What if I can't find my exact colours in stores?

Focus on finding the right undertone first, then adjust value and chroma as needed. Also consider dyeing lighter items to achieve your perfect shade, especially for basics.

Should I replace my entire wardrobe at once?

No, transition gradually. Start with pieces you wear most frequently and those closest to your face. Keep expensive items in wrong colours for now, wearing them with scarves or statements necklaces in your colours near your face.

How do I handle gifts in wrong colours?

Exchange when possible, or use these items away from your face - as bottoms, layered under correct colours, or as home wear. Be gracious but gradually educate gift-givers about your preferred colours.

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• 15 February 2024

Strategic Shopping for Your Colour Season

How to shop smart for your season, dodge the pricey mistakes, and build a wardrobe you'll actually reach for.

Pre-Shopping Preparation

Good seasonal shopping starts before you even leave the house. Put together a colour card with fabric swatches, or a digital palette on your phone showing your best neutrals and accents. Write a list of the gaps in your wardrobe, the specific items and colours you actually need. Think about your lifestyle and your budget. Do this and you'll skip the impulse buys, those gorgeous but useless pieces that never quite fit with anything you own.

The Shopping List Method

List what you need in priority order, with the colours that'll work for each. For example: '1. White tee (soft white or ivory, not pure white), 2. Blazer (camel, olive or chocolate)'. It keeps you focused without boxing you in.

Budget Allocation

Try the 60-30-10 rule: 60% on versatile neutrals, 30% on accent pieces, 10% on statement items. That way most of your money goes on the pieces you'll wear again and again.

In-Store Colour Assessment

Store lighting is notorious for warping colour. Whenever you can, carry pieces to natural light, near a window or just outside. Hold them straight against your colour card. If you're unsure about a colour, it's probably not right, your best colours give you an instant 'yes'. Watch the undertone, not just the surface shade. That 'coral' might actually be too pink, and too cool, for your warm season.

The Face Test

Hold pieces up to your face, not your body. Your body might be tanned or covered up, but it's your face the colour needs to flatter. Watch your skin, does it look clearer or muddier? Do shadows appear or melt away?

Texture and Finish Matter

The same colour can look completely different across fabrics. Shiny finishes read lighter and clearer, matte ones read softer and deeper. Ask yourself whether the texture supports your seasonal traits.

Brand and Retailer Patterns

Some brands reliably turn out colours that suit particular seasons. COS, for instance, often leans Soft Summer, while Boden regularly does Clear Spring. Keep a note of which shops routinely stock your colours. It makes life easier, you can head straight for the brands that have worked for your season before, especially when you're after basics.

Online Shopping Strategies

Shopping for colour online calls for extra care. Read the reviews for notes on colour accuracy. Look for several photos in different lighting. If returns are free, order a couple of sizes or shades and send back what doesn't work. Check the return policy closely, some shops won't take back sale items. Build wishlists and wait for sales on the investment pieces you've already flagged as needs.

Colour Name Clues

Get to know the colour names that tend to suit your season. 'Dusty rose' often works for Summers, 'terracotta' for Autumns, 'ice blue' for Winters. Just always double-check against the photos.

Using Reviews

Hunt for reviews that mention colour letdowns. 'Thought it was coral but it's actually orange' tells you exactly the kind of undertone detail the product shots tend to hide.

Seasonal Sales Strategy

Shop off-season and you'll get your colours for less. Autumn shades hit the sales in January, Spring shades in July. And remember, your seasonal colours aren't just for that time of year, a Deep Autumn can wear burgundy all year round, just in different fabrics. Keep a wishlist ticking over and buy when the sales line up.

Common Shopping Mistakes to Avoid

Don't buy something just because it's 'close enough', almost-right colours end up unworn every time. Skip the head-to-toe outfits, buy pieces that work with what you've already got. Don't shop when you're emotional or in a rush, that's when the bad calls happen. A sale price never turns a wrong colour right. And think about upkeep, that perfect silk blouse loses its shine fast if it lives in the dry-cleaning pile.

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