Don't fear color!!

A few years ago I worked in a corporate office for home fashion goods. I was a part of the creative design team. We were sitting at a table in our conference room discussing product, and when I looked around the room, I noticed for the first time that I was the only one wearing color. I was surrounded by gray and black. This is in a creative group! As time went on, I noticed this wasn't a fluke, I was the only one who wore color every day. The other designers were trying to pass Navy off as color. I'm sorry, I love a smart navy blue jacket like everyone else, but color, really? I think people feel that black, navy, and gray are safe. A lot of people don't know how to put color together and they feel silly. I'm saying don't be afraid of it! We could all use a little more color in the world. If nothing else, use nature to inspire you. I've always said nature does it perfectly.

A co-worker at the time, and now a good friend, showed me a picture one day of her native Brazil. The photo was so inspiring, and I remember saying it was my heaven. Here is that inspiring photo:

The buildings and people are so beautiful and COLORful! I imagine that to be a happy place.

What better way to express color than with birds of paradise. This beautiful tropical flower was growing on the side of the road and I snapped a picture of it on my blackberry while walking to the post office.



I pulled together a little ensemble based on this palette. I didn't use all of the colors, because you don't have to in order to make it work. If you're doing solids, I would advise no more than 3 colors. If you want to incorporate a print, you can go crazy. =)

Orange Dress: Nordstrom $44.00

Necklace: Etsy (Seller: Dejoc) $34.00 (Includes matching earrings)
Shoes: by Black Rooster $44.70 Available on Zappos.com
Blue Leather Purse: Etsy (Seller: TheLeatherStore) $135.00

For home goods I would suggest scaling the colors back even more. A neutral base allows for easy updates. The rug, pillows, throws, all of these things can be changed out to update a look. Check out how I accessorized with these colors in home decor.
Painting: Etsy (seller: LubaLubin) $500.00
Solid Yellow/Orange Pillows: Etsy (seller:  DreamPillows) $20.00 for the pair
Pink Silk Pillow: Etsy (seller: Mazizmuse) $55.00
Reclaimed Wood Tables: Etsy (seller: TheSteelFork) $910.00
Greenwich Sofa: Pottery Barn $1899.00
Vintage Uzbek Rug: Ebay (seller: uzcraft 777) $249.00 (4x6 - this is a steal!)
Medicine Bottles: Etsy (seller: ckaufmannpotter) $17.50 (pink) and $15.00 (gray)

A couple of beautiful picks from Gucci - Resort 2011: