Hello! I'm a long-time lurker, but don't post very often. I need some help, though, so here I am!

A little background: My grandfather passed away earlier this year, and he used to always wear a red vest on Christmas Eve. So this year my aunt has suggested that we all wear red in his honor. Of course I want to participate in honoring him, but red is an awful color for me to wear near my face (I've been told I'm a summer -- I have blue eyes and light to medium brown hair). Any suggestions how I can partake without looking terrible?

I already have this skirt (in soft graphite) and these ruffle booties (in black), which I was planning to wear with black tights, a purple-ish/magenta tee and black bf cardi. The easiest solution is to swap out the purple tee with red, but like I said, red just doesn't look good near my face. Maybe switch out the purple tee with winter white and the black tights for red?

Oh, I also probably should mention I'm 25, 5'9", and about a size 14 hourglass.

Thanks in advance!

I'm going to cry - what a wonderful idea.

I think red tights and a white shirt would be good - the skirt and shoes are fantastic. It's red, after all, it'll be prominent on your legs - especially given the length of the skirt. I know you want to participate wholeheartedly, so you're thinking a shirt will be expected, but I think tights are a very key piece of the outfit too, and this way you'll feel comfortable.

or you can just wear a red plaid vest over a white shirt, if you can find one. That way, it's fairly amount of red, near but not next to your face,

IMO, wearing red only on your legs would be paying lipservice to the tribute and not fully participating in it. Your red would not be visible, say, at the dinner table, or in a group photo if you happened not to be in front. This reminds me of my daughter refusing to join the other parents in wearing matching t-shirts to support their kids' athletic team because she said t-shirts "don't look good on me". Well, she didn't look too good in all her fitted flattering finery sitting in the bleachers in the middle of a gang of parents all dressed alike. She put vanity ahead of supporting her son. You would be putting vanity ahead of the tribute to your grandfather if you wore only red tights, IMO.

You can wear a white blouse with a big collar around your face (or cream or ivory if those colors suit you better) with either a red vest, or a red tank-type or short sleeved sweater over the blouse. The lower the neckline of the over-sweater, the further it would be from your face. But your whole torso would be red and fully participating in the tribute.

Please, red tights will say I am tributing because I have to but not because I want to, IMO.

quote:

Originally posted by gobaygo:
Please, red tights will say I am tributing because I have to but not because I want to, IMO.

I truly, truly appreciate this honesty, because that was exactly my concern. That said, when I talked to my mom about it last night, she said to go for the tights. I do think I can make the outfit look purposeful with the red tights, and really, I think it's more fun if people use some creativity in incorporating red into their outfits rather than everyone wearing red shirts. We all have our own personal styles, so why not pay tribute to him by all using red each in our own ways? But, because there's always a but, it's the photos -- like you said -- that's part of what I'm worried about. Next year or a couple years down the line when we look back at the Christmas Eve we paid tribute to Papa and you can't see my red, that would be a bummer.

The last thing in the world I wanted to do was shun the idea of paying tribute to my grandfather just because red looks bad on me. Hell no, I'm not that vain. I was just trying to see if there was a way to fully participate and still wear something that's flattering. If the answer is a big, fat, resounding NO, then red shirt it is.

quote:

Originally posted by steph7134:
I think it's more fun if people use some creativity in incorporating red into their outfits rather than everyone wearing red shirts.

I agree.

Don't let the words of someone projecting an interpretation from a previous experience with someone else confuse you. There is no comparison in that story at all. The daughter in the comparison didn't participate in an alternative way - she just plain didn't participate at all. That comparison was ridiculous.

Hey....I do want to keep this friendly because I sense Steph's sincerity in this matter.

I don't think my comparison was ridiculous because I don't consider wearing just red tights to be participating in an alternative way - it seems like not participting to me.

But this is just my opinion. If your mother, Steph, shares the opinion that red tights are a sufficient tribute, then go for it. When the cameras are operating, you can make a fun thing about making sure your red is visible.

You could also do the red tights + red shoes to elongate the leg line (instead of cutting it off with the black shoe). That way it'll look like you're *really* into it, because 1/4 to 1/3 of your body will be in red, but the red will still be away from your face.

Or, you could do a red belt around the cardi. Or maybe red bracelets?

Thanks, everyone, for the responses.

BabyLP, I like your suggestions. The only thing with the shoes is that I already have the black ones, and I couldn't really justify getting new red ones because I wouldn't have use for them outside of Christmas Eve. It's kind of the same feeling with a red shirt, too. I don't own anything red, so I'd have to buy a red shirt or sweater or vest or whatever, and I wouldn't have use for it after the one wear.

But anyway... If I go with the red tights, I do like the idea of the red belt or accessories to bring some more red into the mix.

Here's an idea of what each of the two outfits I currently have in my head would look like. I already own the skirt and shoes. The black cardi is not the exact one I have, but it's the same idea.
Outfit

I think this is a really sweet idea.

