Hello Gorgeous!

Spring should be here by now, but it doesn’t feel like spring at all…

I think you and I can help spring along a little. Let’s start our transition to warm weather with green, just in time for St. Pat’s. Though, today’s outfit isn’t limited to St. Patrick’s Day; it can be worn anytime.

If green’s not a part of your wardrobe, I suggest you take a second look. Green — specifically the “greenery” shade — is Pantone’s color of 2017. There will be a lot of it retailed this year, especially around mid-March, of course.

Green is a trickster. It can be a natural and an original choice if put together right, but the wrong shade of green can make anyone look sickly pale. Choosing your shade of green is easy with these five things to consider. They may also help your luck in finding the leprechaun.  

1. The Intensity — Do you think your complexion will support an intense turquoise or a pale chickpea green? Hint: blondes can start off with a paler shade of green, while brunettes require darker, more intense green undertones. Think, too, about the intensity of makeup you usually wear. Bolder lipstick colors tend to go better with darker greens.

2. The Warmth — lettuce green or an icy, pine-tree green? Chances are you already have the answers. Just think about trying something green at a store. Did it look good in theory, but not good on you? You may have selected the wrong temperature of green.  Look through the magazines and notice the green that looks good on models with a similar skin complexion to yours, and start there.

3. The Amount — big blocks of green color vs. green accents sprinkled here and there? Green stripe or greenish paisley? Or a solid green shirt that will create a lot of green around your face? If color blocks aren’t your thing, consider green prints, broken up by other colors complimentary to you.

4. Face Proximity — looking for lots of green around your face, eyes, and hair? Or do you want to break it away with another piece of clothing? In other words, top vs. bottom? Say you found a drop-dead gorgeous green skirt or pants, but you never, ever wear anything green. In that case, what you need to worry about is finding a top that will look good next to your face and marry well with the green bottoms.

5. The Focus — Will you be letting the green take center stage or combining it with a bright yellow, or an understated white, or diluting it with many more colors? Depending on what else you add to your green, it may become more prevalent or more muted. Adding pink, yellow, gray, blue, or all of the above may turn the volume down all the way to becoming unnoticeable.

Remember to stay true to your personal style when you shop for green or any other intense, highly visible color. If you favor classic combinations, then try combining with whites, grays, and other neutrals. Yellow, blue, navy, and red might also compliment green well. But that combo is for someone fearless when it comes to bolder colors.

Another big secret, which I am capitalizing on here, is the stateliness of a monochromatic look. A monochromatic approach to any color, not just green, makes one look slimmer and taller and makes a statement. It’s a cool trick for petite girls like me.  

My solid-color sweater vest instantly creates a classically colored backdrop for my green and reinforces the monochromatic approach. It also breaks up the intensity of the green. The sweater’s ribbed and soft texture adds a casual element. Knits are always good for adding visual interest, not to mention keeping me warm on these windy spring days.

The vertical lines of my sweater vest and the longer back side, as well as longer accessories, elongate the silhouette here. And high heels with long pants also elongates the legs. 

Adding pale pink shoes to the emerald green creates just enough contrast. I think pale pink and green is going to be my fave color combination for this St. Patrick’s Day.

I hope you like my tips and use them. Share your own tricks in the comment section below!

If you want to shop my look, you’ll find all the links below, right before the comments.

Have a green week, Gorgeous! (Great, I meant )

Anna

Wearing:

J.Crew Flared Trousers (similar)

J.Crew Silk Blouse (similar)

White Knit Long Vest (similar)

Steve Madden Pink Patent Pumps (block-heeled ones, similar)

Pink Faux Pearls Long Strand

Zara Mini Yellow Bag (similar)

Fendi Bag Charm (similar)