January 25, 2010
It is always this time of year when I start thinking about my closet
make-over. I usually try to do this a couple of times a year just to keep
my wardrobe from getting stale. As a slightly obsessed fan of organization
I take great pleasure in this task.
For some, this task can be overwhelming so I am giving some information
and a few tips from More Alive With Color to help get you started.
If all this seems too arduous, you can always find a professional to help get
you through it.
Confessions of a closet organizer
Image consultants will tell you that there is nothing they prefer to do for a
client more than to rearrange, weed out, sort out, and recycle their closet. It's
instant gratification for them and their client. They can also get some instant
insight into a client's personality and lifestyle through the colors he or she wears.
If you're like most people, opening your closet door and finding it neat, efficient,
and attractive makes you feel so "together." Somehow, when your closet is
organized, you feel as though your whole life is organized. (If only that were true!)
To get started...
1. Pull out anything you haven't worn in a year and put it on the bed.
2. Separate day clothes from evening clothes, and put them in different
sections of the closet.
3. Keep all of the same kinds of clothing together: all blouses and/or shirts,
all pants, all skirts, all suits, etc.
4. Arrange all of these groups by color.
January 22, 2010
Only a colorist, a vegetarian (or a pescetarian, as I am) could get excited
over this piece of news. Seems that the first new vegetable to hit the stores
in nearly a decade is making its debut in the U.K at one of my favorite foodie
pick-up places in London. Better known for its collection of panty stockings
and boxer shorts, it is Marks & Spencer.
But in their food sections, this somewhat exotic and very healthy
veggie is making its first appearance. A cross between Brussels sprouts
and curly kale, the new vegetable, named the flower sprout, is a small
purple-and-green sprout with curly leaves.
PLUS 
Actually both kale and Brussels sprouts are from the same species
(Brassica oleracea) and are part of the same family called Brassicas
or Crucifers, allowing them to be cross-bred, creating a new hybrid
species.
The taste is similar to that of the Brussels sprout, and it’s said
that it is best served steamed or stir fried. But my inner Julia Child
tells me they would be wonderful roasted in the oven with garlic, a
sprinkling of oregano and a tad of olive oil. (Although Julia would
have insisted on butter!)
Bon appetit!!
January 18, 2010
New York Magazine came up with a list of 50 Steps to Simple
Happiness and our very own Lee Eiseman made the list at number
47. Even if you don't live in the city you can still appreciate the notion
of finding happiness in the little things.
50 Steps to Simple Happiness
From eating Greek yogurt to chatting up strangers, some
suggestions for regular daily contentment
Reporting by Molly Bennet, Sarah Bernard, Aja Mangum, and
Beth Shapouri
"...you won’t find long-term, expensive fixes like therapy, pharmaceuticals,
or a three-week jaunt to the Maldives. What you will find are quick, easy, and
affordable ideas for feeling good in body and spirit, as well as bits of modern
folk wisdom, some goofier than others, from a range of experts. So: Try a little
self-administered acupressure. Eat an ounce of dark chocolate. Say yes to more
sex. Break the silence in the elevator. Exercise..."
Or simply try this...
47. “Paint your walls yellow, a color associated with cheerfulness and sunlight—not
a bad thing in the dreary days of winter.” —Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director,
Pantone Color Institute
For more go to www.nymag.com
January 15, 2010
Psychology Today
Red Suits Her
Red suits her...and gets him excited.
Daniel R. Hawes
October 20, 2009
Men prefer women with symmetrical facial features. Men also tend to be
attracted to women with hourglass waist-hip ratios and particular body-mass
index. As one scientific study informs us, men also tend to find women
especially attractive when the bar is just about to close. In fact, psychologists
have identified many (often very subtle) cues that seem to generally trigger
male heterosexual attraction. Usually these cues come in the form of physical
characteristics with more-or-less direct relation to reproductive fitness, but
sometimes, as a recent study in the journal of personality and social psychology
reports, the story is a little more colorful:
Like many of our primate relatives, it seems that male humans show increased
sexual desire for women when exposed to the color red. In particular the
mere presence of red in the context of viewing pictures of moderately attractive
women tends to increase men's ratings of a woman's overall attractiveness,
own perceived sexual desire, as well as dating and spending intentions.
Actually, the finding would be less interesting if we were talking about an
aphrodisiacal effect of a red flush (a possible sign of arousal), red lipstick
(possible to be mistaken as a sign of arousal), or even red shoes. However,
the study explicitly shows that it is the color itself that increases desire, and
that it does so without being directly related to any feature of the female's
appearance. The researchers are able to make this distinction because
participants in the study were actually rating black-and-white pictures of
females; some of which were presented over a red pas partout, others which
had other colors for a background.
[...]
And just in case you were wondering, "the red effect does not extend to
general positive characteristics" nor did color affect kindness or intelligence
ratings.
