The Colors of Fall 2011

Fall is arriving in the stores and the colors are a great combo of vibrant, warm and neutral with a brilliant mix of variations of the tried and true. What’s exciting this season is that each family of color is highlighted with a touch of newness that is having its revival.  I’ve chosen the four, in order of importance to me, that I feel to be the base of what color for Fall 2011 is all about.

RED HOT:  Reds that are bright and bold, Scarlet to Lipstick, continue to gain in popularity as a staple of every woman’s wardrobe, from apparel to accessories (who doesn’t want to own a great red shoe or bag?) to the lipstick of choice this season. However, the newest shade of this season is the dominance of the warmer, darker shades of RED, taken from the colors of the wine country….from rich Burgundy to a warm Bordeaux, with pops of rich, deep Magentas.

GOLD RUSH: Mustard/Gold is the emerging color that adds great warmth to your wardrobe. As head-to-toe this hue may not be for everybody but popped and mixed with traditional Fall shades of browns, oranges, greens and my personal favorite, as a pop for grey, adds a newness to your wardrobe that has not been around for awhile. Also, the dominance of Gold as the jewelry accent of choice this season, plays well off of this, the newest color idea of the season.

BLUE MOOD:  Great season for having a case of the Blues. All shades from deep ocean blue to cool water turq. or my personal favorite that is working its way back in to our lives, season-by-season, Navy or Midnight Blue, dominated the runways. Great as a stand alone, easily worn head to toe or tonally. This color family remains a popular choice for most stylish women. For extra pop, add a touch of Green, a continual “comer” in the world of color.

GREY DAYS:  My favorite neutral of the season, this softer side of black, works beautifully with all of the dominant color families mentioned above. For the lovers of black as a staple (count me in on that!), and less willing to dress in colors, grey gives you an alternative that feels newer and can be popped with colors in much the same way as black. My favorite way to wear grey is tonally (shown below by Donna Karan). The coolness of Pearl with the warmness of Charcoal is the ultimate in sophisticated style. 

Styling tip: accessorize with a neutral or brown shoe, much newer than a traditional black!

In closing, I’ve chosen what I feel is the newness this season in color….Bordeaux, Mustard, Navy, and/or Grey and their families of color…all present hues that feel rich, warm and inviting.  Happy Fall to all.  I just love this season, now we just need to lose the 100+ weather and we’re there!