colour & confidence - finding ‘your’ wow!
Confidence and Colour
I’ve had the pleasure of working with the most gorgeous woman throughout my 10 years as a stylist. I couldn’t have asked for a better crowd. Not only have we had great sessions together, the relationships have extended into friendships, which is just lovely.
There is a reason behind my ‘rainbow lady’ status. I use colour to boost woman into levels of confidence that they have been missing, or have put to the side whilst they see to everyone else. Sound familiar? We dress with the intention of creating small bouts of happy. We look good, we feel happy, we have more confidence and other people start enjoying the vibe.
I can’t take all the credit for dressing in colour of course. My trained eye can look closely at your skin tone, your eyes and your hair and watch you glow in your perfect palette. Being in your correct colour palette can make you more attractive, youthful and healthy. But the happiness, learned knowledge and confidence part, well that comes down to a few things, and I’ve noted a few here for your reading pleasure!
YOUR INNER CONFIDENCE
You are the only person who can ultimately challenge yourself when it comes to colour and style. When I work with new clients, the first thing I ask is what is the favourite colour, and why? You see, it’s the ‘why’ part that seems to stumble women. ‘Why’ would I take the time to think about the ‘why’?? Well, it’s time to start focussing on YOU.
When I first trained as a colour specialist, for me, it was all about the seasons and the colours and getting that right. Fast forward a few years and a black book of lovely clients, I now have come to realise that it’s more about giving you all the tools, the inner work needs to start with you. There is no point me telling you to dress head to toe in the brights, if your personality is screaming for the calm factor. Or moreover, you are looking lush in muted tones, but you want to SHINE.
Colour can have a profound effect on you, and others. There are healing benefits to wearing colours. Colours can make you feel things - for example a calming blue for communicating or a caring pink to nurture. Red has associations with drama and romance and can be often seen as ‘dangerous’. Black is the power dressing colour, although black if it isn’t in your palette won’t make you shine. Black also can really drag down other colours, with the exception of cool and brilliant tones.
REVISITING YOUR NEUTRALS
For the record, I am not against black clothes. I have a large section in my wardrobe detailing light and shade and texture in the form of my bridal stylist attire. HOWEVER. If you are not in the coolest category of the skin, you are most definitely going to have to pick a new neutral. You will thank me for it. If you have warmth, you should opt for a Marine Navy, Khaki or French Navy. If you have more of a cool and soft tone, stick to Navy. If you can’t avoid black, focus on a pop of colour near your face!
THE DOPAMINE DRESSING EFFECT
A little something to do with dopamine dressing ladies. Well, c’mon then, what’s dopamine dressing I hear you say?
Well, it is the association between brightly coloured clothing and the happiness. Instilling joy through what we wear has a name – 'dopamine dressing' – there are books, reviews, articles and the likes… go on, google it, you won’t look back.
THE COLOUR WHEEL
Take a look at one.
You see those colours on the opposite sides? Well my friend. They are called complimentary colours for a reason! Blue and Orange, Red and Green (think of Christmas people). Try it. You will reap the benefits!
Colours on the quarter which you see reminding you of sunsets, oceans, summer fields, well these are called harmonious colours and they work together in harmony to create something beaut.
TONAL FOR THE WIN
Moving away from black is tricky. The trickiest thing is that not only are our clothes obsessively black, but ALL our shoes are too! To get around this, an idea I suggest is to keep your colour from head to toe. Navy top, navy bottoms, navy shoes, accessories etc. On a side note, I love navy and black together too.
DRESS YOUR NECK
Framing your face with colour is a fantastic start. Don’t you know I created a whole product around this concept! I don’t just mean to sneak in a side advert for my ‘edits’, but actually, you can wear;
A hat, glasses, a pair of earrings, a headband, a scarf, a necklace, a polo-neck.
As we are all finding ourselves chatting more online, now, than ever before, your face really is going to be seen! I’ve had specific briefs for boosting the ‘zoom’ profile and linked in images where I can give advise on colour and styles.
POP OF COLOUR
And whilst we are on the subject, wearing the wrong shade of lipstick for your skin tone can have an ageing effect. Autumns, please avoid pink! There’s a list of mascaras for your eye colour too…
PICK YOUR PALETTE
Sticking to three or four colours can reap benefits for your style and work amazingly well in creating capsule wardrobes. You can mix and match and make decisions easily based on having a few key pieces. Tonally they will match, you have creative license, it stops you from buy, buy, buying and slows the pace into more a considered fashion approach. For me, I group my wardrobe items into colours. My top colours are; shades of blue, peachy and pretty pinks, cool & bright greens, mother of pearl, navy and sequins.
