Surprise Colors for the Holidays

This year I think we all need an uplift, an escape from all the drama, right? In the fall and winter we typically see mostly dark neutrals: black, gray, navy, and this year, lots of brown and burgundy. But wearing colors that bring us joy is a gift we can give to ourselves and to everyone who sees us. It feeds our soul, it elevates theirs. So why not go bright with your colors this autumn and winter?

Why Color Matters

I’m going to give you my very general ideas about which color harmony (archetypal season) the items sown below below fall into. But having heard from so many readers who have been confused about their palette colors, I want to encourage you to get a proper color analysis if you haven’t already done so. That’s because your best colors may range across several seasons.

My life-changing experience with color came from my analysis with John Kitchener (online and in-person in Georgia, US.) John is likely booked up for several months but it’s well worth getting in his queue. His primary apprentice, Hella Tsaconas, is located in Berkeley California. Hella is currently the only person he has authorized to represent his system accurately in the US.

So I hope the following items will encourage you to consider brightening up your cool weather looks. But beware, the first three colors are not for the faint of heart…or those with mostly warmer color tones. I’ll show some for those with warmer color undertones further down the post.

In the Pink

Pink has had a resurgence because of this year’s Barbie trend. I think that was an indication that a lot of women were just hungering for that idealized vision from their youth of what they expected or hoped life would be like. (I saw the movie on a fight last month and found it hard to watch, but loved the ending.)

Pink is a color of delight and joy. I can’t imagine anyone not feeling a little happier when they see something pink. Maybe not a top-to-bottom pink outfit, but wearing something in your own shade of pink can instantly make you feel a little bit blissful. (One of my dear friends has an enviable upholstered pink chair that elevates her entire living room.)

But this year we’re seeing some truly in-your-face bright pinks, shocking pinks. These are for women who have a lot of Winter (Striking Contrast) coloring. The pinks for warmer color types typically lean toward the salmon and coral range.

Any of these could be great with black pants or a satin slip skirt.

Banana Republic lightweight cashmere off-shoulder sweater $200

J. Crew Brushed Cashmere cable knit sweater $218

White House Black Market sleeveless shell $59.25

Loft Satin Pocket Shirt $39.88

Going Green?

Just about everyone from every color season can find something in their best shade of green this season. Typically we see a lot of olive green in the fall, and around Christmas there’s an abundance of cooler undertone greens. But the knockout pieces this year are the chartreuse ones. Again, they work best for those with Winter coloring (Striking types) and for those Earthy Rich types with Striking Contrast cross-over.

Walmart Ireland’s Eye Wool and cashmere Aran Diamond Crew Neck sweater $170.95

Banana Republic Chartreuse lightweight cashmere V-Neck $119

Macy’s On 34th chunky crew neck sweater Pear $33.32

Madewell Brushed V-neck Cardigan on Amazon $99

Floria Button Down crew neck sweater Amazon $30.99

Gathering Lilacs

Several Fall catalogs had fun surprises, not the least of which was an emphasis on one of the colors we’ve been seeing a lot of this past Spring: lilac. Lilac is nowhere in my Earthy Rich (Autumn) palette. But my husband’s aunt, who was an artist, said, “I was taught that everyone can wear some shade of it.” So I’m hunting for one that might work for me, possibly leaning toward light magenta.

In general, lilac works as a soft pastel or almost neutral for someone with Striking Contrast (Winter) coloring, the brighter shades for Lively Brights (Spring), and the more muted shades for Subtle Blended types (Summer).

Nordstrom’s Rack V-neck Cashmere sweater $59.97

J. Crew Lilac polo sweater $74.99

Amazon lilac striped cotton blouse $26.98

And Other Stories lilac mock neck sweater $129

Alternate Versions of the Brights

So let’s show a few options to those that might suit a wider range of color palettes. Some of these might work nicely for Autumn or Spring color types. This first one is from Kettlewell. It’s a fun site as all their clothing is typed by season. They get it pretty close to accurate for each season most of the time, in my opinion.

Kettlewell Minna Crew Neck Sweater $126

GAP Cashsoft crewneck sweater $47

Caslon Cashmere Crewneck $96.75

And for those with some Spring, Summer or Autumn coloring, you might consider a shade of blue-greens.

Other Stories cashmere seam sleeve crewneck sweater $89.25

Talbot’s Raglan button sweater $69.99

Audrey Cashmere Sweater at Talbot’s $179

As for the pinks, these all have some warmth, actually leaning toward coral, as pinks in the less cool saturated shades work better for warmer color undertones or those with some warmth in their coloring.

Charter Club Cashmere Sweater Macy’s $54.99

Nordstrom’s Rack V-Neck cashmere sweater $59.97

Nordstrom Rack Crew cashmere neck pullover $111.75

Ramy Brook satin blouse on Amazon $170

And for our Summer types:

Graham and Spencer viscose blouse on Amazon $81

Macy’s Style and Company cable knit sweater $22.27

As for the purples that aren’t lilac, this one might work for a Spring color types:

Talbot’s Merino polo $99.50

And here’s one that might work for Autumn types who have a touch of Spring:

Talbot’s Patch Pocket pullover sweater $79.99

What to Wear With Brighter Colors

There are rarely groundbreaking styles for the holidays. We always see some zing, glitter, or romance: satin slip skirts and dresses, knife pleated chiffon skirts, velvet separates, large ruffles, and sequins – lots of sequins. Frankly, if you have any of these in your wardrobe you can likely just break them out for the holidays year after year without breaking the bank.

A lot of the brighter colors we just saw would pair nicely with satin or velvet pants or longer skirts. But if you just want to add a little bit of color or excitement to a more neutral holiday outfit, you could add some vivid or bright color on as a surprise in your shoes!

C. Paravano ballet flats on Amazon $108

Chinese Laundry ballet Flat $47

C. Paravano velvet flats on Amazon $128

Chicmyth ballet flats $87

Madewell Greta Mary jane suede flats $98

Sam Edelman Zuri Satin Ballet Flat $59

So, I think you get the idea. I just want to encourage you to embrace color for the holidays. You need it. We all need it. Take good care. I have an exciting announcement in my next post…

[Some of the links in this post are for my affiliates, which means I may earn a small commission at absolutely no additional cost to you if your purchase anything from those links. I am also an Amazon affiliate because I think they have some great items from mainstream retailers.]