The Sultry Soft Summer

This piece was originally posted in January 2015. Here it is again, very true to the original. I intend to revive this series for all twelve seasons as the mood strikes.

Every season suffers from stereotyping, some more than others. True Winter is the Ice Queen, Light Summer is Easter pastels, Dark Autumn is a smoldering tigress, and Soft Summer, well...if there's one season I'm always reluctant to determine a client, it's Soft Summer. Because no matter how luminous, how stunning, how sexy a Soft Summer looks in her colors, she almost invariably thinks, "I will be forced to wear dusty mauve - and only dusty mauve - for the rest of my life."

In this series, it is my intent to showcase lesser-seen sides of the 12 seasons: the sunny True Winter, the bold Light Spring, the ethereal Dark Autumn. And where better to start than Soft Summer?

Show any online group a fairly muted, boring garment and ask them to determine its season. Nine times out of ten, they'll answer "Soft Summer." In reality, that garment may fall into another season, or be too muted to truly flatter almost anyone. Soft Summer is the darkest of the Summer seasons, smoky and mysterious, but the colors are also quite vibrant.

However: a Soft Summer palette will look dusty when compared to a higher-chroma palette or garment. That's why it is so important to wear the colors that harmonize with your own coloring. Otherwise, you're the Soft Summer looking dusty in Bright Winter colors. Your clothing and makeup will walk in the room two days before you do. When you wear the colors that harmonize with your body, a mutual lifting-up occurs.

As an analyst, here's what goes through my mind when I think of Soft Summer:

Blackberry sherbet. Lamb's Ear. Crushed velvet. The evening sea rippling like dark ink against the shore. Lavender macarons. Charcoal tweed. Creamy white magnolia flowers, brushed with the barest whisper of pink. Gray wolves. Beaded ball gowns in shimmering taupe, raspberry, teal. Morning mist. Smoky tabbies. Men wearing navy linen. Sage. Dragonflies with iridescent wings. Slate. Celadon dishware. Venetian canals at twilight.

Sound boring? I didn't think so.

One of Soft Summer's biggest strengths is the unfettered potential for color combinations. Provided an outfit makes sense stylistically, you can cram as many Soft Summer colors into it as you like, without worrying that you'll look like there was an explosion in the Crayola Factory. This is a quality very particular to the Soft seasons. Other seasons can combine their colors well, of course, sometimes quite a few of them, but the Soft seasons are particularly enhanced by doing so.

Whether you've just been draped Soft Summer or you've been living in the season for a decade, here are some practical ways to infuse your appearance with some sultry appeal:

• Back away from gray. Gray is easy for Summers to wear and can quickly overtake your closet. Take care to purchase other neutrals as well. Smoky navy, burgundy, and aubergine make lovely neutrals, just be careful not to move into too-saturated territory.

• When you do purchase gray, look for unique color casts instead of the ubiquitous “sweatpants gray.” Grays that shift toward green, lavender, taupe, pink, or blue will add interest to your outfits.

• Soft Summer is a Cool-Neutral season, but the key word is neutral. When selecting jewelry, consider rose gold and muted yellow gold in addition to silver-toned metals. Combining warm and cool tones in a single piece can be even better, as the warm and cool tones will play off of one another. This necklace is a beautiful example of a warmer stone with a cooler metal.

• Remember to play with various types of contrast. While Soft Summer’s colors are muted, they are not one-note. Within your season, you will find contrast between warm and cool, light and dark, soft and vivid. This contrast will bring your makeup and outfits to life.

• Don't live in monochrome. Combine those colors! A cold-weather look could include a smoky burgundy sweater, stony taupe pants, a navy crossbody, sage earrings, marsala nail polish, and rose velvet loafers. All of these soft sumptuous colors together create arresting synergy.