So, I hope this has helped start a conversation about the joy of colour and what it can do for you and your confidence.
But how do you find ‘your' wow’. You do, through time and work. Meanwhile, you listen, you pay attention to how you look in the mirror, the toolkit we work on together, and you go forth with your palette the way you see fit.
Inspiration is everywhere. For me though, it’s in the shift of the Seasons and all the joyous hues and tones that come with each change. It’s literally being gifted to us everyday of life. So will you roll with the drama of Winter, the soft haze of Summer, the vibrancy of Autumn or the joy of Spring. I could type for days!!
All my love,
Lauren xoxo
I’m always happy to make new connections, so if you have been thinking about a session, please do get in touch. You won’t look back, I promise. lauren@thecolourfuledit.com or call 07872859903.
TOTES AMAZING
A while back, whilst styling a lovely client, we got to talking about another lady, with a love for colour.
‘Have you heard of Totes’ Jan said
’Like, as in the ‘tote’ bag’ said Lauren
’Nooooooo, like as in the awesome runner/fashion lover/blogger’
’Ahh - no?’ said Lauren
’Well, you must must must - she’d love your products!’
And that’s basically how it all started.
The next day I messaged Alison Stankard and mentioned a friend had put me onto her and I wondered if she may like a few of our pieces to try. She said she was very honoured and that people never send her stuff!
So my products went down South, the lego coloured ones anyway. And I got on with my day.
A few weeks later, another friend sent me some images from her social media, of Alison wearing my designs. Not just wearing them though. Rocking them. She looked wonderful and really gave the designs a fabulous canvas.
We had a quick chat about doing a collaboration, and after a series of events, we got a little date in the diary.
The thing about my products are this;
They were created on my kitchen table.
They are designed with the wearer having an interest in COLOUR
They are a statement piece, setting off any outfit into it’s own league.
You come to them in your own time. It has to be organic or it isn’t going to work.
People just ‘get them’, adore them and wear them even better than myself at times.
The collaboration with Totes really started out of a mutual respect for each other’s style, the love of colour and supporting small business. Since meeting ‘in person’ in Manchester, i’ve realised that there are just some people who are genuinely out to help others and spur them on. As a fellow mother of three (plus a dog) I’d like to thank Alison for being such a ray of sunshine on a cloudy Manchester day.
A Special Thanks to You…
“Use LOYAL21 at checkout for a 20% discount across the entire site. Includes styling and colour services. Valid until 15th December 2021”
“Use LOYAL21 at checkout for a 20% discount across the entire site. Includes styling and colour services.
Valid until 15th December 2021”
Growing my own brand has been quite the journey. I have been extremely blessed to have seen growth in my following over the last six years. It’s strange to think back to 2015, when the kids were little (I mean tiny), I was working away into the wee hours on The Colourful Edit imagining where I could take it and knowing that it had strength.
I said to hubby at the time, if this doesn’t work, and my ideas are awful, I’ll get another job once they are all in school.
‘They’, the reason, are my three children, Mac, Nell & Quinn. Balancing the load has never been more tricky (especially post lockdown), but my work allows me to have the time with them, then have the time building my brand, when they are at school, or in the evenings, so that they can look back and think, wow, my mum changed things up and made people feel good about themselves through her colourful ways.
My first ever pop up shop saw customers coming in to check out ‘the rainbow girl’. I’m not sure everyone got it at the start. I’m not sure I knew how to even talk about it. Most of you just saw the beauty in my idea, but needed confidence to embrace the colour. Mainly, you all just wanted to embrace the creativity and support me. You all know who you are, and you are still with me to this day, looking damn fine and embracing colour, and encouraging people to do the same. Some may call you my Brand Ambassadors!
2020/2021 has been such a rollercoaster. I’m not sure we are talking about this enough. Everyone is feeling the burn, from my GP friends, to my mum friends to my small business friends, teacher friends to my overseas friends. What’s worse, no one has any of the answers.
