Preserving the Planet
by admin on 20/02/10 at 2:56 pm
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Rachel Carlson
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Colours for colouring
Louise cardi in magenta by Frank & Faith
In the middle of the 20th century German artist Hans Hoffman stated ‘It is not the form which dictates the colour, but the colour which brings out the form.’
When Hans originally made this statement, he was referring to his art work, but it’s a quote that can be applied to fashion, for what is fashion if not art?
The power of colour within the fashion industry is frequently under-estimated. Often fashion reviewers focus on the cut of the cloth or the fabric as opposed to the very thing that stares us in the face – the colour.
Fashion trends may come and go, your figure will constantly change, but your complexion and the colours that suit you are likely to stay the same.
To have a flattering pared down, versatile and lasting wardrobe it really helps to understand which colours suit you. Use this simple guide to determine the season that most defines your colouring so you can discover your definitive colour pallete.
WINTER COMPLEXIONS
People with winter colourings are often known for having depth and intensity to their complexions. Their skin has cool blue/pink undertones and may be porcelain or with an olive hue which greatly contrasts their dark hair colour and the bright colour of their eyes.
‘Cool colourings’ should stay away from pastel colours, instead opting for clothes with more depth and intensity. This Folklore camisole top available from peopletree.com (£15), the Louise Cardigan from frankandfaith.com ( £47) and the teal Kelly dress from puritystyle.co.uk (£34) are perfect for complimenting winter complexions.
DO WEAR: Colours with intensity like navy blue, bright red, royal purples, jet black and hot pinks and teal.
COLOURS TO AVOID: Beige, orange, gold and other earthy colours as these subdue the complexion.
SUMMER COMPLEXIONS
Like people with winter complexions, those with summer colourings have a cool undertone to their skin. But unlike winter, there is a low level of contrast between hair colour, eye colour and skin tone. People with such complexions often have pale peachy skin tones with blonde hair and brown eyes, or on occasion, very dark complexions.
Women with summer colourings often look best in neutral colours. This Baby Pink Brittania tunic (£35), from ethicsgirls.co.uk is a wonderful choice as is this White outsider shirt dress (£85) available from responsiblygorgeous.co.uk.
DO WEAR: Softer shades of neutral such as baby blue, pastels, yellow and dusty pink.
COLOURS TO AVOID: Intense colours such as bright reds, navys and earthy tones such as beige.
AUTUMN COMPLEXIONS
The most striking thing about those with autumn colourings is the warmth of their complexions. With skin that has peachy golden undertones, redheads and brunettes with hazel eyes and bronzed skin, often fall into this category.
Try this orange Quinn Bamboo drape T-shirt (£33 from ethicsgirls.co.uk) and Grey Mindy turtle neck dress (£40), and the Gita wrap dress from puritystyle.co.uk (£25), which can be worn over a pair of leggings or thick tights during the day, or glammed up with jewellery and heels for a sophisticated evening out with friends.
DO WEAR: Colours with a warm undertone, beige, orange and greys as well as earthly colours such as camel and olive.
COLOURS TO AVOID: Bright colours, extreme colours (such as black and white) or pastels as these will make the skin look cold and tired.
SPRING COMPLEXIONS
It can be difficult to distinguish between a spring complexion and an autumn complexion, as the two carry many similar traits. Like those with autumn colouring, the skin of the springtime complexion often has golden peachy undertones but there is more frequently the presence of freckles and coloured eyes in someone with Spring colouring. Red heads with freckles and blue or grey eyes frequently fit into this category.
If this sounds like you, then take a look at the Green V Tee (£10) available from ethicsgirls.co.uk and this lovely light blue Daisy gathered dress from peopletree.co.uk.
DO WEAR: Soft colours such as peach, ivory, golden yellow and aqua, as well as warm/earthy colours such as true reds, copper and emerald green as well as light blues.
COLOURS TO AVOID: Pastels which drain colour from the skin.
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Have your green cake and eat it too
Are you one of those people that feels a slight pang of guilt every time you put a plastic bottle into the bin?
Or hangs their head slightly at the airport in case people tut at you for flying on that holiday abroad?
Cotton nappies or disposables? Grow your own, pick your own, or organic? The road to green enlightenment is littered with confusing messages and unclear advice.
Part of the challenge is that the biggest changes we can make can often seem the most dull.
Lagging your loft and bunging up those draughty gaps can save you a heap alongside swapping your old banger for a gleaming new Prius, but they don’t make quite the same statement.
But there is one green thing you can do that only takes about five minutes, and you only need to do it once. And you don’t even need to leave the house. It’s changing where your energy comes from.
Already your eyes might have glazed over with thoughts of call centres or complicated websites. And if you’ve ever looked into it, you’ve probably come across claim and counter-claim about who’s the greenest.
For instance, you may have seen companies offering a ‘100% green tariff’ and what could be any greener than that? But as usual, there’s a little more to it than that.
Imagine a Victoria sponge cake (as everybody likes cake) that represents all the energy made in Britain, and the jam is the thin layer of green energy spread through the middle. The UK’s jam is currently about 6% – half the target for what it should be.
Everyone with a normal (‘brown’) energy supply gets a slice of the electricity cake, with jam through the middle, whether they like it or not. But most green energy providers are just scraping off some jam and selling it back to you, often at a premium. So you get 100% jam, and everyone else gets a bit less.
The crucial thing is that the amount of jam hasn’t changed. This is how most green tariffs work, just re-distributing the same green energy that’s already around, while not actually making any more. But there is an energy company that does make more jam – sorry, green energy – by reinvesting the money from customers’ bills back into building new sources, instead of keeping it as profit for shareholders.
Ecotricity, the world’s first green energy supplier, is a social enterprise more interested in people and the planet than profit. Its aim is to make Britain greener and less reliant on other parts of the world for our sources of energy. For every unit of new green energy it makes, one less has is needed from conventional polluting or depleting sources.
All of Ecotricity’s own sources of green energy – 51 windmills and counting – have been built reinvesting the money from customers’ bills.
Customers currently get nearly 50% of green energy from these, topped up with ordinary ‘brown’ energy. As more customers join and more windmills are built, that green figure will increase. And now Ecotricity is also using the same principle for green gas, which will be made from organic waste, for a truly green dual fuel.
Ecotricity’s philosophy is that the jam shouldn’t cost any more so they match the standard regional price of the ‘Big Six’, and this comes from a lovely team of people that aim to answer the phone within three rings.
So you really can have your cake and eat it – and feel good about it too!
To find out more and to receive a £30 voucher from Jo Wood Organics for switching to Ecotricity, click here
This article is sponsored by Ecotricity and the views contained within are not necessarily those of daisygreenmagazine.co.uk. But we pride ourselves in only partnering with like minded ethical organisations.
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