  A Mini Makeup List:

• Eyeshadow: Laura Mercier Plum Smoke, MAC Yogurt, MAC Quarry, Rom&nd Better Than Eyes palette in Dry Violet, Stila Shimmer & Glow Liquid Shadow in Cloud

• Eyeliner: Pixi Rose Glow, Pixi Matte Mulberry, Urban Decay Smoke

• Blush: Clinique Black Honey Pop, Clinique Cupid, Fenty Cheeks Out Cream Blush in Cool Berry, NARS Sin, Tarte Blushing Bride

• Lips: Bobbi Brown Give a Fig, Bobbi Brown Italian Rose, Clinique Black Honey, Etude House Water Gel Tint in Red Bean Red, NYX Butter Gloss in Angel Food Cake

  For more inspiration, check out my Soft Summer Pinterest board.

4 Ways to Look More Polished No Matter What You're Wearing

Style and poise aren't just about clothes. Sometimes, it's the little things that can tarnish the splendor of an otherwise awesome outfit, or add elegance to dressed-down pieces. Here are five of my favorite tips for looking a little more put-together, no matter what you're wearing:

1. Take care of your hands and nails. Clean, manicured nails communicate that you care for yourself. Your nails don't have to be lavishly painted, gelled, or decked out with nail designs, but keeping them nicely groomed is a must. As a recovering nail biter and cuticle picker, I’ve personally found that if my nails are painted, they’re not only less likely to break or chip, but I’m much less likely to pick at them. This tip has made a huge difference to my overall appearance, and I now frequently receive compliments on my hands and nails.

I prefer the look of regular nail polish, so I have a small collection of colors that I love, as well as a go-to quick-dry top coat to make the process quick and easy. When my nails aren't painted with a color, I use a strengthening clear coat like OPI Nail Envy. If you like press-on nails, there are so many amazing options now at varying price points. And if you prefer to go to a salon, just keep your appointments regular, to avoid messily grown-out gel or polish. Regular use of cuticle oil and hand cream will keep your cuticles from drying out and tearing.

2. A good skincare routine. "Good" doesn’t necessarily mean complicated or expensive. For many, the best skincare routine is boring: cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen. For anti-aging, prescription tretinoin is known as the gold standard, but it also has side effects, so consult your dermatologist. If you're acne-prone or have other skin issues, you may choose to judiciously add actives like azelaic acid (my personal fave), salicylic acid, or vitamin C.  Doing too much can sometimes be worse for your skin than doing too little, so keep it simple, be patient adding products to your routine, wear sunscreen daily, and don't pick at your skin.

3. Wear colorful makeup. You don’t need a full face of makeup to look great. A little concealer, groomed brows, and some color on the cheeks and lips - even if just a sheer tint - are great. Contrast is one of the visual markers of youth, so bringing a little color onto your face will look more fresh and modern than an overly-nude look, which can dull the features. If you’re a makeup minimalist, many liquid and cream blushes can pull double-duty for cheeks and lips, providing maximum color impact with minimum product investment.

4. Choose a hairstyle you’re willing to maintain. Uneven layers, poor dye jobs, and split ends instantly drag down your look. Get regular trims, and work to find a hairstyle that flatters your face shape. Make sure that whatever hairstyle you choose, you’re willing to keep up with it. If you look great in the salon when your hair is freshly styled but you know you’re never going to replicate the look at home, opt for a style with simpler daily upkeep instead.

Bonus:

Plan your outfits in advance. Trying on different outfit combinations will help you troubleshoot potential issues, identify wardrobe gaps, and save time in the future.

Upgrading to Favorites: A Chat About Capsule Wardrobes

Join me for a cozy chat with my wonderful colleague Jorunn Hernes! We’re talking about one of our mutual favorite topics: capsule wardrobes.

Jorunn and I met almost a decade ago at a color analyst meeting in New York, and as fellow introverts and lovers of simplicity, we always have something to talk about. We thought it would be fun to share one of our casual conversations with the world.

We came up with some questions for each other ahead of time, but otherwise, this video is entirely unscripted. It’s also unedited (aside from the removal of some coughing fits!) so you’ll get our real-time, honest answers and reactions. Since the video is just us chatting, you can easily listen to just the audio.

Even if you aren’t into capsule wardrobes and you’re over-the-moon delighted with your maximalist wardrobe, I think you’ll find some great takeaways about style and happiness in our conversation.

Jorunn was kind enough to create a video timeline for us, if you’d like to skip ahead to a particular section:

02:36 Jorunn asks: “What is your approach to making your own capsule wardrobe?”

