Turquoise is one of the most flexible colours as it suits all skin tones. Being at the cool end of the spectrum it is the combination of blue and green and can veer towards cool or warm depending on the proportions. It becomes warmer as it moves in the direction of green because of the addition of yellow.

As well as being versatile to wear, turquoise is associated with the throat chakra, which encourages good communication, expression of feelings and helps regulate the nervous system. It physically relates to the thymus gland, which forms part of our immune systems, so turquoise is great for boosting immunity if feeling run down. As a cool colour it soothes inflammatory conditions especially when combined with its complementary colour, orange.

A relaxing colour that promotes well being and soothes mental fatigue, most people react positively to turquoise as it depicts the calming qualities of water and blue skies. However, this colour is not recommended if suffering from depression as it can increase feelings of isolation due to its calming properties.

So how do you incorporate some turquoise into your life?

Wear it with neutrals like browns, greys and dark blues or do sunny brights and combine with pink and purple. Splashes of the colour as an accessory in a scarf or piece of jewellery will instantly liven up any outfit.

Thinking of adding turquoise to your home? Then paint your bathroom this colour as it is both refreshing and calming.

Whenever I see a new client, the colour turquoise is always one that makes women smile when its placed up against their faces – there is a shade for everyone so find out which one suits you best and wear it lots this summer for a fabulous glowing skin and a wonderful sense of well being.

Did you know that women wear 15% of their wardrobe 85% of the time?

One of the problems is that we are bombarded every season by “new” fashions and seeing Kate Moss in her latest range makes women everywhere rush out to Topshop and buy the outfit she looked fabulous in (or 3). The problem is that if you are a curvy, pear shaped lady you really wont suit Kate’s angular, boyish styles!

So what’s the answer? The key to buying clothes well is to know your body shape and buy to suit it. Most women have wardrobes full of clothes not worn, or things that had one outing but were never seen again. The general rule is to get rid of anything not used after 18 months, unless it’s a classic or special occasion wear (provided it fits and is the right colour).

Embrace summer styles but only buy what makes you feel good and that fits your shape. It’s all down to proportions. Here are my top tips:-

Measure your shoulders and hips – are they in proportion? If not which predominates?

- Broader shoulders; compensate with anything pleated/pocketed on hips
- Broader hips; compensate with padded shoulders, peplums and puffs
- No waist; wear empire styles that fit under the bust
- Top heavy; V necks are your best friends
- Boyish and angular; anything waisted to give curves

My Favourite Summer Event Buys:-

Linea linen coral dress with hem frills.
Coast cream Clara shift dress and purple satin Jocasta dress.
Hobbs Mozart Dress.
Pringle electric print shaped trench.
Jaeger London cream embellished shoulder wrap top.

For more information on colour and style contact jules@colourconsultancy.co.uk.

With Spring upon us, we all want to dive into our wardrobes in search of bright colours hoping to brighten up our moods and faces!

With so many people having warm skin tones in the UK, the warm, bright, clear colours of Spring will suit all “yellow” based skins.

Blue and green eyed “springs” look best in all bright blues and greens with corals and salmon pinks also looking lovely.

Brown eyed “springs” look best in bright red, orange and pink (provided skin tone isn’t very flushed).

Lime green looks stunning and can only be worn really well on a spring skin, due to the yellow base behind the colour. Most shades of yellow and gold will also make the skin look healthy and for those of you with blonde highlights, these will really shine.

Spring neutrals are camel, beige, stone, grey and marine blue. Black is not within this colour range as it will flatten out a warm skin tone, making it look older and highlighting lines and dark shadows. White is also to be avoided, it will simply make skin look blotchy and pale, opt for all the cream shades instead to make skin glow and look wonderfully even.

Chocolates? Cards? Flowers? These gifts are great shows of affection but the truth is that what mothers really want is to feel like fabulous and attractive women and not just mothers and a wives! Jules Standish, Celebrity colour consultant (www.colourconsultancy.co.uk) says “men often contact me to book their partners a colour and style consultation for special occasions to show how much they love and appreciate them. It can really help boost a woman’s confidence within a relationship to know that he cares enough about her appearance.”

Jules gives us her top “Make Over” tips for Mothers Day and looks at which celebrity mothers are inspirational and stylish.

