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Ever since I started talking “Frugal Fashion” on here, my eyes gravitate towards pops of color.  I’m always trying to figure out ways to make that one inexpensive piece look like a million bucks and color is the way to do it. Yes, I share my love of all things black when I have no idea what to wear, and have pondered if there can be too much black in a wardrobe, but color is what draws the eye.

Color is power. I’ve stated before, a shirt can go from blah to beautiful, just by changing your choice of color or accessorizing with pizazz. It’s crucial to know what colors are best for you. I’m not a huge proponent of getting it down to an exact science, but you must understand if you are Cool or Warm Toned. I began digging into a few posts on figuring out the best colors for your skin tone, but I realized that accessing that virtually is a challenge. Hopefully, there will be some tips in my post that will help you.

Gurus in the fashion industry, Pantone, not to be confused with Pantene – the hair product, 😉 revealed their Fashion Color Report trends for this fall, and their pick of the top ten shades. Yes, they rolled it out during Fashion Week in NYC back in February, but don’t worry, my mind would never think that far ahead either. I was just thrilled to realize that this frugal fashionista girl lines up with the minds of the top designers in the industry, yet I was a year before their time.

Last year’s color choice was a shade of turquoise, which is one of my favorite colors, but this year’s top color pick for Fall 2011 was this beautiful Honeysuckle. Vibrant and invigorating, I love this color for those with cool skin tones. Sorry red heads, this won’t work for you.


“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”
When I urged everyone an entire year ago to take the Color Challenge, guess what color I showed you all? I’d say that is a pretty close shade, wouldn’t you? Now granted, the model is fifty pounds thinner, but I’ll take it anyhow.

pink shirt collage Take the Color Challenge   Frugal Fashionista
I also featured this purple shirt. Well, I called it purple, but now I know it’s more of a Phlox. Good thing I have been corrected in my fashion color terminology.

As I peruse the top ten colors, my cool toned friends need to stay away from the bamboo and emberglow. Any shade of color can be worn as an accessory or on the bottom as a skirt or pant choice, but you want to keep colors away from your face that do not work with your skin tone.
For me, the cedar and nouget would also wash me out, but taken those hues just a shade deeper is perfect for me.
So how can you start incorporating some of these fun fall fashion colors into your own wardrobe?

Have fun. Experiment. Accessorize! Always Accessorize!

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Hit your local thrift store to try out a new shade that maybe you haven’t thought of before. Stepping outside your traditional color routine may be a bit scary, but trust me, the first time you hear, “That color looks great on you,” you will be thrilled you gave it a gamble.

If one is going to become a true Frugal Fashionista, they have to be ok with being behind the trends by a year at least. 🙂 Trends have never stopped me from embracing frugal fashion, so here are the top ten color picks from last year.
I’d love to hear what color catches your eye from the two different color palettes? Are you drawn to risk taking colors or do you need some encouragement to step outside the box and try something new?