I have no idea about how to wear red... it's not a color I've worked with - but I have seen SO many outfits lately paired with a bright red handbag, if you're looking for other ways to incorporate red!

Maybe you haven't found the right shade of red???? Some reds are orangey and some have a blue undertone. Orangey reds look horrible on me, but a red with a blue undertone looks fine. I'm a winter (I think!), however.

Oh, and I just looked at your picture, and I like the red shirt, black tights option better. The red tights with black shoes seems to cut the leg line.

Are your shoes that high profile? Those shoes cannot support contrasting tights.

If you wear red tights, don't add other red accessories, especially not pops of color distant from the tights, like a belt or bag. BTW, red tights would be best with an all gray, or all black, monotone outfit; not a mix of both. A crisp white shirt (part of the same monochrome; not cream) could also work as support.

after giving it a bit thought, let me ask you this question: would you be comfortable sitting at a dinner table, (and in the photos), that you are the only one that has no red visible waist up? Would you feel self-conscious about not wearing a piece of red clothing (vs. a piece of red accessory)? If you have any doubt, then you just answered yourself.

My personal take on this is: If participating in this tribute means so much to me, i would do it to the full extent, and thus show my full support. Wearing only red tights, while creative, may be seen as half-a$$ed, or not taking the event seriously. (Like, oh, i didn't bother to prepare, so at the last minute, this is the only red thing i can find.) Since i'm already putting so much mental juice into it, I'll want to do it right. It's not that hard to borrow a red shirt. I'd add a belt, so the only red exposed is really just a triangle.

If a family photo is a tradition, I'd find a red vest and wear a collared shirt in your shade of white. That will place a flattering color close to your face and still give you that red honoring his tradition.

If you go with the 2 outfits posted, I'd use silver or nude tights with that grey skirt; alternately a black skirt, black tights and those cute bootlets. Otherwise there are too many horizontal lines to stop the eye.

Black isn't a summer color either, so that black cardi may not flatter your skin tone.

Ideally, I'd prefer to keep the tights black -- as in my original outfit (with the magenta tee) -- to keep the leg line long and not all cut up. The red tights were just an idea that popped into my head as an alternative to wearing red on top. I'll be the first to admit, maybe it's not the ideal solution, but it was the first idea that popped into my head. I'm open to any suggestions, really.

We don't really do a formal family photo on Christmas Eve anymore; we all just kind of carry our cameras around and snap photos when we feel like it.

LunaBeam, you're right, black isn't the best color on me, but with the purpleish tee I had planned on wearing that IS a great color on me, I feel like the outfit works. Wearing red AND black on top just worries me. So maybe I can wear a red tee and a cardi in another color that does work for me? I just don't know what else I have that would work with the outfit.

I really don't want to make this a big deal if it doesn't have to be. I just thought someone might be able to come up with an idea I hadn't thought of that would work. Like I said previously, if I have to wear red on top, I will. No biggie. But if I, or anyone else, can come up with something else that works, that would be fantastic.

And I know I'm making it harder because I already have the skirt and shoes picked out, but I really don't have much else to choose from. I wear jeans and flats to work everyday, so I have no use for other more dressy items in my everyday wardrobe. I bought those two pieces to wear to a wedding (well, vow renewal) this weekend and on Christmas Eve because I thought they could work double duty like that. I had no idea until after I bought those pieces that we would have to wear red.

Maybe keep the original outfit and try to find something like this:

http://katysklippies.com/item_...insettia-Klippie.htm

Everyone is assuming that everyone else will be wearing a red shirt. I don't think that's a sure bet. I actually think people will be trying to think of something more creative than that. The red-vest was Papa's, he didn't just wear a red shirt. Everyone will be looking for their own item to honor him with - some shirts - some vests - some prominent accessories.

That hair clip is adorable! I'm definitely open to something like that.

And I agree with you that I don't know for sure that everyone will be wearing a red shirt. I've really only talked to my mom and sister about it so far -- neither of whom have decided what they are going to wear. So for all I know, everyone else could be showing up in red pants, socks and shoes.

I think this is an excelent opportunity to bring out the color wheel!
Red and purple is one of my favorite color combinations. The trick is to use the right shades of each. I like reds and purples with more blue in them.
So if purple is a color that works better near your face - here are some combinations to think about:
Red top with black cardi and purple scarf

red top, purple cardi, black necklace, red bracelets - leave just a sliver of the red top peeking out of the cardi

purple top, black cardi, red belt/other red accessory

purple turtleneck, black cardi, red skinny scarf worn untied - just looped around neck

I think the skirt and shoes are fantastic, and I agree that black tights would work better to complete the lower half
Good luck!

Thanks for the color wheel! I'll definitely reference that. The only thing with the purple and red combo is that it always makes me think of this ... Kind of the same way I associate red & green with Christmas, black & orange with Halloween, etc.

It's all in the shade of red... when I think of a red and purple outfit, I think of this

Yes, yes, yes. That outfit looks fab!

How about a red pencil skirt - it won't be near your face and would look great with the black tights/shoes and white top/black cardi.