Thursday, May 19, 2011

What to Wear: Last in Color Series: SOFT

Hi gals! I pray you are well and gearing up for summer break....do any of us REALLY take a break? I try to, but if you're anything like me, you most likely have to force yourself to, or carve out time to make sure you do it. I hope you are thinking about something fun you'll be doing this summer and it makes you smile when you think about it.

I think I've sort of been on a 'mind-break'. I'm not sure that's the word, but recently, my mind seems to want to rest. It might be because I'm coming off my busy season, but gracious, how long can one's mind take a break? LOL. I actually forgot that yesterday was my regular blog post day so as you can see, this is Thursday, and it's What to Wear Wednesday's post..haha!

This is the LAST post in our series on COLOR. Today we talk about SOFT....you know who you are...you're the gals who can't wear black...or rather SHOULDN'T wear black because of your medium coloring...also because black makes you look a whole lot older. Can you wear black on the bottom half of you? Well, you can, but I'd recommend just moving it on out completely because unless you're an X body type (balanced), then the black bottom will just be an attention-getter...cause the majority of body types gain weight somewhere below the waist....tummy, hips, thighs, butt....so even though black is considered a 'slimming' color, (but so is any dark color, like brown, navy, charcoal) it also will go completely against coordinating with your DCC (dominant color characteristic).

So who is SOFT? Well, if you've ever described your hair as: dishwater blonde, mousy brown, dark blonde to light brown...then you might be SOFT. If you have light to medium skintone and pretty much any color eye, and you have at least 2 of those qualities I just described, then you might be a SOFT.

Take a look at some pics of SOFT gals:












Now let's take a look at some makeup that would be pretty on a SOFT. Keep in mind the most important thing is for you to keep your makeup natural looking....when it gets too dark or bright, it becomes clown-like....so be careful when applying lips and eyes, especially. Therefore, all makeup for a SOFT should be 'medium' in intensity, as you will see below.

Take a look at some pretty makeup colors for SOFT's:










       NOT LIKE THIS:
hahahahahhahahahahahahhaah!!!!!!

So how's a SOFT woman/gal to dress?

Think in terms of nothing too bright, dark or light. Medium colors is your way of thinking. Take a look at some pretty colors for a pretty  soft woman:











Keeping in mind that if you are only going to have ONE purse or handbag in your wardrobe, then your best bet is to match your hair in a close manner. If you want MORE than one, then a pop color is great too...take a look at some beauties!







I kind of like these last purses myself!

I hope that helps all of you Soft sisters! Lots of love to you! I think I forgot to name a LIGHT winner...so let me do that now....the winner is: ELIZABETH!!!!! Email your mailing address to me at Shari@FashionMeetsFaith.com and I'll send out your swatches.

I'll give away a set of SOFT swatches this week to someone who comments below about what you love about being a SOFT.

And remember Soft girls....NO MORE BLACK!

Love you,
Shari

25 comments:

Kelly said...

Thanks, Shari...these pictures are really helpful! I know I am a soft...but still struggle with wanting to wear black, since many people where it where I live, especially in the wintertime. I know though as I am getting older (53 next month) it really isn't the best color particularly next to my face. So I will keep phasing it out...I do love the navy, soft pinks, rose, turquoise colors, and I did get a handbag made by Kate Spade that is kind of a brown champagne color that matches my hair better so I have followed your advice on that!
Thanks again for all you do!
Blessings,
Kelly

Anonymous said...

Thanks Shari, my husband has been fighting me for years to get rid of black and never buy anything black and looks like he was right. I need to go shopping :-)
Alina

Doris said...

Hi, Shari, I have been waiting forever for this!

I guess i will need to get rid of the black.....oh, well. I've been slowly trying to do with less of it. I really do love the colors you show in this post, though.

Blessings!

Sarah Lynn said...

