A touch of colour to lift your outfit

Black with red outfit

“In the bleak midwinter when frosty wind make moan” by Christina Rossetti. I find this time of year quite challenging. As I look out of my window the skies are grey. I would not say that I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) however I do feel deprived of light. I must remember to take my Vitamin D drops.

Naturally, the darker neutrals tend to dominate our wardrobes at this time of year. This is logical and definitely practical. However, I do feel that a touch of colour can not only lift our outfit but also enhance our mood. Personally, I favour a touch of red or bright pink. You might prefer a soft pastel or one of the new bright yellows and oranges.

You can see how I wore my black leather coat as a monochrome look in April 2017.

In my world February is a “shop your closet month”. All the clothes I am wearing above are several seasons if not years old. A couple such as the pink sweater I am wearing under my black puffer coat is still available and reduced in the sale at HopefashionUK. They also have a red sweater very similar to the one I am wearing top right in the first collage.

Reds and oranges are very on trend colours for Spring so you can wear them now with your dark neutrals and team them with lighter colours later.

Shop similar styles:

9 Comments

  1. marifach
    12th February 2019 / 15:21

    Your red gloves and the pink scarf really make a statement in your photos. It is surprising, (to me), how effectively they bring your outfit to life. As a wearer of “magpie” clothes I am only just starting to add colour to my outfits, thanks to you. You practise what you preach, and it works!

  2. vintagenewfie
    12th February 2019 / 16:40

    A very timely posting.We are awaiting 40 cm.of snow and 60 k.winds.Most definitely need cheering up.

  3. Eileen
    12th February 2019 / 17:30

    Thanks for this post. As a summer who likes non-dark colors, winter is a challenging season. We need practical, warm clothes, but the dark colors combined with the dark weather can be a tad depressing. Your pink items sure look good!

  4. Eleni
    12th February 2019 / 18:22

    Good post, lovely, colourful clothes and photos. I stepped up a bit this last weekend at the sales. Purchased a small checked blazer, bright yellow T, leopard print blouse and a pale blue long sleeved sweated. Now to the fun part of mixing and matching. We are in the midst of a snow and ice storm, perfect weather to stay indoors and clean out a few closets. Thank you, Josephine, for your helpful blogs

    • 13th February 2019 / 08:48

      Hi Eleni
      Your purchases sound great lots of fun patterns and colours to create some lovely outfits.

  5. Lynn Brogden
    12th February 2019 / 20:09

    Great combination of colours, and I love the animal print scarf.

  6. Kate
    14th February 2019 / 13:09

    Every season I fall inlove with a bright, strong color. This winter I fancy orange and I try to add a touch of orange to every outfit I wear.

  7. Granny G
    14th February 2019 / 20:22

    I so agree with you that these grey skies can really dampen our spirits. I had 3 wonderful days in Nice last week and the weather was glorious. As you’ve said before, the light is so different in the south of France. I took your advice and packed layers and felt comfortable throughout each day. Now I’m home I find my red handbag lifts my dark winter coats. Thanks so much for your blog. I often look back at your posts when I’m stuck for an idea about what to wear.

  8. Anon
    14th February 2019 / 21:58

    Fuschia leather gloves and a matching pashmina scarf on milder winter days brighten my mood. On colder days, my only concern is warmth. Though nobody can see them, colorful and warm merino wool socks are nice, too. I know they’re bright and cheery. Somehow my shiny faux patent black winter boots put a spring in my step, until -30°C.

    D drops and a Happy Light (30 mins. a day in the morning) don’t hurt, either. Add candles for hygge in the evening, and a cuddly throw blanket for good measure.

I love to hear from you please leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sign up for new posts

And don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at anytime.

Disclaimer: Products featured on Chicatanyage sometimes (but not always) include affiliate links. This means that a small referral commission may be paid to the retailer (at no extra cost to you). This contributes to the cost of maintaining this blog including Hosting fees etc. Chicatanyage could not exist without these small payments so thank you for your contribution.