What Lee has to say about red in Color: Messages and Meanings
"The most physical color in the spectrum, red suggest the very ebb
and flow of life. It is the most viscerally alive hue, the symbolic color
of the heart, strong-willed and expressing strong emotions. It may
command us to stop but at the same time encourage movement.
Physiologically, red is a call to the adrenaline glands to get the
body and senses activated.
January 11, 2010
I know that most of our readers are apt to be thinking of their New Year
resolutions after a holiday season of downing lots of goodies. But here is
an image of the lowest calorie delicacies you could ever imagine. A bit
hard to digest, but so original, colorful and visually appealing, they are
made of velvet, satin and other sumptous fabrics and stuffed with polyfill.
The have graced the display area tables at Heimtextil, a home furnishings
fabric show held in January in Frankfurt, Germany. Every year the theme
changes, but the delectable looking goodies are always crowd-pleasers. One
year the theme was a bridal party where the bride looked as if she had
partaken of too much strudel. But my personal favorite is the
wedding-crashing faux dog who stole the pseudo-sausage!--Lee
January 8, 2010
Thought I would share this message that I received from a
subscriber to our blog. Some of you might not remember turquoise
kitchens (the first time around) but some of you can relate!.--Lee
Lee:
When I left for college, my mother finally got her kitchen re-done.
It was turquoise for many many years, and she had it done in
avocado, gold and burnt orange (it was the 70's after all.)
So, now, just like poodle skirts, turquoise has come full circle. I hope
my mom isn't turning in her grave.
Jeanne
Dear Jeanne:
Everything goes full circle, especially color. If your mother was
adventurous enough to change her kitchen (eventually) she would
probably love the “new" turquoise!!
Thanks for writing.
Lee
Speaking of Turquoise......
Yet another mention of Pantone's color of the year. This time in HFN
(Home Furnishings News). This is definitely the coolest image of Turquoise
in the form of a 57' Chevy.
January 7, 2010
Time is running out to sign up for our Color/Design class this
January 28-31 in Burbank, California. The class will be held at the
Residence Inn by Marriot in Burbank.
Phone, fax or email us today to reserve your spot!
Class is filled on a first come first serve basis.
(206)842-4456(PH) or (206)842-6498(Fax)
leiseman@nwlink.com
As mentioned in the LA Times.
January 4, 2010
Our director, Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman, was recently quoted in the
Houston Chronicle about color trends for the new year. The following
is an excerpt from that article:
Personalization is the key to 2010's fashion trends
By JOY SEWING Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle
In fashion, a new year brings a host of possibilities.
That's especially true for 2010, when more people will be putting their own
spin on trends rather than duplicating what's in the magazines and on the runways.
“2010 is all about personal style,” said Gregg Andrews, fashion director for
Nordstrom. “It's hard to put your finger on a single trend because there are
so many influences happening. The new year is about a melding of styles and
inspiration. It's not about replicating. It's about new interpretations.”
Translation: Personalize the trends.
Andrews says you can do this simply by adding color or playing with textures,
all the while paying attention to what's “in” fashion.
So, let's recap 2009: Puffy jackets with pencil skirts; blousy tunics with skinny
jeans, motorcycle jackets, embellished leather, aggressive-looking shoes and
almost anything studded, grommetted or sequined.
As we begin a new year, skirts are moving away from pencil to volume; khakis
are the new jeans; and the aggressiveness of fall is being replaced with softer
textures, such as chiffon, georgette and lightweight cottons. And simplicity is in.
While celebrities continue to drive certain trends, fashion mavericks such as
first lady Michelle Obama are the role models for the approaching decade.
“She broke the mold,” Andrews said. “She didn't look like a typical politician's
wife. She's not in a business suit, but she has a style that's more personal, even
more so than Jackie O. Michelle Obama isn't interested in looking like everyone
else. She's given women a tangible and visible example of how you do that.”
Andrews says Americans will continue to mix high-end and low-priced items as well.
“Regardless of price, women look for items that make them look new and
unique,” he added. “Trends have a range. What we see on the runway is a more
extreme way of wearing it, that's not for the average woman. We don't expect
women to wear 16-inch balloon skirts. But we do expect women to dress in an
affordable way.”
And when it comes to beauty, makeup artist Raychel Wade of La Prairie says
makeup continues to be an affordable way to “shake things up while still being
true to who you are.”
Color
This will be the year of turquoise, according to the Pantone Color Institute.
The blue-green hue is considered to evoke calm and compassion, but its warm
and cool shades mix well with all skin tones.
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, says most
people respond positively to turquoise, and it has a universally flattering appeal
for men and women.
“We look at the psychology of the color,” Eiseman said. “This year specifically, we
were very certain that turquoise was a strong trend and narrowed it down to the
best, most representative color for both fashion and home.”
Andrews agreed, saying that a true turquoise or more subdued teal is a fresh
complement for spring. He suggests incorporating a teal handbag into a spring
wardrobe if you're shy about wearing bold colors.
“Most women don't have a teal handbag,” he said. “Teal works great with neutrals,
and it opens the door to play with color. The bag can be your accent.”
