The votes are in: it’s too early to start talking about Spring. After Exeter being warm enough this past week for me to wear just a t-shirt under my favourite jacket, I figured the time had come to start talking transitional fashion: florals, subtle layering, 70s-inspired dusty pastels on the eye and all that jazz…but no. My housemate, who is right about everything, tells me that it’s still February, and that I’m deluded if I think it’s Spring just yet.
But this doesn’t mean that I’m going to write about thick jumpers and beige (although, who doesn’t love a snug sweater). I’m going to write about how to bring that Spring pop of colour to your February wardrobe through the oh-so-intimidating technique of colour co-ordination. If you’ve just made a mental picture of yourself in an orange jumpsuit with tangerine-tinted accessories and a hat with an apricot bow, don’t freak out, just read on.
I’ll start by saying that unless you’re a fashionista who loves to mix and match block colours or wear actual co-ords, I would steer clear of co-ordinating any items in your actual outfit e.g. trousers with t-shirt. The colour matching I’m talking about is all in the accessories. By keeping your outfit lowkey in terms of colour and letting your accessories do the talking, you’ll achieve the kind of put-together-ness that’ll have your lecture buddies guessing at your secret. It also allows you to pick a colour you love but one you would never pick a t-shirt in (mine is mustard-yellow) and sneak it into your ensemble.
So what accessories can you match? The answer is easy: any of them. How about co-ordinating lipstick with boots or a beanie with nail polish? Why not try an artfully-displayed bralette strap with your earrings? The combinations are endless! Bold colours like reds, yellows, hot pinks and bright greens are fab but pastel shades can work against a stark black or white outfit. A bonus of accessorizing well: you can keep that outfit as cosy as you like, you don’t have to give up your winter knits as soon as you thought.
The statement earring trend is perfect for this: grab yourself a pair of bright earrings (they don’t have to be tasselled if you’re worried about matching your nan’s curtains by accident) and play around with matching them to your fave bright red lippy or the straps on your boots. They’ll effortlessly brighten up a jumper and jeans if you don’t fancy co-ordinating them with anything.
As Gene Wilder said, ‘to match the hat with the shoes is taste’. Remember, fashion is about having fun and taking risks so match your watch strap with your eyeshadow if you feel like it. Ignore your housemates if they try to tell you it isn’t Spring yet, it is in your wardrobe!