- A colour and style consultation can be transformational and should be   once in a lifetime experience, so find someone good in your area.
- Give her a gift voucher from her favourite store for a personal shop.
- Make an appointment at a hairdressing salon she has always wanted to try – a new cut and colour does wonders for self-esteem.
- Buy her a coloured scarf to brighten up her face for spring so that she can wear it with her winter coats and then also with lighter jackets.
- A new handbag is always a treat – take a look at what she already has and either buy her a neutral colour if she works (to match her hair colour or her shoes!!) or a bright bag if she has lots of plain colours already.
- Pay for her to see a make up artist to show her what colours she should be wearing on her face and how to apply it for best effect.
- Organise a spa day for her with some friends.
- Book a beauty treatment like a manicure or facial.

Angelina Jolie looks beautiful whether donning the red carpet or at home with her children; a hard working mother who combines home life, charity work and fame with understated glamour. Samantha Cameron is the high profile wife of the Conservative Leader, mother to 2 children, and a successful business-woman. She is often thought of as a UK fashion icon and her style is chic and stylish – a truly inspirational lady! Holly Willoughby, an ex model won a Bafta award in 2006, and is now a well know TV presenter, married with a young child and always looks fresh, happy and dresses her fabulously curvaceous body to maximum effect!

To book a consultation with Jules or for more information on colour and style email jules@colourconsultancy.co.uk.

Pastel shades of peaches, lemons and strawberries are apparently the fashion statement of spring – but who can really wear them up against their skin without draining all the colour from their complexion. Certain skin types look better in pastel tones than others. Jules Standish colour consultant (www.colourconsultancy.co.uk) says “its wrong to assume that everyone can wear the same pastel shades, the important thing is to know whether you have a cool or a warm skin tone – do you look better in pale pink or peach?”

Jules shares with us her top tips for wearing this seasons pastels and which celebrities are to be copied?!

Cool, pink based complexions

-                     Light and fairly colourless having an all over even pinkness. 

-                     Best suits the cool, pale pastels of pink, blue and purple.  

-                     Wear rose blushers, foundations and lipsticks worn lightly. 

-                     Accessorise with soft greys and navy and wear pearls.

-                     Colour hair in ash tones.

-                     Calista Flockhart wears soft pink to harmonise her looks.

Cool, blue based complexions

-                     Can wear black up against the face without any signs of ageing or dark lines and have a striking unusual quality with no high cheek colour.

-                     Suit strong cool colours so pastels are icy and best in blues, greys and pinks.

-                     Grey and blue eyeshadows will highlight the pastel effect.

-                     Accessorise with white.

-                     Platinum, silver, white gold and diamonds finish off this look.

-                     Dita Von Teese looks sultry in her cool pastels.

Warm, yellow based complexions

-                     look best in bright, clear and warm colours so go pastel without losing warmth. Soft peach and salmon pinks along with buttercup yellow look great. 

-                     Make up should remain in the correct warm colours of peaches and corals with green eyeshadows but applied lightly. 

-                     Colour hair in golds and wear brightly coloured jewellery.

-                     Accessorise with tans and cream.

-                     Ferne Cotton looks divine in warm neutrals of cream and ivory.

Warm, bronze based complexions

-                     Light or dark this colouring is rich and suits all the muted earth shades, particularly olive green, orange and pastel peach.  

-                     With make up of warm reds, peaches and browns the skin takes on a metallic sheen.

-                     Accessorise with all the browns, and shades of coffee and cream with antique gold jewellery.

-                     Kelly Brook looks lovely in muted colours in pastel shades.

Red demands attention and is THE irresistible colour to wear if you want to get noticed!  As it releases the hormone adrenaline it will give you the energy to socialise and feel confident at any social gathering on Valentines day.  Red is a passionate and firey colour and great to spice up your love life so be prepared for a “love attack”!

If you have an important Valentines date with someone you are trying to impress wear something red and boost your chances of a successful romance!

Put on a red dress (ponti-roma £28 www.asos.com) or accessorise with a red bag (lulu guinness lydia £174 www.mywardrobe.com) red scarf (alexander mcqueen £140 www.matchesfashion.com) red belt (NW3 pennington £29 www.hobbs.com) or red nails and lips (organic Logona no 5 lipstick www.pure-girl.co.uk).  A red tie or pink shirt can make men more desirable (www.tmlewin.co.uk).

