The Colour Me Actuary social event gave everyone in attendance a whirlwind insight into an alternative career of fashion.
The 'Colour Me Actuary' social event gave everyone in attendance a whirlwind insight into an alternative career of fashion. Hosted by the Worshipful Company of Actuaries at a buzzing Staple Inn, we had all taken to heart the advice of Robert Hails to "wear something that you think suits you, and bring your own good sense of humour"!
The hall was bursting with colour as the evening started off splendidly with a reception to get everyone in the mood for exploring their perfect colours. Despite being more of a Saffron Monsoon type myself - leaving the fashion side of things to a mother who knows a lot about wearing colour well - even I was excited to be expanding my horizons. And hats off to the brave men in the room too, who, although outnumbered, were keen to learn top tips from the world of fashion.
My favourite top five tips of the night were:
1 Know which colours suit you best
20% of clothes are worn 80% of time so it's important to get this right. I had no idea there were so many shades of white , and I hadn't appreciated how certain shades can turn individuals from looking fresh to insipid.
2 Statement pieces are a must-have
This is especially important when speaking and mixing at events so you don't get lost in the crowd - unless that is what you want to do of course!
3 Colour can fool the eye up to four inches!
To maximise your height, shorter people should wear one colour, ideally with shoes and a waistcoat that match your trousers. Clearly, for tall people the opposite applies; different colours are best and you should go for the half-and-half look.
4 Ladies come in lots of different shapes, but men only come in three
And whatever your shape, always make sure your clothes fit well on your shoulders. After that, focus on bringing attention to the best parts of your body and just forget the rest!
5 Finally, everyone should own a leather skirt!
A fantastic evening was had by all, and no doubt everyone will have taken away their own top tips for improving their personal style and making their lives a little more colourful. A special thank you to Sally Bridgeland, our master, who transformed Staple Inn on this occasion into a vibrant social venue.