One question I get asked a lot during my workshops (Mastering the Art of Illusion Dressing: the A, B, C, D, & E of Style and at Color Parties) is about lighting, what it does to colour. How does one manage to pick out clothing in a store when the dressing room light is awful. Why do colors look different from the store once you get them home?
Light has everything to do with color because color is a reaction to light. What color is a red apple in a dark room? If there is no light there is no color. You need light to see color, and the quality of light influences our perception of color. When choosing colors for your wardrobe, here are some tips to manage some of the perennial lighting issues while shopping:
• If you have poor dressing room light, walk out into the store and find a mirror near natural lighting.
• Shop for a whole outfit or a whole season in one trip. Buy all the pieces at one time under the same lighting conditions. If they work together in the store you will know they will mix and match elsewhere.
• Keep tags on purchases till you know the color is right. Go to stores with good return policies.
• Have you colors done and get a fabric shopping fan. A fabric shopping fan that has been carefully selected with your best colors is foolproof, and in my estimation, an essential tool for shopping in every type of light.
• Learn how to identify the undertone of a color… Indian pashmina scarves often have a yellow undertone of the base yarn. Many raw silks have a black thread underlying the color. If a piece of clothing has a different undertone, it will likely change hue in different lighting settings.
When shopping, understanding how light influences color and how color influences people. Look for more on this subject in my next blog!
