How to wear head-to-toe colour (and the pitfalls to avoid)
Plus: Lisa solves your fashion dilemmas below
Head-to-toe colour (HTTC) has really taken off this summer. Jane Fonda in damson at the Time Earth Awards Gala and Nana Acheampong, SheerLuxe’s fashion broadcaster and editor, at Ascot in powder blue. Lady Starmer making her entrance into Downing Street in red. Sophie Winkleman and Kaya Scodelario in white at Wimbledon.
Maybe it’s because patterns have taken more of a back seat recently and HTTC is a good stand-in. Case in point: the Princess of Wales, also at Wimbledon, in that long-line purple Safiyaa dress.
Perhaps the rise and rise of trouser suits has accustomed our eyes to swathes of colour. Or perhaps it’s because selfies have shown us that creating an outfit without lots of horizontal colour breaks is a flattering way to achieve an elongating, streamlined effect.
Either way, it’s an easy technique to adopt when you need to make an impact – though there are caveats. If you want every item to match perfectly, you’re looking at a dress or trouser suit – and a hunt for the right accessories.
Blazer, ￡149 and trousers, ￡99, Hush
So, where possible, buy from the same supplier. The dress and hat I’m wearing here, for instance, both come from Jasper Conran and go perfectly with one another. I thought it might look a bit much in real life, but while they’re both a strong cobalt blue, it’s not strident. A black hat would have looked too sombre and made me look shorter. An orange one? Potentially fabulous, but a whole other story.
The more you think about it, it had to be matchy-matchy. This is about standing out, but not getting carried away with the accessories. The Princess of Wales is a dab hand at HTTC. There’s not much she doesn’t know these days about creating the perfect picture. Given so much of our lives is now captured for posterity, it’s a consideration for all of us.
Tweed jacket, ￡553, Proenza Schouler; Merino wool with cashmere top, ￡49.50, Marks & Spencer
Croc print leather bag, ￡875, Lalage Beaumont; Suede shoes, ￡90, Vagabond
If you’re tempted by HTTC, some further food for thought: be 100 per cent sure the colour suits you. Sounds obvious, but sometimes – when we’ve been to 11 shops/scrolled through endless websites – we stray from the path of wisdom. Finding the right colour is the difference between knockout and ouch. Also, experiment with different shades of the same colour. If you’re wearing a trouser suit, a slightly darker or paler shirt can look wonderful.
Carrying the colour through to shoes can look very chic – but oh, finding that precise match. White shoes and a matching bag can be a fresh alternative, but they need to be in pristine condition. For fabric and canvas shoes, Clarks recommends mixing one tablespoon of baking soda, two tablespoons of white vinegar and a cup of warm water into a paste and gently scrubbing until any stains have disappeared. If you’re planning on wearing your white shoes a lot this summer, near grass, you’ll be scrubbing a lot too. Think of the benefit to your biceps. Alternatively, Shoe Dyeing Direct will colour-match-dye shoes and bags for you. Sounds addictive.
Lisa wears: Wide brim hat, ￡65 and silk dress, ￡410, Jasper Conran; Leather shoes, ￡115, & Other Stories; Freshwater pearl and gold plated earrings, ￡80, Ballinger; All other jewellery, Lisa’s own. Hair and make-up: Oonagh Connor at Joy Goodman using monika blunder and delilah; Styling: Sophie Tobin; Stylist’s assistant: Hansveni Dave; Location: Middle Temple Hall and private gardens can be booked for celebrations and weddings – please contact [email protected]
Lisa solves your style dilemmas
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