lady in red: tips for finding your signature color

A few weeks ago, I asked a friend what color came to mind when he thought of me, and he answered red. When I posted a photo on Instagram wearing this wrap dress from Karina Dresses, someone commented saying that they thought I looked best in red. I’ve noticed I’ve been drawn to wearing red more in the last couple of years, but thinking back, I remember shying away from wearing it when I was younger. I always perceived red as an attention seeking color. Growing up as a dancer, everyone always said to wear a red leotard to an audition, in order to stand out. I never wanted to (and still don’t) want to be the center of attention, so I usually gravitated towards black and navy blue. While I still love wearing these colors, I am starting to feel like maybe red is more of my color. Maybe its from gaining more confidence from getting older. Maybe its the fact that I live in NYC now and there are lot of crazier things for people to stare at than a girl in a red dress. Whatever the reason, I am definitely going to consider red one of my signature colors from now on. 


I’ve read articles recently about bloggers who will only wear one color, in order to have a cohesive Instagram feed. To me this is a bit extreme. At the end of the day I want to wear and buy things I like. However, I have always wanted to have a cohesive and recognizable style, even prior to the rise of social media. While I won’t allow Instagram to dictate what I wear, it has definitely helped me pinpoint my style and really fine tune it. Here are some tips for how to find your signature colors.


decide what colors are NOT your signature colors:
If it seems too difficult to pick your favorite colors, think of it from an opposite approach and what colors you don’t like wearing. For example, I love red, yellow, blue, green, black and white…but that seems like it’s every color of the rainbow! As I said, I don’t want to limit myself and I want to wear the things I truly love, but deciding on a few colors you will not wear is an easier way to narrow down your signature colors. For example, I don’t like brown or purple, so these are two colors you will most likely never see me in. 


choose the right tones:
When I was younger, I considered all reds to be the same. I never realized how many different tones there were and the vibe each shade of red gives off. For example, there are rich, classic reds. There are deep, dark Burgundy reds. There are bright, poppy reds. There are reds with an orange undertone. While classic or dark reds come across as very sophisticated, bright, poppy reds are more fun, and these are the red shades I gravitate towards. Choosing specific tones also allows you to wear more colors with ease. For example, I usually prefer bright, saturated colors, as opposed to dark or pastel shades. For example, I’d choose a saturated mustard yellow over a light buttercup yellow. 


balance out your look:
If you’re wearing a color that’s out of your usual palette, find a way to make it “you”. For example, the other day I wore a pink dress I love that I’ve had for years. While pink isn’t usually “my color”, I think that particular dress still fits in with my signature style because of the silhouette, collar detail and polka dot print. If what you’re wearing isn’t one of your signature colors, try adding accessories or shoes in one of your signature colors to unify the look. If you’re trying to take a photo for a cohesive Instagram feed while wearing something off palette, trying picking a location that is in one of your signature colors to balance out your feed. 

​Let me know if you liked this guide and what your signature colors are!


If you’re interested in shopping my dress, you can find it here:
https://www.karinadresses.com/collections/ruby/products/ruby-dress-red-with-white-pin-dots?variant=292332339204


Dress: c/o Karina Dresses
Bow: Claires; Saddle Shoes: DSW
Location: The Classic Coffee Shop (Lower East Side, NYC)