The Color Of Style on a SAHM budget

Today I want to share with you a book I recently read that has changed my outlook on how I dress each day. I used to try each trend, and black and white was my go-to combination. Then I came across this book.

The Color of Style by David Zyla goes far beyond the four seasonal palettes of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and delves into finding out the colours to bring out your romantic, dramatic, energetic sides and other facets of your personality.

The thing that fascinated me most about this book was that each seasonal overview also had extra sub-types. For example, I am a Jeweltone Summer but you could be a Vibrant Spring or a Dramatic Autumn. This showcases your personality even further.

I won't go into too much detail, as David does a great job explaining how to find your colours, but looking at the palm of my hand, my eyes and my hair was enough to give me a great colour base for my wardrobe. David suggests using paint chips for this, which is what I ended up doing- and some of the names for these colours are great!

My essence colour (my version of white) is Light Beige.

My romantic colour (my version of red) is Glamourpuss

My dramatic colour (my version of blue) is Sea Green

My first base (my version of black) is Hip Hop (this looks really bright on some screens, think of a Blueberry colour and that is what I am aiming for!

My second base (my version of brown) is Coffee Bean

My Third base (my version of khaki) is Sand

My energy colour is Madison

My tranquil colour is Cactus

To find out your colours, I really recommend this book. Now I know which colours to wear as neutrals, and which ones to wear when I need to relax, go on a date with my husband or face a looming deadline.

Obviously, being a Stay At Home Mum means that I don't have hundreds of dollars to spend on clothes, and I also need clothes that will last through everyday wear and tear considering I have two rough and tumble boys! I used David's recommendations to put together the following looks, complete with brand and price details.

This first outfit combines my base brown colour with my dramatic colour. This outfit is for when I want to stand out in the crowd.


Top $5 from UCW, pants and shoes free from swapping clothes with my sister.

This outfit combines my essence colour (which is my vulnerable, open trait) with my tranquil colour. Perfect for when I am having a stressed out mum day, this outfit will keep me cool and collected. Notice my young model- he wanted his photo taken too!


Top $5 from jay Jays, skirt $29.95 from Switch in Farmers, shoes $60 from Puma.

This next look combines my version of black with both dramatic and romantic colours- great for a casual date with the hubby!


Top $8 from Kmart, necklace $9.99 from Kmart, pants $5 from Postie Plus, shoes $60 from Puma.

This photo does not do this dress justice- it is in my perfect romantic colour and would be great for a wedding or a more formal dinner date.


Dress and shoes free from my sister!

Finally, this outfit represents my energy colour, and would be great for days when I need a pick-me-up. Navy has always been one of my favourite colours to wear, and you can't go wrong with denim.


Top $5 from UCW, Jean leggings $3 from Jem's Closet, shoes were a birthday present, necklace $30 from Fifth Avenue Collection.

I would love to know which look is your favourite!

As you can see, it doesn't have to cost a fortune to get some clothes in your colours- in fact, I usually spend the most on shoes and accessories. It also helps if you have a sister who gives you lots of her clothes too- thanks Juliet!

I found the personal stories that Dave has spread throughout the book, and even snippets of his life as a fashion designer and Emmy Award winner interesting to read, interspersed with down to earth and easy ways to find out which colours to wear for different occasions. I got this book out of my local library, so it may be worth having a look there if you are keen on finding out which tones you need to wear for certain occasions.

Joining in with Kimba Likes at Wardrobe Wednesday.

Note: I was not paid or compensated in any way for this post, I just came across this book and thought it was worth a mention on my blog!