Are you someone who wears their heart on their sleeve?
Are there colors you wear that always bring compliments?
We each have our distinctive palettes - colors that inspire people to comment on how great we look wearing them. Why aren't these colors our neutrals?
- When we were young, Mom picked out our clothes. I'm a redhead so mine dressed me in green.
- In nursery school, we asserted our independence. Playing dress-up was fun so why not do it all day? I liked princess or cat costumes.
- Highschool. We wore our school colors and uniforms. We followed trends and/or rebelled. We began to understand style in social clicks. We reacted accordingly with our teenage attitude du jour.
- Neutrals begin to sneak into our pallette when we moved out of the homestead. Black was instant sophistication. It validated our sparkly new maturity and genius. It comforted our homesickness.
Me? I was a filthy art student and blacks hid the studio smudges. Browns and tans hid stains; disguised the number of days since laundering and mixed so nicely with black, denim-blue and army green.
The angst of RISD. The school colors should be black and unwashed.
I had a huge artists' block my junior year at RISD. I spoke with a therapist that summer who suggested hypnosis. After a few sessions, I found myself buying bright, colorful summer dresses. Bizarre.
Returning to school in the fall, my art took on a new life of bawdy humor and cartoonish illustration. Vivid and saturated color. I had gotten my groove back. I was ecstatic!
My first job was in Manhattan and I quickly returned to the neutral squad. Don't we all have a selection of "New York" clothes?
Then I moved to New Orleans and finally felt at ease in my own skin.
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My closet today.
I'm intrigued by how we feel about color and the profound effect it has on our mood. We labor over just the right yellow to paint our kitchen; the perfect unexpected chartreuse in the guest bath.
We express the complexity of our personalities with color. But more than anything - wearing the right color for our skin tone, hair & eye color has the power to make us feel fabulous! Color has an effect on our psyche as well as how we are perceived.
The odds are you will most likely find me wearing pink or orange...they are my neutrals.
I propose we shift our thinking and consider the colors that are most flattering on us be our new neutrals.
Quite frankly, I look horrible in black and white. When I moved to NOLA, I got sassy and tossed all my New York! New York! clothes. My neutrals are pink and orange. When I am complimented on how pretty they look on me, I want to reply, "Yep, that's why I wear them!" Instead, I grin a very big thank you.
- Little black dress? Don't have one.
- Classic white T's? A few, although old & gross.
- Gray? A few sweaters, but I only wear them with bright pinks and oranges peeking out.
Ok, ok, I do wear black on Saints Game Day and when I'm dancing with my Camel Toe Lady Steppers (CTLS signature hot pink, silver & black). But on the bottom; not tops.
The Psychology of Color
There are (scientific) studies about how color can transform our moods and how others perceive us. We love reading articles about what our go-to color says about our personality, ideal career, love forecast, growth rate of our money tree and...and ...
- White implies to others we are organized and detail-oriented.
- Green? Helps sell you as all-natural and organic.
- Red has us bold and unforgettable.
- Alas, too much orange and we might not be taken seriously.
Seriously?
Let's make it simple.
Wear what looks gorgeous on you.
Wear what makes you feel gorgeous.
Done.
These are now your neutrals.
Vivid, precious gemstones are the perfect means to celebrate our authentic selves - each of us is equally unique and precious. When designing bespoke pieces for you, I'm inspired to find the exact combination of lush tones and textures that match your special beauty.
What brings you joy will light up your day and will reflect in your eyes and smile.
It makes us feel beautiful. It is precious. You should feel that way every day.
Click the magnifying glass to search my collection by color.
Katy Beh Jewelry began as a passion for color, beautifully made treasures, precious family keepsakes and well, an obviously love affair with my beloved New Orleans. My 22k gold jewelry is made entirely by me. New Orleans’ lush palette, her vibrant Mardi Gras and enthusiasm for fun inspire the color and spirit of my jewelry.
Bead Trees
Lively in the Treme
My hope is that when you wear my jewelry, you’ll feel as happy as I did making it. With grace, I hope this joy will carry on generations to come. I believe when we celebrate our lives and loves with jewelry, those pieces must be equally as precious, extraordinary and lasting.
