Rocking it blind – Fashion as I see it

When you are blind, putting an outfit together could be a minefield. Especially when so many people are telling you different things. My advice, keep it simple. The fact still remains that you cannot see what you are wearing and until you feel confident enough with your understanding of how colours work together, don’t go trying to match pinks with reds because some fashion expert says they’re in because you need to know that perfect shade of pink that goes with red, or that perfect shade of yellow that goes with orange. I haven’t found that perfect colour detector that tells you these things so I’m keeping this simple.
Here are some tips I would like to share.

1. Colour detector:
I could not live without this device. Get one from the RNIB. I think it costs about £84. This device will tell you the colours of your clothes simply by switching it on and placing it on the item you want described to you and ensuring that the lights in the room are on. Mind you, it does get confused with pale colours like, cream, pale pink, pale yellow, white, etc. It may just tell you that those things are “(light grey olive green” but it would recognize bold bright and dark colours and save you from going out in totally mismatched clothes.
Please note: it is not great with patterns hence the need to ask people to describe your clothes to you at the initial stage of purchase or receipt.

You can get it here:

http://www.shop.rnib.co.uk/cobolt-talking-colour-detector-1.html

For those in America:

http://www.braillebookstore.com/Cobolt-Talking-Colour-Identifier.1

2. If you are blind, it is always useful to own black or navy blue trousers or skirts. This is because they will go with just about anything. If you are the type to want to look striking, then team these with any bright coloured tops such as: Red, Orange, Pink, Purple, Yellow, Green, white, Gold or Silver and you will be sure to look great. For men, you can wear similar coloured shirts for leisure but for a corporate look, I think people prefer it when you are in white, pale blue, black, pink, or maroon shirts. You could also have shirts with pin stripes or checks in any of these colours. you can wear v neck jumpers over your shirts for work if you wish to keep warm in the winter. It helps if the jumper is the same colour of the trousers you’re wearing so that the light or bright colour of your shirt peaks out at the top. If you’re going casual, you can still team the dark coloured bottoms with nice jumpers in your preferred bright or dark colour.

Woman wearing red top and black trousers

Man wearing green jumper and navy blue jeans

 

3. Avoid wearing separate pieces of clothes with patterns: So If you want to wear a top that has any patterns, be it floral, stripes, aztec, swirls or checks etc., ensure that the bottoms you choose to wear are of one colour. The same applies if you choose to wear bottoms with patterns, then you should ensure that the top you are wearing is plain. It’s OK to where a whole outfit of patterns if the shop sold them together as a pair. This way the patterns would be the same or complement each other. If you can, try to ensure that the plain top or bottom you are wearing has one of the colours in the pattern of the other item.

Woman wearing white shirt with flared patterned trousers. Colours is pattern are: red, green, black, white.

Woman wearing white shirt white shirt with blue and green floral pattern and blue trousers

Daniel Radcliffe wearing a black suit with black and white checked shirt and black tie.

Navy blue and white striped T-shirt and blue trousers

 

4. If you are in a situation where you are unsure of two pale colours you have, always team the pale coloured outfit with a dark coloured clothing item. For example, if you have tops that are pale versions of pink, blue, green, grey, or just cream, you’re safest wearing it with dark coloured trousers. This is where dark grey, dark brown or maroon bottoms could also complement the pale top you are wearing.

Kate Moss wearing a black shirt with pale pink trousers

Man wearing a pale blue jacket, white shirt, navy tie and navy trousers

Man wearing a pale blue Denim shirt and navy blue trousers

 

5. You can also team pale coloured tops with white or cream trousers or skirts if you want a fresh spring or summery kind of look. Lilac, turquoise or aquamarine are colours I do not quite understand but they go with these as well as pale pinks and blues. (please note: sky blue is pale blue)

 

Woman wearing white top and pale pink shorts

Man wearing pale blue shirt and white trousers

 

6. Dresses
They are by far my favourite item of clothing as you do not have to worry about matching them. If you are the type who likes dresses, get a few of them as your staple clothing items as they rescue you on those mornings when you can’t seem to find those trousers or that top you really want to wear. In winter, I particularly love to wear jumper dresses either with V necks, cow necks, scoop necks etc. In summer, I go to town with dresses that have lots of lovely colourful patterns or just one bold bright colour.

 

White dress with blue and green flowers

Woman wearing cobalt blue wrap maxi dress

Orange midi dress

Hot pink cashmere jumper dress with turtleneck

 

7. If you are buying any items of clothing, or you are being given any, do not be afraid of asking the person to describe it to you. After all, they liked the look of it, that’s why they picked it for you so why shouldn’t you have the pleasure and delight of knowing what it looks like? I often find that having items of my clothing described to me in detail gives me confidence because I feel I have made an informed decision when choosing to wear it.

8. Texture:
It is often helpful to buy clothes with various textures you can feel so if you are in a hurry, you can tell which top you are pulling out of the wardrobe. For example: Zara and Gap do these ribbed thin jumpers in different colours. If you know the colours you bought, and you pull it out, simply find any trousers or skirts you have (because you know they are dark colours), and team them together and you’re ready to go. Winter clothing is great because of all the knit patterns you can feel. Cable knit, crochet knit, ribbed, etc.

Multi-coloured crochet jumper, colours are dark green, grey, yellow, maroon, white, salmon pink, light blue and dark blue. The colours are done in horizontal stripes up to the middle of the jumper, the colour patterns become random afterwards.