09:04 Cate asks: “What about when your weight fluctuates?”

09:25 How to work with a capsule wardrobe if your weight frequently fluctuates

13:15 One of my tips for buying clothes that accommodate weight fluctuation

14:31 Jorunn asks: “What keeps us from wearing our favorites?”

25:08 Cate asks a long and meandering three-part question:

     1. What is your reason, your “why” for working with a capsule wardrobe?

     2. How do you stay out of stores?

     3. When do you know that it’s time to get something new?

32:05 Jorunn asks: “What do you do when you’re sick and tired of what you have in your wardrobe?

38:39 Cate asks: “What’s your current favorite accessory and favorite piece of clothing?”

You can find Jorunn at Nordic Simplicity, and I highly recommend checking out her Wardrobe Magic course if you’re interested in working with a smaller wardrobe. She also has a number of courses you can access for free if you’re signed up for her emails.

And if you’re not on Jorunn’s email list, her newsletter is a real treat - it’s funny, friendly, and I always look forward to reading it. You can also sign up for emails pertaining to your specific color season!

What You Truly Want vs What You Think You Should Want

Last week I was scrolling Pinterest, pinning stained glass cakes for the 12 seasons, when I discovered a board I’d started several years ago called Home. As soon as I opened the board, I wrinkled my nose: I didn’t even like most of the rooms! They were dark, busy, and the architecture was nothing like the architecture of the house I actually live in.

I started ruthlessly deleting things. If I clicked on an image and saw a cluttered bookshelf that would stress me out in real life, I deleted it. If I wouldn’t decorate my house with the colors pictured, I deleted it. The further I went, the more it dawned on me that I had only pinned most of these images because they seemed like rooms that I SHOULD like. I thought they were attractive, but I didn’t want to personally live in them. 

I love white surfaces, light wood, bright colors, and very little visual clutter. I love mosaic tile motifs, mermaids, cats, shells, and modern florals. So why did I save all these images of moody maximalist dining rooms? Why did I save so many images of tiny desks crammed with books, pottery, plants, and figurines - so cluttered that even opening a laptop would be impossible? Why did I save so many images of rooms dripping with houseplants when I know perfectly well that my cats eat plants and then throw them up on the floor? The end result was an inspiration board that not only didn’t inspire me, but actively stressed me out and clouded my vision of what I really wanted.

Home decor is a few degrees less intimate than the clothes we wear on our physical bodies. Looking at your style through this lens can create a little emotional distance, which allows us to be more honest with ourselves about our desires and motivations. When my clients first share their personal style boards with me, they’re often similar to my Home board: full of unrealistic outfits, images of women they want to look like, and styles that are all over the map, some of which they might not even truly like.

For example, if you’ve never felt comfortable in a moto jacket but you keep buying them or saving images of them online, it’s good to ask yourself why. Are you resonating with the style itself, or with a certain fabric, length, or design detail (like zippers or grommets)? Do you simply want to be the kind of person you think would wear a moto jacket?

If you’re someone who frequently lusts after beaded formalwear but you live a very casual lifestyle, it’s worth asking yourself how you can translate elements of that formalwear into your everyday life. Maybe a beaded bag or a beaded neckline would scratch the itch. Or maybe you need to create occasions to actually wear the beaded formalwear you love, like attending a charity gala or other formal event. 

This is why I like my Soul Board method so much, which encourages you to separate what you think you should like (based on your body type, lifestyle, and personal coloring) from what actually resonates with you. Once you know what you actually like, you can reverse-engineer your style to reflect those elements in ways that are practical for your lifestyle. If you’re not familiar with my Soul Board approach, you can hear about it on this episode of the Chrysalis Colour podcast.

If you look around your closet and realize that you’ve been buying clothes for someone else all this time, don’t worry. I recommend making note of the pieces that you DO like, asking yourself what you like about them, and looking for those same elements in the future. If your whole closet feels like a wasteland, that’s okay, too. You can fix this! Wardrobes aren’t built in a day. They’re built piece by piece, and being honest with yourself about what you really like is the first step in ensuring that over time, you build a wardrobe that you love.