How to get dressed: wearing colour

One of the most interesting – and maddening – aspects of style is its utter elusiveness. It is terribly difficult to define. It could be Lauren Hutton in her sleek, minimalist layers and blowy, streaky blonde hair, or it could be Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in what, even on her, came dangerously close to a parody of Sixties First Lady chic. It could be Daphne Guinness in a medley of couture, ethnic and sex shop treasures. It is nearly always inimitable.

But if I have uncovered anything, it is that to be truly stylish, as distinct from the more conventional chic, or the much less elevated “well-dressed” or the even more humble “smart”, there needs to be an element of surprise. Presumably this is what Diana Vreeland, the opinionated (and, it must be said, stylish) one time editor of both Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, meant when she said that all successful outfits contain an element of vulgarity. I could spend hours happily exploring the many ways in which jewellery can add the just right degree of surprise or vulgarity. But that’s for another time.

This is a summer of colour – or it’s meant to be. What I think that means is that if you’re not one for monochrome, now is your time. From cobalt to midnight blue, lemon to jade, coral to purple, there is so much lovely colour around, as opposed to the times when everything is fuchsia or sewage coloured. I don’t think any of it should be worn head to toe, and probably, for most of us, it shouldn’t be worn in the clashing combinations that look so dramatic on the catwalk but look like a multiple pile-up of Hello! shoots in real life.

If you want to use colour to enhance your shape, then the most effective plan is to keep dark colours to your bottom half – or whichever areas you want to diminish. Fabric is another consideration – satin is one of those catwalk delusions that doesn’t generally translate into reality, especially in emerald green. If you absolutely can’t help yourself as far as satin is concerned, don’t even think about eating, drinking or perspiring for the duration. And choose a darkish colour. Pale and bright satins always end up looking a bit beauty queen pageant or Rio carnival.
The canny approach is to go for jolts of colour – a lining, a belt, a print. As for the best colour – the more unusual the better, as long as it suits you. Layering T-shirts is a good plan – a startling colour beneath a toning or contrasting one so that an intriguing flash

is all that’s seen is an easy way to experiment. Clashing colours can be fabulous, but unless you’re tall, ensure that the colour breaks are vertical rather than horizontal.

Moderation also applies to accessories. If an orange dress makes you look like a corpse, chances are that orange sandals will too. Sorry, but life’s tough like that. Otherwise, where colour is concerned, rules are for wimps. Almost every stylish woman I’ve met takes risks with colour. Surprise is the name of the game.