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7 Rules for Shopping With Your Colour Palette
Before you buy anything this sale season, know your palette, test the colour in daylight with a chin-drape, and make sure the piece works with at least three things you already own. Those three habits catch most colour mistakes before they leave the shop.
The seven rules below work for any shopping trip, in store or online, and they work whatever your undertone. They are about colour, not about spending more or less.
The 7 rules
1. Know your palette first
Decide on your undertone and your favourite colours before you walk in. If you are not sure yet, start with how to find your undertone. A short list of colours on your phone is enough to keep you focused when a rail of tempting options appears.
2. Test in daylight
Shop lights are often warm, cool or very bright, and they change how a colour looks on skin. Carry the piece to a window or step outside if you can. Our undertone test lighting guide explains why daylight is the fairest judge.
3. Do the chin test
Hold the item under your chin and look at your skin, not the clothing. If your skin looks even and your eyes look clear, the colour is a friend. If you look tired or grey, it may be better kept away from your face.
4. Match it with three pieces you own
Before you buy, picture at least three outfits using items already in your wardrobe. If you cannot, the piece will probably sit unworn. This is the quickest way to avoid a lonely purchase.
5. Do not buy the same colour twice
Many closets contain five similar black tops or four near-identical blue shirts. Check what you own in that colour first. If you need a replacement, great; if not, choose a gap you actually have. A closet colour audit makes these gaps easy to see.
6. Think about the neckline
If a colour is tricky on you, it can still work lower down. A bold shade in trousers, skirts or shoes sits away from your face. Reserve the most flattering colours for tops, scarves and jackets.
7. Check the return rules
Read the return window and conditions before paying, especially for online orders. Try the item at home in daylight soon after it arrives. Keep tags on until you are sure.
Palette shopping swatches
Here are some versatile colours that suit different undertones, so you can see what a palette might look like:
- Cream
- Camel
- Charcoal
- Navy
- Sage
- Burgundy
- Taupe
Palette by undertone
| Undertone | Base colours | Accent colours |
|---|---|---|
| Warm | Cream, camel, chocolate | Coral, olive, rust |
| Cool | Navy, charcoal, white | Emerald, fuchsia, ice blue |
| Neutral | Taupe, soft grey, oatmeal | Dusty rose, sage, muted teal |
| Olive | Deep brown, forest green, cream | Burgundy, terracotta, petrol blue |
Build around a plan
A calm shopping list beats an impulse. Think in terms of a core of neutrals, a few supporting colours and one accent. The capsule wardrobe colours guide shows how to fill each category with intention, so you buy to complete outfits rather than collect single items.
A pocket checklist
- Is this in my palette?
- Does it look good in daylight?
- Does it work with three things I own?
- Do I already have this colour?
- Do I know the return rules?
If you can answer yes to the first, second, third and fifth and no to the fourth, you can usually buy with confidence.
When you fall for an off-palette piece
Sometimes you just love something. That is fine. Wear it lower down, pair it with a flattering colour at the neckline, or choose it in accessories. Colour rules help you decide, but your own taste has a vote too.
Where Kittyfit fits in
Kittyfit starts with a short test and an optional face and wrist photo, analysed on your iPhone, then scores the pieces in your wardrobe against your undertone result, which makes it handy for checking what you already own. Virtual try-on is optional and asks for your approval first. Open Kittyfit or use the capsule tool.
Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid regret buying during sales?
Decide your palette and gaps beforehand, try colours in daylight, and only buy pieces that work with at least three items you own.
Should I buy a colour just because it is on sale?
Not unless it suits you and fits your wardrobe. A bargain you never wear is not a bargain.
How can I test a colour online?
Screens vary, so check the return rules and try the item by a window in daylight as soon as it arrives.
What if I love a colour that is not in my palette?
Wear it away from your face, such as trousers, shoes or a bag, and keep a flattering colour near your neckline.
General style guidance based on common color-analysis practice, not medical or dermatological advice. Results vary with lighting, device and the individual.