June 2003 Newsletter

Colour IN Fashion and White Tie Dressing

June already and winter is upon us in the southern hemisphere and for our northern friends’ summer is upon you. Whichever season you are entering colour remains important in our daily dressing. Colour in fashion and business has a very strong impact on us at all levels. It can elicit an intellectual response from the look we portray as well as a very emotional response. The colours you chose to wear each day will often be a reflection of how you are feeling when you get up each morning. It is important to consider what you are planning to do with your day, the meetings you will attend, the deals you will be making and the reactions you are after. The image you portray can make or break your day and this is just the colours alone.

This month I will feature the four main colours that we wear. Black, White, Grey, Red and Blue.

What do you wear to a white tie dinner? How formal is it and is it really important to wear a tie at all? This is the last instalment on my formal dressing articles and white tie dressing is the most formal and the most elegant. Fortunately for many of us it is not an event we need to dress for daily. Remember if you have missed any past articles they are all there to read in the archives.

Colour in Fashion

Black

This is the most formal of all colours. It can be seen as sombre and depressing whilst it is also dignified, mysterious, strong and in charge. I always advise clients to be careful with black. Living in Melbourne it is known to be a city’s uniform yet as much as it makes a stand you can tend to blend into the masses who are also wearing black. Black is a great slimming colour but wear it in light layers to you don’t appear too heavy. It does have a tendency to keep people at a distance so I would avoid it if you are in sales but it does have a very definite place in management roles.
Always remember to keep black away from your face if you are lines as it can instantly age you even more as it fills in those fine lines on your face

White

White is a very pure colour. It has a strong impact when worn with black in that it has high contrast and the sharper the white the shaper you can look. It has connotations of freshness and youthfulness. On the down side white can give a very clinical and cold impression.
As a suit it is best worn by women and mainly during summer. The only time we can get away with white when it is not summer is by wearing the softer winter white. That looks fabulous in long overcoats, fine woollen suits and jumpers. Men in white become reminiscent of seedy characters from Bermuda wearing a white straw panama, smoking a Cuban cigar whist sitting in a bar under a large fan.
White is great when worn at parties and as a crisp compliment to a darker suit. When in a medical practice or when involved in a health related field white jackets give the impression of health and hygiene. White should be avoided when you have little time for personal grooming and when you are working in areas where the grime level is quite high.

Grey

Grey is the closest colour or shade to black. I always think a dark charcoal suit is far more stylish than a heavy black suit. Grey is another colour or more officially shade as many will argue, and rightfully so, that grey is just a shade between black and white and is not a true colour. Back to grey, it is respectable and elegant. It shows a balanced outlook on life without being overly formal and stuffy. You can get caught out by appearing non-committal and a little safe. I still prefer grey to black as it is both authoritarian and smart without being pushy and overbearing. To look smart team your grey suit with a white shirt and a tie or scarf in a colour of medium density and contrast. It is ideal for a job interview. It won’t work if you are in a creative industry as you will appear too staid, nor will it stand you out from the crowd when making a presentation.

Blue

Blue must have to be the friendliest colour out there. The deep blues evoke authority, the mid blue are kind to the eyes and convey trust whilst the light blues, especially in shirts are considered hard working and dependable. Blue shirts today are an ideal accompaniment to any suit when you want to look smart, professional and approachable. It is the western world’s favourite colour and is the easiest to wear; it is not a colour you hear people saying they can’t wear. The main consideration when wearing blue is that to some it can imply conservatism and predictability. It is the favourite colour of the finance sector so wear it especially when you are trying to get a loan or get a job or even get ahead in those fields. Do not wear it when you are pitching a new idea or concept to your team or bosses or if you are applying for a job in a creative field.

Red

The red power suit. Everyone knows about it and many women have taken the plunge into purchasing one. Yes red is the colour of power and like all power one must be careful how it is used. I’m sure I heard something like that on a magic show once. The first consideration to make is just how much power and energy you want to exude. Red is wonderful for dining in that it stimulates the appetite. It is excellent for passion as it ignites the heart and gets the blood pumping and wonderful in track gear as it energises you for a work out. In business though you need to be careful when you wear red. It is perfect for presentations and for making a statement. It can make you appear overpowering if you are I the midst of negotiations so maybe just a hint of red to show strength and determination without appearing pushy will do the trick. Another consideration with red is that it helps to give you energy when you are feeling flat, so a red top or red tie can pick you up but if you are really flat red can drain you as surely as pulling the plug in your sink. It is not a colour to wear when you want to blend in with the furniture and simply listen to negotiations and ideas.

The White Tie Dress Code

White Tie/Evening Dress
This is the most formal of all styles of dressing. It is generally reserved for royalty and visiting world dignitaries and leaders. It is almost obsolete in Australia but it would be remiss of me not to include it in this series of articles. This look is very refined, stately and elegant. Comical waistcoats, miniskirts and anything casual is not acceptable to a white tie function. Evening dress can be misunderstood to mean a style of dress more in keeping with black tie. This may be so to some degree for the men in that a black bow tie may be worn for evening dress and while women do not necessarily require gloves for evening dress they definitely require a floor length gown.

For the men this look consists of black evening trousers, a matching tailcoat, white shirt with winged collar, white waistcoat, white bow tie and black patent leather shoes. Carrying a top hat and cane is an affected look, which is considered well out of date.

For us girls to look the part it is required that we wear a long evening dress with a pair of full-length gloves. You should carry a small evening bag with just a lipstick, some money and handkerchief in it. Anything else in this instance is completely inappropriate.

Watch out for next month’s issue where I will be explaining the impact of brown, pink, green, orange, yellow and violet can have on ourselves and those we interact with.

Make-up Classes

MAKING MAKE-UP EASY

These workshops are designed to make applying your make-up easy.

You will learn how to:

Chose your best colours
Apply natural looking make-up expertly
Learn how to enhance your natural assets

On top of this you will be shown the secrets to choosing and applying your ideal foundation
Perfecting how to apply eyeshadow
Apply the 5-minute make-up
Evening glamour looks
Which brushes do what and how to use them easily and like a professional?

The course is divided into two sessions to allow you to practice and perfect what you are learning in between sessions. The spaces are limited to ensure everyone receives all the advice and assistance from Clare, as they need. Included in the price is a complete set of make-up brushes for you to keep.

Session #1 dates are June 14th, September 7th and October 11th
*Session #2 dates are June 28th, September 21st and October 25th.

NB The June dates are filled and spaces are filling for September and October.

*It is a requirement that you have attended session #1 to attend session #2 as the information in session #2 will directly follow on from what you will have learned in session #1.

The cost for each session is $45.00. Discounts are available if you bring a friend or pay for both sessions up front.

Please call Clare on 03 9505 0106 for more details.

Once again please don’t keep me a secret and share this newsletter with your friends.

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