I know it’s hard to think about spring when we’re still in January, but this is the perfect time to start getting your spring wardrobe ready.  The stores are filled with spring clothes, and shopping now will ensure that you find your size.

We’re seeing color coming back in a big way.  From bold prints, to bright shoes and accessories, color is everywhere this spring.

Soft Coloring
(Low Contrast between hair and skin colors.  Ex: light hair and light skin or dark hair and dark skin)
If your coloring is soft, be careful of the prints and colors you choose.  You don’t want your clothing and accessories to upstage you.  We want to look at your beautiful face, not your tropical printed orange shirt.  Individuals with soft coloring should opt for lower contrast prints.  This means instead of choosing a dress with a green and white print, choose one with a green and pink print.  It will be less harsh than the higher contrast of green and white.  Your coloring is soft, so your prints and color choices should not be too harsh.

Notice how this woman disappears in this dress.  The contrast is too high and the pattern is too busy for her coloring.

These two dresses are more flattering on a person with soft coloring because their contrast is lighter.  Gray and white is a nice option instead of black and white (but I would still like to see her in a smaller print), while the green and white print in the second dress doesn’t detract from her face.

Intense Coloring
(High Contrast between hair and skin colors. Ex: Light skin and dark hair or dark skin and light hair.) 

If you have more intense natural coloring, you can get away with much more in terms of these bold colors and prints.  Because you naturally have a high contrast in your hair and skin colors, you can wear higher contrasted prints and more intense colors.  You should be completely in your element this season.  Here are a two prints that would look great on you.

These prints are still bold, but they don’t completely overpower the women wearing them.  Enjoy the colors and prints of the season, but keep in mind the color contrasts and prints in relation to your natural coloring when you’re out shopping.  And as always, their are professional image consultants, personal shoppers, and stylists, like myself, that can help you make sense of all this.