Amongst the personal worries that come with being a mum, wife, daughter, sister and friend. Business wise, I’ve had to combat a lot of change and uncertainty for my small ‘but mighty’ business. Growing from strength to strength, with opportunities to Pitch with the likes of Trinny Woodall, to panicking the next month with my Studio closed, no footfall and no ‘colourful news’ during the Pandemic. Not to mention dealing with the ‘copy cats’ and ‘idea thieves’ who aren’t worthy of the mention (but one day may get their stage). Strategies for growth were popped on hold, whilst new strategies for the ‘new norm’ were popped quickly into place. Pivoting and thinking outside of the box is something I do quite well as an ‘ideas’ person, thankfully.
The one thing I can say however, is that there is so much power in colour and the joy and hope it can bring. You all were using it through lockdown to create happy zooms, sending on colourful gifts to loved ones, and post lockdown 99% of my clients are all encompassing of the COLOUR. This makes me soooooo happy!
I have lately been working with Katie on my new Website and this week we have launched. It’s been a while in the making. I wanted to showcase everything we stand for at the Colourful Edit and all our products & services. I have revisited a few of my styling and colour services and revamped them in a way that will best serve my clients (and myself) in terms of best value. There are some price changes in some areas, but these are reflective of the service provided. The products are now easily listed and shopable - I hope you’ll agree.
So, I conclude…
This has been a long winded message of THANKS!
Thank you to you all for sticking with me, supporting me, booking in with me and wearing my products. I’m offering 20% off until 15 December across products and services. So if you have been thinking about a colour session, you are more than welcome to order vouchers using our special code LOYAL21 at checkout.
Lots of Love,
Lauren xx
Mini Creatives - Campaign Winner
The brief was for the kids to use our yarn, to create something which would bring joy to people over Christmas. They could use their imaginations, other recycled products to explore their meaning of Christmas.
Back Story… During lockdown, being a mum of three myself, I always found it was lovely to see the kids crafting. As a small token, myself and the kids created 100 mini packs for local kids to collect and create with. Using recycled yarn, as I do, to make something beautiful.
After the year we have all gone through, knowing the joy that kids can bring, and with use of a sustainable fabric, I wanted to tap into this sentiment for my upcoming Christmas packaging. We always send pictures to our closest and it brings joy. How nice would it be to involve the local community and schools, in helping us with our art and putting a smile on our customers faces.
PILOT SCHEME
The brief was for the kids to use our yarn, to create something which would bring joy to people over Christmas. They could use their imaginations, other recycled products to explore their meaning of Christmas.
We made up 16 large boxes of our ‘yarn ends’ and we hand delivered these to 16 local schools. We had over 200 responses. Out of these 200, we shortlisted to the five below. We were completely blown away by the entries and the talent of all the children involved.
Each of the children will receive a gift from The Colourful Edit, and hopefully we will be able to meet in person to have a chat about what inspired them.
However, there must be a winner…
And the winner is… Alfie’s Reindeer.
We love this one so much as it really resonates the magic of Christmas, the carefree spirit and elegance of the animal, the peacefulness of the night and the joy inside colourful homes. We loved the print and pattern choices and the magic this creates.
Well done to Alfie and we will look forward to meeting with you soon! Your artwork will be printed and delivered to all of our customers over the festive period.
FURTHER NEWS…
Not only has the response from our primary schools been incredible, but The Colourful Edit has been approached by Dr Aude Le Guennec, Assistant Professor in Design studies / Design anthropology at Heriot Watt University, School of Textiles and Designs who has showed great interest in our creative campaign;
We are currently collaborating with anthropologists, educators, practitioners and museums professionals on a series of projects where we are exploring ways children interpret their clothes, co-create with adults and how this could inspire the industry for a more sustainable and inclusive society. And every initiative on this approach is really inspirational and informative for our project.
This has prompted an even greater initiative, to run a bi-yearly programme to involve both lower and upper levels of the eduction sector. Heriot Watt University are happy to support and collaborate with The Colourful Edit on this initiative and we will look forward to bringing together our ideas.
To the children (present and future) who have been/will be shortlisted we would be delighted to educate and help them find out and explore further into the world of fashion and sustainability.
So - look out for EASTER campaign kids!
FURTHERMORE…
We are also delighted to announce that as well as the winning postcards, we had such amazing entries (honestly so tricky to choose), we have decided to created a pattern design with some of our favourite entries! Have a look at the sneak peak!
