Say No To Normcore! Wear Some Colour.

“The best colour in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!” 

― Coco Chanel

The other day someone I see quite a lot said to me that they had only ever seen me wear black and about 5% of my wardrobe! Granted the longest, darkest months of the year have been draaagging on but I insisted it simply wasn't true.

Then it occurred to me that actually, as soon as the clocks go back I turn to a uniform of  grey, black and at a push, navy. To me colour is for Summer. For work wear it just feels easier and smarter to wear dark clothes even though my boss said that black ages me. Thanks!

I was also made aware of  'Normcore' (defintion here) which is the new word for a trend that is sweeping the streets  - 'a notion of dressing in a nondescript and utterly conventional way' as a backlash to the fashionistas trying out-look each other. A palette cleanser one might say. I do understand the desire to dress in streamlined simple shapes and tones but too much of it can be a bit snoresome and not very jolly.  So with a hint of Spring in the air and the changing of the clocks on the horizon, I decided to make a concerted effort to dress in colour. To my delight we had that mini heatwave which made it all a lot easier and helped in consigning tights to the back of the drawer.

Not only did I do this as a personal challenge but it was also a protest. The purpose of this exercise was two fold: Firstly to prove that black is not the only colour I wear. Secondly to demonstrate (to myself ) that I do actually wear more than 5% of my wardrobe. My flat consists of  rails of clothes that never see the light of day, taking up what little space I have. (I often lie awake at night worrying that I will become the old lady who lived in her shoe.......s, and unworn clothes.) So I decided to try out a few things that had been lurking in the back of my wardrobe because I couldn't find the right occasion for them,or to be totally honest, I had forgotten I own. Naughty. 

Inspired by the new faces-in-places Prada campaign - a riot of colour, textures and patterns, I bid au revoir to Norma and Norman Normcore and turned towards the technicolor. It wasn't easy waking up in the pitch black and wearing a bright orange suit but I did it and it made me feel a lot happier about dismal old Winter.

 Try it! You'll like it.

The Prada Campaign

Inspiration from my Instagram feed

Just looking at these outfits makes me never want to wear black again.

First day out of the darkness....

Fur Effect Coat from Scotch & Soda

I've realised the key is TROUSERS! Who knew?! And non-black shoes. This immediately takes black tights out of the equation.

Silk Trousers from Calla

Embellished Jumper from Topshop 

Ring from Accessorize

So I had to get the tights out. I usually feel a bit iffy about black tights with pale clothes - I just think it looks weird but as there is black in the background of the fabric it looks alright.

Orange Suit from Zara

Jewels

My Carven Bomber Jacket which reminds me of a scarab beetle

Pucci-esque Vintage Dress from Found & Vision on Golbourne Road & Clutch from Shrimps

Colourful jewellery and bits and bobs helped keep my mission on course.

Tartan Scarf from TRAID (£1!!)  & Snake Clutch from ASOS

Creepy or lovely?  Hand Earrings from Butler & Wilson

Cocktail Ring from ASOS

Heart T-Shirt from Les Prairies de Paris

Then it got all hot. So I got my legs out.

Topshop Embroidered Dress & Marseille Ballet Flats from French Sole

Coat Inspiration from Kate Moss

Leopard Coat & Printed Dress from Topshop who are ON FIRE at the moment.

Then it got all cold again so I put them away.

Thakoon Addition Silk Jumpsuit

Ainea Fur Effect Coat & Russell & Bromley Flats

So it's back to permanently chilly now and I've thrown away all my black tights which in hindsight was probably a bit premature. All my trousers are in the wash and I'm cold! Nothing a holiday to Barbados can't sort out though...hurrah!

But more on that next time...

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