Shari,

So glad you got to the Soft DCC! I am having a hard time phasing out the black but have committed to not buying anything more in black. I love wearing any colors of blue and I actually like my mousy brown hair. :) Thanks for all of your advice and guidance!

Pajama Mama said...

Finally! You got to us soft girls. My teen daughter and I are both softs. What I like best about being soft..Well, my favorite colors are in the soft palette, actually. AND...I finally have an excuse to not wear black. I've never felt pretty in black when everyone else I know, including my mother, looks great in black. Numerous folks have tried to talk me into wearing black and poopoohed my announcement that I just can't. So, now at least I have "confirmation."

Blessings!
Jeannie

Jason and Brenda said...

I want those purses! :) Thanks for showing me make-up for a soft. Although I read the book, I still wasn't completely sure what make-up or purse color(other than a match to my hair)I could get away with. This is helpful! I like being a soft, and was sooo excited that I found a beautiful, namebrand sweater in my pop color, no less, for $1 at a garage sale! I carry my swatches with me everywhere, but would enjoy a swatch set to give to a friend (or to keep for myself because I'm wearing mine out!). Thanks for posting SOFT this week. I've been waiting in anticipation for it!
Brenda B

Dave and Marilyn said...

Thanks for your tips- I bought your book and loved it! I know I don't look good in black and yet I find too much of it in my wardrobe. It is really hard to find things dresses and tops that don't have any black in them but I am trying to weed it out of my closet!!
I would love to get those swatches- I have the "Summer" ones from Color Me Beautiful so have been using those for years!
I like the soft colors the most anyway so wearing the colors I naturally am attracted to is a great plus of being a soft!
Thanks!

Joyce said...

I love these colors!! Years ago I was color typed as a "Spring", but I can also wear some of the "Fall" colors. I believe I ams a Soft, and would love to have the swatches! I'm so happy I discovered your site. As a Christian, I want to dress to honor God. Thank you!!

Elin said...

Thank you for posting this! I love the pinks! But, I will admit, I'm struggling with the whole black thing. This has been very helpful about what make-up to where (and not to where, hehe). Thanks!

Shari Braendel said...

So glad to hear from all of you! I'm gonna post this next week, but I'll give you an early head's up: if you want to ask me any questions, you can do it on the Fashion Meets Faith FB page and I answer them each day! I can keep up that way! So ask away over there!!!! love all you Soft girls who aren't wearing black anymore!!! Shari

Tesa said...

I love being a soft because the "soft" palette is full of such feminine colors! It's especially easy to dress for spring and summer when all the light colors are "in". Thanks for the chance to win some color swatches, Shari!

Amelia said...

Oooh, I've been waiting for this too. It definitely helps! I've weeded out all my black except for 2 pairs of pants. Looks like they need to go too!

Elin said...

Oh goodness! This is why I need to remember to check my comments before I post them. I meant "wear" not "where." Oh well.

Anonymous said...

I like the soft colors like teal blue and medium shades of pinks and coral. This has been so helpful!
Sarah

NicoleM said...

All this time I've been thinking I was a light b/c I used to have very blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes. but over the years my hair has gotten darker, and these pictures sure make me think that now I am a soft. These pictures were helpful b/c I think my hair color looks like many of them. Now I need to review all these colors and start shopping!

Leesa C said...

Hi, Shari!
Thanks! I love looking at the pics. My sister is a soft; I'm a clear...a couple of questions :)
1. How is the best way to pick good colors when shopping online? Often the color I see is not the color of the product when it arrives.
2. you have a note that this is NOT what your closet should look like on the clear page, but there is no picture--??
3. How does one go about doing your Monday Make-overs?
Thanks, Leesa

NicoleM said...

So I am really confused as to whether I am a light or a soft. 5 yrs ago- no question, I was a light. But my hair has naturally gotten darker and definitely looks more like the girls pictured here for soft. But I realized that when I wear colors that are listed as pop colors for the light category, that seems to be when I get the most compliments. Hmmm.....
Also, is it possible to do smoky eyes with a light complexion without looking like a clown? Maybe doing the technique, but with lighter colors?

