Some frequently asked questions.

Instead of talking about the obvious…Autumn is here etc - we thought that this month we would tackle and answer some questions that we frequently get asked. In fact, we are getting more and more questions because we are getting so many new friends!

Susan of une femme d’un certain âge

Does it matter if I have a tan when I get my colours done?

No - we are looking at the undertones of your skin, which do not change - but please DO NOT wear fake tan, as it is just that…Fake.

What if I don’t like my new colour palette?

You are bound to like some of your colours, so start with those. Once you begin to experiment with them and people start to tell you how well you are looking, you will probably change your opinion of the the ones you don’t like! Remember that complimenting your shirt or dress is not the same as complimenting you on how well you look.

Will I need to banish black if I am not a Winter?

Short answer….YES! Wean it out of your wardrobe gradually - starting with tops and scarves, and start buying your new best colours to wear next to your face

Can I wear black at the bottom then?

To start with, yes you probably will have to, as you are probably not going to purge your entire wardrobe all at once! HOWEVER, stop buying black. If you don’t, you will end up still buying the black shoes, black belt, black handbag etc to go with the black trousers or skirt - so there’s another chunk of your budget gone. Your wardrobe will have no harmonious story. You will look cut off around your middle, and that just doesn’t look quite right.

But isn’t black slimming?

Not if it is not good on you. All dark colours are slimming. Find your best dark neutrals - navy? Dark brown? Olive green? Use them as the building blocks in your new wardrobe. Black is VERY ageing if you are not a Winter - and even a lot of Winters are not great in black and need to wear a brighter colour next to the face.

What happens when I go grey?

If your skin tone needs cool colours, grey will be great. If you need warm colours, you will need to add honey tones to your hair for you to look healthy and for your colour palette not to clash with your hair.

Some people who need warmth (for example “Blue Springs”) tend to go prematurely grey, but still look okay with grey hair - they are the kind of springs that are not as good in the yellower end of the palette… it gets complicated, but when you have your colours analysed, you will also find out what TYPE of Winter, Summer, Spring or Autumn you are.

Do my colours change as I get older?

No - you will remain in the same overall palette - but often as we age, we need more light around our face, so you may need to choose your colours from the lighter, brighter end of your palette. A Winter who looked stunning in black and charcoal in her or his thirties, may not look so good in them in their sixties!

Will I look like someone else after a style session?

NO - you will look like the very best version of YOU. You will allow yourself to be you again, after life has labelled you a Banker, Mum, Teacher etc.
You will realise that you may have been dressing to please other people, or in a way that fits in with how you have been told to look. You will find your individuality again - and not be influenced by other people or by what is considered fashionable or trendy.

Do carry on asking questions! We shall be happy to keep on answering you!

Why The Silk Scarf Is Set To Be The Hero Item In Your New Season Wardrobe

Those in the know are hailing the silk scarf as the hottest accessory this autumn – but this is nothing new for Red Leopard. We have long contested that no wardrobe is complete without a really good selection of scarves in various colours, fabrics and sizes. They don’t necessarily have to be silk, but it is the silk scarf in particular that’s coming back into the height of fashion after a few years out of the limelight. So what makes them a hero item?

A pop of colour

The right scarf can be endlessly versatile as there’s simply so many ways to use them. Is your outfit a bit bland? Scarves can add a fantastic pop of colour with minimal effort. Additionally, as the autumnal months are fast-approaching, with them comes darker colours – namely blacks and greys. If you’re not quite ready to let go of bright summer hues, a bold silk scarf in a colour that complements your skin tone is sure to liven up lacklustre outfits.

Renew & recycle

The new season doesn’t necessarily have to mean an influx of new items – shopping should be all about buying pieces that last a lifetime, and a beautiful silk scarf can be just the thing to add interest to sweaters and cardigans that are already in your wardrobe. On the subject of longevity, silk scarves can become real collectors’ items – just look at Hermès and Pucci – and we consider money spent on them as an investment, which makes your spending guilt-free.

Wrap up warm

As temperatures start to dip, a silk scarf can also keep you warm – in an air conditioned room, it’s an extremely useful accessory to help keep the chill away. They’re also ideal for the earlier autumn months when it’s not quite cold enough to start wearing your cashmere ones. Larger scarves can even be worn draped around your shoulders like a shawl so that your arms are covered.

