Some colors are more equal than others

I usually think I look awful in red, but this deeper cranberry color always tends to catch my eye.  I've learned that jewel tones complement my skin tone better than most brights.

Are there any colors that you think just don't suit you?  You know...colors that you put on and just feel like, how shall I say, bleh?  Hear my sad story [enter violins playing somber music]...

A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon the perfect Valentine's Day dress.  I was perusing the racks at TJ Maxx when it caught my eye.  There it was in all its glory: a pretty red Cynthia Rowley dress marked down to $20 - and in my size no less!  I'm not usually a huge fan of red as far as my wardrobe goes, but I immediately thought of Valentine's Day.  I took it to the dressing room, and it fit perfectly.  There was just one problem...

I looked horrible in it.

Even though it fit like a glove, the color just looked horrid on me.  You see, red, and especially a whole sea of red in a single-colored dress, makes me look blotchy.  I have rosy cheeks and pink undertones to begin with, but I seriously looked ill when I put the dress on.  The dress was beautiful, but it wasn't beautiful on me.

Enter life lesson here: when something doesn't work for you, just accept it.  There are always going to be things that look better on hangers than they do on our bodies.  It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with us - it just means that there's something out there that will make us look as beautiful as we really are.  Understanding what suits your body - whether it's fit, color, cut, or whatever - is something that I think every woman should learn.  It's as easy as a little trial and error.

But just know that if it doesn't work in front of the dressing room mirror, it's not going to work in front of your mirror at home.  I would have loved for that $20 Cynthia Rowley dress (did I mention how much I love her designs) that was in the perfect red color to look amazing on me, but it didn't.  It's easy to convince ourselves that it'll change once we get home, especially when there's an excellent deal at hand.  There are endless excuses - I mean, the lighting is off in that dressing room anyway, right?

Wrong.  Well, maybe a little right, but I know that dress would have looked just as bad on me in front of my less-than-perfectly-lit bathroom mirror.

Pantone may tell you to wear honeysuckle, but what is the mirror telling you?  Learn what suits you - not a clothes hanger, and dress your body the way it deserves: beautiful and fierce.

For every bright red dress out there, there's a cranberry cardigan calling my name.

  

cardi - Target, thrifted

flower cami - via Plato's Closet

jeans - Old Navy

boots - Diba, via DSW

earrings, ring - Forever 21
belt - thrifted

June looks great in any color.  :)