FASHION
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50 plus magazine
your capsule wardrobe. Shockingly 30% of the clothes in British wardrobes are rarely worn. If you do want to buy something of sartorial style in Living Coral consider whether you would better suit wearing Living Coral from head to toe in a gorgeous maxi dress or summer suit, but for others it may best work as a blouse or as summer trousers.
HOW TO EFFORTLESSLY WEAR LIVING CORAL-THE COLOUR OF 2019 The Pantone Colour Institute has announced their colour of 2019 is the gorgeous Living Coral (16-1546) but can we all wear this warm and energising colour? Through their extensive research, The Pantone Institute chose Living Coral ‘partly as an antidote’ to the ‘cold and distant’ digital world and as ‘a shade of connection’. Helen Venables, Managing Director of House of Colour explains how to wear Living Coral with style: We associate coral with the fresh, warmth and sun-kissed coral seas of Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines – but the gorgeous warm hue that is Living Coral will not work for all skin tones; particularly those that suit cool colours. Some of us have warm pigment in our skin which is yellow based, while others of us have cool pigment which is blue based. When you wear the right tones for your skin you will look brighter, fresher and younger but when a blue based cool skin undertone is wearing warm colours they appear sallow and slightly blurred. Equally when someone with a warm yellow based skin undertone wears cool colours they will appear washed out, older and tired. Coral is a warm yellow based pink and so will suit those with warm skin tones much better than those with cool. Don’t despair though if you are cool toned ie if you have a Winter or Summer colour palette, blue based equivalents 14
range from Winter’s shocking pink, magenta and ice pink to Summer’s softer rose, powder pink or raspberry. If you are cool toned but still want to wear the oh so modern Living Coral then an alternative is to wear a pattern with a splash and a dash of coral. Springs and Autumns should check their own wardrobes before racing to the shops. You may already have variants of coral which range from soft peach through to perfect coral and orange reds - which look gorgeous on you and are already within
As a pop of colour, coral looks gorgeous as a scarf, belt, shoes or handbag, particularly against a backdrop of a warm navy and maybe more in 2019’s spring and summer time which are the times of year when coral naturally finds its way into the shops. Using a pop of coral in these types of accessories will also work well with your neutrals for a memorable business look. In comparison’s to last year’s pantone colour of the year, the bold and empowering ultra-violet, coral is an effortless, mellow colour which doesn't dominate making it the perfect hue to accentuate other colours. Coral teams well with all warm neutrals including the current 1970’s inspired browns, the Dulux colour of the year Spiced Honey, greys, coffee, beiges, khaki or dark olive for a rich and expensive look.
Coral is also fantastic in a lipstick, blusher and on nails for those with warm colour tones. Just make sure you don’t go too orange, which can look exciting on some people but not on everyone. At a time when looking at how to drastically reduce pollution, plastics, disposal and carbon emissions is of critical importance, Living Coral couldn’t be timelier. Just as coral reefs are a source of sustenance and shelter to sea life, Living Coral reminds us of our precious world and our responsibility to protect it. BY HELEN VENABLES, MD OF HOUSE OF COLOUR www.houseofcolour.co.uk