MAKE IT LOOK EASY

There’s a new colour creeping into wardrobes that I think is going to be very hard to ignore… Espresso. 

But here’s the thing I want you to know about trends like this: you don’t need to wear a trend just because it’s trending.

The question I always ask is: “Does this colour work for YOU?”

Because the right colour can make your skin look brighter, your eyes clearer, and your whole wardrobe feel effortless.

The wrong colour can do the exact opposite.

So, what exactly is espresso?

Think of a really good shot of coffee; it's a very deep and rich dark brown and can be an almost-black depth, inspired by roasted coffee beans.





And if you’ve been wearing black for years, this is a beautiful way to swap it out for dark taupe so you suddenly feel like you’re wearing “colour”.

And this is where knowing your skin colour and your own colours becomes incredibly important.

One of my favourite ways for each colour type to wear espresso (or dark taupe):

Hair colour type: Dark taupe with ...

The formula for print clashing has three tiers, and the first is by far the easiest place to start.
 

Tier One: Find the Common Thread
 

The simplest way to mix two prints is to choose prints that share the same print formation, for example, stripes with stripes.


 

The secret is scale.
 

Make one print large in scale, and the other medium or small. This creates enough difference between the two prints for them to work together, rather than compete for attention.
 

Think: same language, different volume.
 

That’s what makes the clash feel intentional rather than chaotic.


Tier 2: Find the Colour Connection
 

The second tier is a little more adventurous.

Here, the prints have one or two colours in common, but the actual print formations are completely different. They are in friction with each other.

Think stripes with florals, sharp angles with soft curves, or checks with organic shapes.



 

Tier 3: Let Colour Theory Do the Work
 

Hold up, what does Nat mean when she talks about something being mascara (a slight visual highlight) rather than being a full dominant print that shouldn't be matched, only enhanced by a colour or used as a fabulous print clash?
 

Let's begin looking at the example below. These ivory pants have a double black line (dominant) and a middle white stripe (mascara).

How can you tell the difference? 

The black T-shirt looks as though you are trying to match the dominant stripe with your tee = old-fashioned. 

And it falls flat.

Whereas the white T-shirt looks fresh and appears to be non-repeating to the white mascara middle stripe, like you aren't trying to match = so stylish.

The outfit feels fresher, lighter, and much more modern.

 

          


Then there are the no-shadow-of-a-doubt strong print items that want a direct print clash in black-and-white print as well, but at a different scale.

The first image below has the jacket and pants in a small scale print with the long sleev...