Help me get more colour in my life!

[BiffKipperAndTwattingChip]

I’m a Winter and have played it safe for years with greys, navy and black. I want to wear more colour. I’m a size 16 - 18 and short. I want to buy quality clothes that will last.

I prefer edgier styles I think. I’m not keen on the Lindybop type styles that I see suggested a lot here for overweight women.

Any suggestions?

Following as always looking for recommendations - I’m a Jewel Winter

Quite a lot of cobalt blue and emerald green around at the moment which suit winters.

Seen some good winter colours in jigsaw over winter. Boden whilst not really your style brief can be good for colourful items - thinking trousers and blouses

I love colour!
Find what suits you
I’m great with cold brights so cobalt blue, turquoise, cerise pink, magenta, lilac, hyacinth blue etc, lime green, fluorescent orange
I tend to stick to jeans, grey, black, navy trousers or skirts with coloured knitwear, wool coats, plain shirts with bright cardigans
I also wear coloured shoes
My dresses are mainly plain or stripy but liven up with coloured shoes coats or knitwear

What’s your style type ?

Thanks! I’m not sure what my style type is. I’m not sure I dress in the most flattering way, I wear jeans and long sleeve t shirts far too often. I just feel dumpy and meh, so I’m thinking colour may help.

I love cobalt blue. I’m not inspired so much by the lighter Winter colours. I wish Kettlewell made clothes that I want, it would be so easy!

Jigsaw have just started doing XL tops, which suit size 16-18. Lots of lovely colours this season- greens, blues etc.
I found out by accident as the stores aren't routinely putting the new large sizes out in display or advertising the fact that the size range has extended. I had to ask for them and then they were found in the stockroom.

I’d recommend you find out your own style type first, before you buy lots of lovely, brightly coloured clothes that fit you perfectly but are still wrong for you.

Which is what I did.....

What I don’t understand is if the clothes fit perfectly and I like them, surely that is my style type? Am I missing something? If you’re overweight you have to prioritise flattering fit over the other aspects, I think.

Yes, Kettlewell is great on colour but not much else! Most tops are tight too.

Only certain colours are available from retailers each “season”, and only a small no of items will be in “winter” colours (or any others, I guess) annoying!

I write down what items I most need or would get wear from, look online at the retailers I know fit me OK, and just see what colours they have in. Every so often something pops up.

I like the “icy” colours.

Agree that fitting well is the top criteria! Unless you’re on a high budget need to be pragmatic.

H&M knitwear basics can be good and they often do a colour range.

Nothing wrong with jeans and a long sleeved tee necessarily. Get a fit of Jean that you love and that works for your shape. This will probably be trial and error and trying quite a few on - but time well spent I think. Which colours do you like? I too am a Winter and wear a lot of black and grey (a little navy but not too much, reminds me of school, lol). I am wearing more green at the moment, and loving it now - was a bit unsure at first. I also wear shoes of various colours a lot

Oh lord, I’ve stepped into the baffling world of Zyla’s archetypes. Help! Damn you, Internet!

I like the icy colours too, but never wear them as I think I’m too entrenched in the ideal of light colours being unflattering for big people.

I can’t find my wallet thingy, but I remember the colours were the icy blue and v pale yellow, cobalt, dark green, mid-ish grey, dark grey, black, burgundy and navy.

Icy colours can look good, and should also go well with the darker items you already have.

Right, according to Kibbe I’m a Soft Gamine. But lots of the clothes suggestions for that type are above the knee, which I never wear.

I’ve looked at Jigsaw and there’s nothing floating my boat at the moment, but I’ll beat them in mind as I’m after quality.

Have ordered lots of colourful clothes online and am going to go for a trying on marathon.

Stopped short of Gudrun Sjoden.

If you are gamine then lots of the Kettlewell clothes won’t work for you, as they are classic or romantic , whereas you want cute and boyish.

If you wear clothes that are very stereotypically feminine it won’t look right.

Let us know how you get on.
I want more colour in my life too, and to escape the skinny jeans I've lived in for years. I've been browsing Lucy and Yak clothes but not bought anything yet...

What is 'a winter'? Surely you just wear what you like?

Hi. I'm a size 18/20 and love pattern and bright colours. I am more of an autumn colour person (red hair) but love navy too. I really like Boden and monsoon, they seem to have a nice fit, both stores are great at returns etc so I order loads and send back what doesn't suit me.
Get discount codes for both these if you can.
Boden's jersey dresses I think are flattering, I often go for a long in my usual size so it goes over my knees. Live in my Breton tunics too, layer them up in winter.

Good tip about the Boden dresses, I'd discounted them as I thought they were flowery.

I'm not convinced by the Gamine thing, by the way. I answered the questions twice and got Soft Classic the second time. That's where I find the idea of a style type so odd, I get that X looks good on an apple shape, for example, but in terms of aesthetics, I just pick what I like. The photo here is the sort of thing I'd like to wear if I was thinner (and possibly younger ).

Winter is the set of colours that according to House of Colour are supposed to suit me (I will never been seen dead in blue mascara though).

Well people suit different colours. We apparently fall into one of several seasons. If you have cool colouring you are either a Summer (which Princess Diana was as is Kate or a Winter). Winters (and summers) can wear cooler colours. I do not suit Burgundy/berry colours which are 'blue' therefore cool and have self diagnosed my self as a Spring . Look up House of Colour etc for swatches and more info.

Well, my Monki order arrived, and was a resounding failure. There were two shirts where the colours looked good on me, but the shape was very very wrong for a short fat person.

My Seasalt order should be here in the next day or so. Have high hopes, their quality is good. I've ordered some green trousers, a burgundy tunic thing and some colourful plain long sleeve t shirts, which I'm hoping will be fitted yet flattering.

I can't believe you made it through an entire Kibbe test thing OP, I get confused by question 4 and give up.

Ha! Yes, it was a bit bewildering.