fun. Just take a look around and see what jumps
out at you. Remember a lot of these
trends will come and go, the magazines will tell you when things are in and
out. But your style will never fade,
because it’s yours and yours alone! So
stay fabulous moms!
P.s. I’ve attached a fun color guide for you!
Color Meaning
Red
Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with
energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire,
and love.
Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human
metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It has very
high visibility, which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are
usually painted red. In heraldry, red is used to indicate courage. It is a
color found in many national flags.
Red brings text and images to the foreground. Use it as an
accent color to stimulate people to make quick decisions; it is a perfect color
for 'Buy Now' or 'Click Here' buttons on Internet banners and websites. In
advertising, red is often used to evoke erotic feelings (red lips, red nails,
red-light districts, 'Lady in Red', etc). Red is widely used to indicate danger
(high voltage signs, traffic lights). This color is also commonly associated
with energy, so you can use it when promoting energy drinks, games, cars, items
related to sports and high physical activity.
Light red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity,
and love.
Pink signifies romance, love, and friendship. It denotes
feminine qualities and passiveness.
Dark red is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger,
leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath.
Brown suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities.
Reddish-brown is associated with harvest and fall.
Orange
Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of
yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents
enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction,
success, encouragement, and stimulation.
To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives
the sensation of heat. Nevertheless, orange is not as aggressive as red. Orange
increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and
stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. As a
citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite.
Orange is the color of fall and harvest. In heraldry, orange is symbolic of
strength and endurance.
Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch
attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. Orange is
very effective for promoting food products and toys.
Dark orange can mean deceit and distrust.
Red-orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure,
domination, aggression, and thirst for action.
Gold evokes the feeling of prestige. The meaning of gold is
illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold often symbolizes high quality.
Yellow
Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy,
happiness, intellect, and energy.
Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness,
stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy. Yellow is often
associated with food. Bright, pure yellow is an attention getter, which is the
reason taxicabs are painted this color. When overused, yellow may have a
disturbing effect; it is known that babies cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow is
seen before other colors when placed against black; this combination is often
used to issue a warning. In heraldry, yellow indicates honor and loyalty. Later
the meaning of yellow was connected with cowardice.
Use yellow to evoke pleasant, cheerful feelings. You can
choose yellow to promote children's products and items related to leisure.
Yellow is very effective for attracting attention, so use it to highlight the
most important elements of your design. Men usually perceive yellow as a very
lighthearted, 'childish' color, so it is not recommended to use yellow when
selling prestigious, expensive products to men – nobody will buy a yellow
business suit or a yellow Mercedes. Yellow is an unstable and spontaneous
color, so avoid using yellow if you want to suggest stability and safety. Light
yellow tends to disappear into white, so it usually needs a dark color to
highlight it. Shades of yellow are visually unappealing because they lose
cheerfulness and become dingy.
Dull (dingy) yellow represents caution, decay, sickness, and
jealousy.
Light yellow is associated with intellect, freshness, and
joy.
Green
Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony,
freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with
safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.
Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color
for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and
endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a
'greenhorn' is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope. Green,
as opposed to red, means safety; it is the color of free passage in road
traffic.
Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and
medical products. Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to
promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with money,
the financial world, banking, and Wall Street.
Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.
Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and
jealousy.
Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.
Olive green is the traditional color of peace.
Blue
Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated
with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence,
intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.
Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows
human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated
with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and
sincerity.
You can use blue to promote products and services related to
cleanliness (water purification filters, cleaning liquids, vodka), air and sky
(airlines, airports, air conditioners), water and sea (sea voyages, mineral
water). As opposed to emotionally warm colors like red, orange, and yellow;
blue is linked to consciousness and intellect. Use blue to suggest precision
when promoting high-tech products.
Blue is a masculine color; according to studies, it is
highly accepted among males. Dark blue is associated with depth, expertise, and
stability; it is a preferred color for corporate America.
Avoid using blue when promoting food and cooking, because
blue suppresses appetite. When used together with warm colors like yellow or
red, blue can create high-impact, vibrant designs; for example, blue-yellow-red
is a perfect color scheme for a superhero.
Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility,
understanding, and softness.
Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and
seriousness.
Purple
Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red.
Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and
ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom,
dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.
According to surveys, almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent
children prefer purple to all other colors. Purple is a very rare color in
nature; some people consider it to be artificial.
Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design. You can
use bright purple when promoting children's products.
Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings.
Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause
frustration.
White
White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity,
and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection.
White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to
black, white usually has a positive connotation. White can represent a
successful beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith and purity.
In advertising, white is associated with coolness and
cleanliness because it's the color of snow. You can use white to suggest
simplicity in high-tech products. White is an appropriate color for charitable
organizations; angels are usually imagined wearing white clothes. White is
associated with hospitals, doctors, and sterility, so you can use white to
suggest safety when promoting medical products. White is often associated with
low weight, low-fat food, and dairy products.
Black
Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death,
evil, and mystery.
Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the
unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black
humor, 'black death'). Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered
to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color (black tie, black
Mercedes). In heraldry, black is the symbol of grief.
Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth, but a
black background diminishes readability. A black suit or dress can make you
look thinner. When designing for a gallery of art or photography, you can use a
black or gray background to make the other colors stand out. Black contrasts
well with bright colors. Combined with red or orange – other very powerful
colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme.
Provided by www.color-wheel-pro.com
Brandon Sapin