Laura said...

I am a Clear - already checked that with Shari via an e-mailed picture and have my color swatches. But my husband is a Soft. Since I have always known I look good in bright colors, I have often bought those same colors for my husband. Now I can see that some of these colors have overpowered him. So, I will get his clothes more in the Soft category from now on. My question is: should he never wear black too? It seems men need to wear a black suit on occasion, and I think he looks good in his. Is this a no-no? The next time he is looking for a suit, I think he will try on a charcoal one, and then he will find brown pants for more casual wear, but does he need to part with the black suit and other black clothes he has? Although I am sure he is a soft, his hair is medium brown so it isn't as dramatic as if he were blond. He has what I would consider medium skin and green eyes. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hi Shari,

I just turned 59 years young. My hair is turning silvery, as are my eyebrows! lol I'm beginning to look like my Mom did around the time I graduated highschool. Oh, she looked so lovely in those soft colors. I'd love to have the swatches so I could look more like my beautiful Mom!

Donna H.
djh3474@yahoo.com

Michelle Angelique said...

Hi Shari,
So glad you are back! We have missed you! I am definitely a soft. I have given away all my black jackets but I do still have a black skirt, capri and slacks but I wear them with my pop colors. I will gradually weed them out as I find the right bottoms to mix and match my outfits. I have dark blonde hair with white streaks from age and gold highlights when I am outside a lot. My skin tone is light-medium and I have dark green eyes. I do not have any color samples from you yet and would love a set. I try to be careful when shopping and pick the medium hues, I have found that my mood changes when I try on the clothes, if the color is too dark for me then I feel dreary and depresseed but if the color is the right shade then I feel perky and good. Today I am wearing a mid-calf length A-line leopard skirt with a long brown cami, medium blue demim jacket, leopard scarf and turquoise jewelry. I have had tons of compliments and I feel great! :) Thank you so much for helping all of us gals, I want to be the best representative for Jesus that I can possibly be and your advise is much appreciated! Blessings to you and your family! :)

Pencildancers said...

After seeing these photos I think I'm a soft and not a light after all. oh dear...I've been using the swatches and now have a closet full of light and most of them look pretty good on me. Can a person be two things?

I love your book and refer to it often.
Diana
www.pencildancer.com

Anonymous said...

I am confused as to what I am. I have your book and have been trying to decide. Not that it matters because I don't have any money to update my wardrobe so the black will stay for awhile. I have light color skin, mousy brown hair - but all the pictures show the dark eyebrows. I have light eyebrows with blue eyes. Does this make me a light or a soft? As I am getting older, I need to wear the right colors so I don't look so old. This can really get confusing. Nanci @ kelbla@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Hi, i'm the youngest teen in my family and my sis although she is good with fashion isnt always around when we go shopping, so having the soft swatches would be excellent. i would buy them myself but i dont have money or a job. I love ur website Shari and always am looking forward to you making more vieos. i have a group on a website called glorylane.com which talks about true beauty and modesty, so i loved your "what guys think" video,the girls in my youth group started a thing which is supposed to help teach girls in our youth group that even without makeup or nice clothes on we r still beautiful, so every other Wednesday we don't wear any makeup or nice clothes or do our hair really nicely (straightening or curing mainly). my friend was also one of the models in one of ur events.
i love your website very much! thank you for

Mariah said...

Being praying for ya Shari! Hope you're doing well. miss ya!

Jeanne Doyon said...

Hi Shari,

I attended She Speaks and you identified me as a COOL. Can you point me to all the cool stuff on your blog so that I can brush up on things.
Also, I have highlighted my hair since then to blend and camoflage some of my gray. I have VERY blue eyes. Would I be a soft with my hair done like this?
Any help would be great.

Jeanne, CT