Versatility

The key to a hero piece is versatility – a quality that the silk scarf definitely has. If the neckline on your dress is a bit boring or unflattering, you can wrap a scarf around your neck to change that. Equally, you can tie it around a handbag handle to add colour to an otherwise classic item. For more styling ideas, read our post on 5 ways to wear a silk scarf.

Red Leopard’s collaborations have resulted in a fabulous collection of scarves - all in various colourways to accessorise any wardrobe.  

Colour and style: is it worth it? And what can it do for me?

Are you happy with your wardrobe and the way you look in your clothes? If your answer to this is no, then consider this; like most things in life, there is a formula for getting it right.

This also applies to your wardrobe and how it makes you feel. Are you happy enough to wear the same pieces over and over again until they are worn out? Look at your wardrobe and ask yourself ‘how much of this am I wearing?’.

Image credit: Sophie Delaporte for Vogue Japan

Most of us (well those who haven’t had a colour and style analysis with Red Leopard), wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. The trouble is that we don’t invest in what’s right for us in terms of our most flattering colours and shapes AND we are bombarded by the latest fad or fashion item which won’t always be right for our body shape, personality or indeed our colouring. 

It might look good on the model in the magazine and it might look good on our friends, so we are conned into assuming it will look good on us too.

Colour is hugely impactful and has the power to make us look vibrant and energetic (when wearing the right tones) or tired and invisible (with the wrong tones). It is scientifically proven that colours have an impact on other colours surrounding them. It’s not so much the colour, but the shade of that colour which makes a huge difference. If you wouldn’t dye your hair black, (because it would drain you) why then would you wear it next to your face? Similarly if you wouldn’t dye your hair blonde, why would you wear yellow next to your face? 

The shades of colour that you wear should be in harmony with your skin tone, it’s as simple as that and during our Colour Analysis, you will see your face change in the mirror front of you. Your skin will look brighter, you will look younger, your eye colour will pop and your jawline will have definition. The consultation can’t be rushed, it takes a couple of hours, but it is truly life changing. Everyone will compliment you on how well you look rather than comment on your clothes. The results speak for themselves. Below you can see our very own Ilka’s (Autumn) and Manina’s (Winter) before and after. The difference is remarkable. 

If people notice your clothes first then something is wrong - they should see the person first.

When you’re wearing the right palette, people will react to you in a more positive way, which will in turn affect the way you feel - and that feeling is a great one. Just think how much more you can achieve when you look and feel great. We can all wear reds, blues, greens, greys and pinks, but getting the exact right shade of the colour is key. We cannot however all wear black (sorry Karl Lagerfeld) as it is only slimming if you are a Winter. People think that only black is slimming but the truth is that all dark colours are slimming. It all boils down to science and the psychology of colour and we can’t argue with that. 

Everything that we put on our body should have some relevance to our face and body shape, it should reflect our personality and of course should be in our best colours. Are you a ‘Classic’ ? If so you should dress in a Classic way which is neat, conservative and fuss-free. Are you a cute, neat and funky ‘Gamine’? Then your clothes and accessories should be cute, neat and funky otherwise you will look boring. Are you ‘ Natural/Adventurer'? Then keep your makeup minimal, your hair long and dress in a relaxed manner. Are you a curvy and feminine ‘Romantic’? Then look at lowering your necklines and wear curvy patterns and keep your look glamorous. These are just a few tips and a few of the personality profiles and there is of course more to it, but everyone fits into one or more of the categories.  Once you know your colours, best shapes and your personality type, you will buy better, shopping will be more fun and you will save time and money (not to mention space in your wardrobe). It really is simple, but it takes the investment. 

To us colour and style is the most important investment you can make in yourself because after all, you are your business card. If you think about how much money you have spent on things that you aren’t wearing then the investment with Red Leopard will be a drop in the ocean. That’s our promise to you. 

If you would be interested in a Colour and Style Consultation with the team here at Red Leopard, please call us on 44+ (0)20 7376 4057 or email Manina on manina@redleopard.co.uk.

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