Shades of Red!

There are many different shades of RED and you don't have to wait 'til Valentine's Day to enjoy. And it's not just the color of romance, RED has close connotations with friendship too!

February 13th is now being celebrated as Galentine's Day dedicated to celebrating the best of female friendships. It's worth a little effort to develop and maintain close relationships with the wonderful women in your life and appreciate the support, encouragement and smiles that we come to rely on.             

So what better way to celebrate the two special days than dressing up! 

Many women are fearful of choosing RED because they think its bright and showy, but actually everyone can find a shade without feeling over powered. The easiest way is to recognize the difference between a Warm and a Cool Red.

Find your undertone

Most people have a discernible undertone of either WARM or COOL. When you understand your undertone you create harmony in the colors you wear.

Cosmetics and nail polish colors also reflect on your skin tone. Choose Warm or Cool shades, whichever suit you best, to look your most attractive. 

What is Red?

RED is one of the 3 primary colors - red, yellow and blue. These are pure colors with complete clarity and when they're mixed together equally we get 3 secondary colors - orange, purple and green. But in between there are hundreds of different shades.

WARM colors are a combination of red, orange and yellow. As the name suggests they tend to make you think of warm things such as heat and sunshine. So when Yellow is added to Red, the colors become WARMER.

COOL colors are typified by blue, purple and green, soothing and calm colors. As more Blue is added to Red, the colors become COOLER.

As the colors move away from True Red they become closer to and influenced by either Yellow or Blue which gives them a WARM or COOL influence or UNDERTONE.

Shades of Red - Warm and Cool

Shades of Red - Light and Deep

When white is added it takes the shades of lighter and when grey or black is added it makes them deeper.

Now we have the four extremes of Red which relate to the 4 Seasons of Color Analysis - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

You can see that within each palette there is no ONE color that's perfect for YOU, there are many! Don't get hooked up on trying to exactly match ONE SHADE!

Just Warm or Cool is easiest...

Whether your coloring is Light or Deep, whether you instinctively choose gentle or more vivid shades, it will all vary with the individual. But the undertone is your best guide. 

To make it easy remember that you'll find Warm colors in Spring and Autumn, and Cool colors in Summer and Winter. Use your Color Swatch as a 'blending tool' on fabric or garment and see whether the colors 'sit' happily together.

If you don't know your undertone check it out HERE.