How about red underwear (ceriso bra £6 and matching knickers £3 www.marksandspencers.com) – for men red socks or boxers!

As an alternative “pink” is a combination of red and white and is the colour of love so wear it in abundance but make sure you have the right shade on for your skin tone:

Cool, soft delicate and pink-based skin tones should look for pink reds and not strong reds.  Think Camilla Dallerup!

Cool, blue based skins with striking colouring look fabulous in strong, deep reds like burgundy and fuscia pinks – think Joan Collins.

Warm, yellow/peachy based skins will suit all the bright reds, salmon and coral pinks – think Cameron Diaz!

Warm, bronze based skins with rich colouring will suit the more orangey/brick reds, think Beyonze Knowles!

Whatever you do this Valentines day be prepared and dazzle in red!

The BB house this year has been decorated in shades of firey reds; obviously a deliberate attempt to encourage maximum stress and disharmony amongst the contestants.

Jules Standish Celebrity Colour Consultant www.colourconsultancy.co.uk says

“Red can cause aggressive behaviour as it raises the adrenaline levels in our bodies increasing blood pressure. Spending too much time in red spaces will cause irritation and anxiety”. 

So what colours can the contestants wear to counteract the “red” effect, keep calm and ultimately win the competition – Jules gives us her top tips

BLACK:-

Whilst black is a melancholic colour and suits cool skin tones with introverted natures, there are few people that can wear black up against their faces and not be aged by it.  Black is protective and non-challenging and will diffuse the huge amount of red in the BB house.  However, the older women; Stephanie and Ivana, should beware black tops and scarves as it will damage their skin tone and make them look much older and drained.

Who wears it well:-

Vinny is using his powerful personality to great advantage – he is wearing a lot of black, which ultimately masks who he really is.

BLUE-GREEN:-

Blue produces a hormone that relaxes and calms the central nervous system so it’s perfect to be worn in stressful situations provided the shade suits the individuals skin tone.  As blue is the colour of communication its great to put on in times of disagreements.  Green is the natural balancer and harmoniser, and as the complementary colour to red is great to wear to counteract its effects.  There are many shades of green to choose from from lime to olive and emerald.

Who suits it best:-

Stephanie – what a composed lady she is!  Her blue scarf is perfect to wear to keep the communication going between housemates in a diplomatic and cool way.

 PURPLE:-

This is the colour that encourages harmonious relationships and dissipates arguments – it really helps to keep the peace in difficult and confrontational situations.  Purple is at the cooler end of the colour spectrum and will therefore suit all cool skin tones, but the warmer shades of lilac can be worn by those with spring/autumn colouring.

Who needs it:-

Nicola as she has managed to not get evicted and wearing dark, deep purple will give her the strength to get through the next round and to avoid difficult situations that may arise.

PINK:-

This is the colour of “love”, which will encourage feelings of love and affection between the housemates. The only skin tones that don’t suit pink are the bronze based autumn ones.  They tend to look better in the more orange, salmon shades.  This is because pink is predominantly a cool colour with the peachy, coral shades suiting warm spring complexions. 

Who should wear pink:-

Alex as he is a big softy at heart and showing himself to be the true romantic in the house, so pink will suit his personality and with his colouring the warm pinks will suit his tanned complexion.

Many of you will still be in all your dark colours, and probably still shopping at the sales and therefore stocking up on winter clothes. 

What better time then to purchase some lovely coloured scarves to wear with all the black and navy coats and knitwear – red will inject some well needed energy into your system and orange will help you to be more sociable at this time of year.  The warm colours will really help to “heat” up the body whilst putting some well needed colour up against the face.

If you’re done with clothes shopping then look inside your home, it could be as simple as buying some bright flowers as our natural landscape is so stripped of colour in January and February – bringing nature into your home will instantly cheer you up.  Yellow flowers are full of joy and mimic well needed sunshine whilst pink are the colour of love and purple great if you or someone close is recupperating from an illness.

Use colour to brighten up the dark days and dont let the weather get you down!