Visit any office and look around you. Most people will be weraing black.

For a lot of people it works extremly well, but not for all of us. So what type of people can wear black and what type of people should avoid black?

If you are a Winter, you are very lucky! You can wear black very well, what type of combinations with other colours will depend on how close to your face will differ from Winter to Winter and it will change as you get older, but Black is safe for you.

What about the rest of us? I used to wear a lot of black before I understood colour, in fact my wardrobe was full of it as I though it went with everything! Well, I was wrong. I was told that I was an Autumn I was very upset as I did not want to wear those "Cow Pat" colours! I love Black, Purples, Dark Greens, Blue Eyeshadow and my Pink Lipstick and I did not want any body telling me otherwise!!

Because I had my colours done just before starting my training as an Image Consultant I had to get it right. I experimented with Dark Brown, Moss Green, Teal and found that they worked for me. they even went really well with my Mustard blouse that I worn with my Black skirt, blue eyeshadow and pink lipsick!

Six months later, I went back to wearing my Black and more horror of horrors - I looked like Morticia from The Adams Family!! How could I have gone on for so many years thinking I looked ok as someone from a cartoon! Black completely drains all the colour from my face, it makes me look tired, older, drawn and generally rather unwell. I don't have any black anywhere in my wardrobe now, not even a pair of knickers!

Everyone else? If you are not a Winter, wear it with caution. If you are a Dark Summer, it won't be a complete disaster, but wear it away from the face, ie skirt, trousers or shoes. If you are a Light Summer, then it's likely to be too heavy for you anywhere on the body. For all Summers, try Navy, Aubergine, Dove Grey, Cornflower Blue, Burgundy as your Black alternatives. These will be far more flattering to your skin tone and will coordinate better with your other seasonal colours.

Autumn or Spring? Black is an incredibly difficult colour for us wear. It doesn't coordinate with any of our other colours and will make you ill. Springs, use: Chocolate Brown, Bright Navy, Cinnamon, Copper. Autumns: Dark Brown, Olive and Moss Green, Teal and Kingfisher, Marine Navy, Purple, Chestnut

By not wearing Black you will receive lots of compliments and feel so much better. it will give you lots of energy, and enhance your life. Enjoy!

And to all you Winters out there, we love you and hate you in about equal measure!

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