What if you could own just one handbag? Perish the thought, I know. But think hypothetically for one moment about this. If you could only have one handbag, what color would you choose?
My co author Janna Beatty, who is a master at color, says:
“If the color of an accessory matches your natural coloring, it will automatically complement you…no matter what (other color/s) you are wearing.”
Okay, what does that mean? Let’s use handbags as an example. (Or if you read my blog two weeks ago, some of you may refer to your handbag as a purse.)
Question: What do ALL these photos have in common?
Answer: All three women are toting handbags that are the same color as their hair. Never mind that the bag doesn’t match their shoes, or even their outfit. Because the bag matches their natural coloring, it goes with everything else they are wearing.
Great concept, right? Yet how many of you have ever heard of it? (That’s why we wrote Quintessential Style.)
Here are more examples.
Okay, but what if your hair color changes? That’s a great question.
If Adele changes her hair color from platinum blonde to a more sandy blonde, she might change her handbag from this:
to this:
And if your hair goes naturally silver, try a light gray bag:
Here are more examples:
Last week I wrote about Queen Elizabeth’s black Launer handbag. Black remains a good neutral for the Queen, since her hair was once black. But now that her hair is white, an alternative might be this lighter-colored Launer.
Janna stresses the importance of choosing a handbag that is the color of the hair you have NOW. Because your bag goes with YOU, it will go with anything you wear. Works every time!
Yes, even for these ladies:
They have matched their bags to their outfits, which is certainly fine, but if the green-haired lady passed her bag to the gal to the right, the blue bag would work great with that blue ‘do’, too!
Once you find a bag that matches the color of your hair, you may decide it’s the only handbag you need…
Nah.
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23 Comments
I am one of those women that changes purses a lot! I like to match my outfit!!! But if I HAD to pick one I would pick black, or maybe red! I was a black headed young woman until I started getting lots of gray. I dyed my hair BLACK until I was in my early 50s! So then I couldn’t figure out what color I should change it to to make it a lighter color! So, I used a brown with red highlights!! (After all my Aunt was fire engine red, while my Mom was Indian black!) I NEVER wore brown, so I still carried black purses the most! So, with that mind set, I was in Dillard’s buying sunglasses! I kept trying on different black frames, and couldn’t make a decision. So, the sales person handed me a pair of tortoise shell frames, which were mainly brown, and said to try them on. I told her I didn’t wear browns, that I liked to wear black frames to match my hair!!! She gave me this weird look which puzzled me. I then laughed because she was looking at me with my reddish brown hair!! So, I told her that I still see myself with black hair! I ended up buying the black frames – with glitz, of course!!!!
Hilde,
You headed to your ‘natural’ neutral, which is black. Sometimes we just instinctively know what looks good on us!
This is one of those instant, easy to understand posts with few words and just the right photos. The photo’s make it so easy to see why repeating hair color in your purse creates visual balance because our eyes are automatically drawn to repeated colors.
Nancy Goldblatt, Color 1 Associate and Wardrobe Wizard
Nancy Goldblatt!
I knew you were a stylist pro when you said: “Repeating hair color in your purse creates visual balance because our eyes are automatically drawn to repeated colors.”
Thank you!
WOW Sharon, I would have never thought to match the color of my purse to my hair color. I’m not one of these people that changes purses all the time. It’s one purse for the spring/summer and one purse for the fall/winter. Thanks for the tips.
Lita,
If you hardly ever change out handbags then this blog is for YOU! Try finding one that matches your hair, and it will be the only handbag you’ll ever need–no matter the season.
I have never thought about matching my purse with my hair, Sharon. I love the look in these photos, though. I only own one hand bag and it is black and does not match my hair. I have never been into buying purses, storing them and changing them out for different looks so have tried to stay with a quality, basic purse that looks good and is functional. Seems like I can still do that but I need to get one that is a different color asap. I’m going shopping!
Molly,
My co-author is a color consultant and says this tip works every time. So if you really do own only one handbag, try one that matches your hair. It will go with you no matter what else you are wearing.
Thanks for writing.
So I read this, and I thought, ummm, no, I like black, and navy, and red, and…. and then I realized my go-to bag is a taupe Michael Kors (which yes, matches my hair). So I guess I now agree! And I need to get into my closet and dig out those old black bags and find them some new homes!
Sarah,
Black and navy and red are all okay. But just knowing the concept of matching handbag to hair is a good idea to keep in the back of your mind. If an accessory goes “with you,” it will go with anything you put on. Thanks for writing.
I l0ve this idea of matching your hair. I have a Bronze (slightly reddish & slightly golden brown) purse which matches my hair. I have medium brown hair with red & gold highlights….but looks mostly a medium brown.
My bronze purse goes with everything!
I l0ve this idea of matching your hair. I have a Bronze (slightly reddish & slightly golden brown) purse which matches my hair. I have medium brown hair with red & gold highlights….but looks mostly a medium brown.
My bronze purse goes with everything!
Yes, Leota.
This principle really works: IF THE COLOR OF YOUR ACCESSORY GOES WITH YOUR NATURAL COLORING (i.e., your hair, your eyes) IT WILL GO WITH ANYTHING ELSE YOU PUT ON! Simple. Works for shoes, too, if you match them to your hair.
I have red, black and blonde chuncky highlights. The red fades after a few weeks. J feel like I would never be able to find a bag to match my hair, and if I was to search what wld I look for? I’m lost, but in love with the idea. Any advice?
Samantha,
Is one of those colors the natural color of your hair? Do you keep that color most of the time?
I would recommend going with that.
If the bag goes with your hair, it will always go with what you are wearing.
Thanks for writing.
Several years ago while shopping for a new handbag, I found one that I absolutely loved. It was a cinnamon color, which was definitely not a color I had ever considered. but I tried it on and couldn’t believe how perfect the color looked on me. I didn’t know why until I read this post … it was the exact same shade as my hair! Thank you for this post!
Thank you, Pearl.
You made my day. The theory is–if the accessory matches your natural coloring, it will automatically be complimentary and go with anything else you are wearing!
Thanks for writing.
The best blog with pictures I have seen. You demonstrated the hair color with handbag perfectly.
Thanks, Suzanne.
[…] For example, nude pumps are great if you’re looking to elongate your figure and they match with almost everything. Bags that match with your shoes are ideal too, but if that’s too “basic” for you, match them with your hair colour! […]
That’s exactly what we say in our book!
Thanks for writing.
What a neat concept! I cover my hair with a scarf, so I’m curious if I should still get a bag that matches my natural color or should I match my bag(s) to my scarves? (I see eye color works as well, but it doesn’t seem to pull as much of a punch.)
Yvonne,
I posed this question to my co-author, Janna Beatty, and this is her comment:
“The matching hair color is for simplicity and harmony. One less element to consider.
But the scarf/bag match opens and entire spectrum of possibilities!
Your comment about the eye color is a perfect observation. The situation dictates the need for impact.
Eye color may read at a lunch table for two. But in a large meeting room, not.
You can always trust your eye, and the way a look makes you feel.”
Hope this helps.