White turtleneck cable knit jumper

Mauve turtleneck ribbed jumper

 

9. Scarfs:
Keep it simple as you don’t want to have too many scarves to choose from each day. Think of the colours that dominate your wardrobe and pick the most common colours you have. For example, if most of the things in your wardrobe are dark, pick a bright scarf to give your outfit a lift. Especially if you are wearing a black or dark coat. If most of your outfits are bright, then it’s safer to pick a dark coloured scarf except on occasions where you are absolutely sure that the bright scarf you’re choosing goes with that particular outfit. If you have a patterned scarf, it’s safest to team it with outfits that are plain. It is helpful if the outfit has one of the colours in the patterned scarf.

Woman wearing blue jeans, black jacket, black and white stripy top and a yellow scarf

 

10. Shoes:
With regards to shoes, I am afraid to say I remain conservative and mostly wear dark coloured shoes. In the summer, I do experiment with colours like sparkly gold, or silver because again, they are neutral and can be easily matched with many things.

Silver sparkles on the straps with the inside being gold.

Plim soles with a white sole, gold mesh and silver threads all around the top and sides

 

I once recall buying a pair of sparkly pumps that reflected all the colours of the rainbow. I’m afraid to say that I can count the number of times I have warn these pumps as I was worried they wouldn’t go well with my often multi coloured summer outfits.

Pumps with sparkles of many colours

I thought to share these tips as they are guidelines I use for myself and they have worked wonders for me. It helps if like me, you have a good memory as I can describe to you, every single item of clothing I own. Having been sighted before, I can still see things in my mind. I do hope though that I have helped with this post.

Have you got any tips you would like to share? Comment below. I would like to hear your thoughts. Until the next post, have a colourific week! :)

” Sorry it’s been discontinued”

“Sorry it’s been discontinued”

This remark is being made more often these days and it’s exactly what a customer does not want to hear.

Take for instance, you find it very difficult to get that perfect pair of jeans that fit you like a glove, without slicing your stomach in to two halves, or preventing you from breathing, whilst making your very well proportioned thighs protrude and look like giant pieces of yam, standing on a pair of emaciated legs. You’ve taken great pains to find this perfect pair, and it’s so expensive that buying two or 3 pairs will make an irreparable dent in your budget. You buy it because they’re so nice that you don’t have to act like a contortionist in order to get in to them, and they really enhance your profile. Then a year later, you go back to the same shop relieved that you don’t have to suffer the ordeal of going to different shops to try 50 pairs, your make up ruined because you’ve been sweating from all your exertions, only for the shop assistant to say “Sorry that line’s been discontinued but we have another label which might be just as good”

I can not describe what it feels like when this happens. It’s like my whole world’s been put in total disarray because I keep thinking “What in heaven’s name am I supposed to do now?” I’ve planned many of my outfits around this pair of jeans, and even if I find another pair that fits perfectly, it may have a different look, or it may not be the right colour or the right shade in the colour I want).

In my case, it’s twice as hard because I have to describe the colours that suit me the most. These colours I have chosen with the help of people close to me whose sense of fashion I trust. The thing is, you can’t go to shops these days not knowing what you want because then people just suggest what they think is right for you based on their own judgement and you come out looking very unlike yourself.

Another instance is when you find that perfect lipstick that goes with your every day look and you return to buy another and you’re told it’s been discontinued. This happened to me some time last year when I bought a lipstick from Mac which had enough pink to be subtle, enough purple to be rich, and enough moisture to last most of the day. I got many complements when ever I wore this particular lipstick and when I went to buy it again, I was told it’s been discontinued. Then the lady asked me to try another one which she said was very similar. I warn you all to be very weary of that word similar because it doesn’t always mean what it’s meant to mean. I got home and my niece told me it was a bit too bright for day time and that it was purpleier than it was pink so it was more suitable for night time.

For the past year, I carried the empty container of my much desired lipstick and showed it to the girls at any make up counter I happened to come across when I went shopping. This time, I urged them to try my old lipstick on my lower lip, and their recommendations on my top lip. This way, they would see instantly if the colours were similar or too different. I also devised a trickier way of getting the girls at the make up counter to tell me exactly what they see. So I’d say:
“If you look at mine, and this other one you’ve suggested, what’s different about them?” Because you have to remember, that they’ve told me that the lipstick they are recommending is very similar to mine. So in the process of them selling me the advantages of their recommendations, I get the truth.

Two wrong lipstick shades later, I came across the perfect colour which I found with the help of my Niece at an YLS counter. I was so relieved that I bought two of them.

This constant need for variety often robs the fashion industry of quality products that are reliable and durable. People feel more comfortable knowing what brands do and do not work for them. The fashion industry needs to find the balance between satisfying their loyal customers, and keeping up to date with the competition. I feel that the emphasis is still on keeping up with the competition. I was forced to spend more on lipsticks for fear of not being able to find the right colour next time. I’m sure the reason things keep running out of stock in the shops, is because other people have that same fear that I have, so they stock up on their favourite items. People are being made to spend more money that it is necessary at a time and this is certainly not in the customer’s best interest. I shouldn’t have to buy 4 pairs of jeans when I only need two.

Has anyone ever had a similar experience?

I look forward to reading your comments.

By Victoria Oruwari