Lisa Armstrong: How colour can revive your winter wardrobe
British winters might not seem very macho if you're from Ouzinkie or Omsk. But for those of us who live here, enough is enough. Even if we began the season by embracing cloud cover and repeating 'om' every time we lost a glove, by late February, we're over it, fanning the flames of resentment (something has to keep us warm) towards friends who post holiday pictures from Mustique on their public Instagram. Vulgar or what?
While the fanning passes the time, there is a more constructive path to happiness.
Did you know that every colour emits different electromagnetic waves? In fact, this is exactly why each colour is different? The sadness you feel when you see black is real. If you were lucky enough to go to the incredible Mark Rothko exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris last year, you will have experienced this for yourselves. All those happy-making oranges and pinks, tranquil blues… and the sob-inducing dark hues. So yes, all those annoying headlines about dopamine colours have some validity.
Back to the Path of Happiness: it's really quite simple. Levitate your winter greys, blacks and browns with some colour. More specifically, soft, light shades that neither wash nor knock you out. Keep it close to your face for the most flattering results – the bottom half can still be darkish, to make finding the right shoes and tights easier. They can also be dark.
Save the neons for later, when it's sunny and you have the psychological bandwidth to deal with all those bopping energy waves. For now, if you normally wear muted shades between November and May, focus on gentle brights that complement them. Start slowly by all means – for example layering with a dark shirt. The right shade is everything. With navy, that means orange, pumpkin, tan or the terracotta that clever Clare Waight Keller has introduced into her new collection for Uniqlo. Strong, but flattering on lots of complexions.
If grey, a neutral, is your winter fallback, anything goes. Just find a hue that suits you. The shops are already going all out for baby blue. Cefinn has hit on a warmish iteration. Some other baby blues look tricky to wear, even if you're nine months old and can get away with most things.
Just as important as shade is fabric. Fluff, gauze, cable knits, mohair, alpaca, cashmere and tweedy weaves all help diffuse colour. They'll keep you warm too, and that, obviously, is crucial. Let Gen Z manifest summeriness by wearing micro crop tops in February. This way, believe me, is better.
Lisa wears
Alpaca-blend cardigan (over shoulders), £200, Soeur. Merino wool cardigan, £225, John Smedley. Merino wool trousers, from a selection, Harris Wharf London. Suede and crystal shoes, £229, Pretty Ballerina s. Gold-plated earrings, £80, Shyla. Right hand: brass and pearl ring, £95, Sessun. Emerald cuff, £115, Edge of Ember. Aquamarine and labradorite bracelets, £280 each, Ruha. Gold-plated and pearl bracelet, £210, Giovanni Raspini. Left hand: smoky quartz ring, £500, Jean London. Gold-plated cuff, £500, Carolina de Barros
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