I’ve been turning the house inside out lately looking for something. Has that ever happened to you?

Back in the 1980s, when I had my colours “done”, I received a little packet of fabric swatches in the Spring colours that were deemed to be most flattering for someone with my skin tone and colouring. For several years, I carried it in my purse and used it as a guide when I shopped. In time, however, I started colouring outside the lines, so to speak. I found myself using my swatches less and experimenting more with other colours. Eventually, I put the little packet of fabric pieces away in a drawer in my bedroom, or at least that’s what I thought I did!

In recent months I’ve noticed a resurgence of interest in knowing your colours and dressing accordingly amongst some of the fashion bloggers that I read regularly. That led me to wonder how far I’ve strayed from my own colour palette, so I went to the dresser drawer to retrieve my swatches. The only problem was, they weren’t there! That’s when the search began. I’d estimate that the little packet is about 10 cm x 6 cm x 1.5 cm thick. There are a LOT of places in this house where something that small could be hiding!

Since I haven’t found it yet, perhaps this is a good time for me to think about universal colours. Six weeks ago, I wrote about neutrals, those colours that go well with all the other colours in the closet. Universal colours, however, are the ones that look good on just about everyone. If you don’t know what season you are, what colours look best on you, you really can’t go wrong with universals. They flatter all skin tones.

There are six colours that are most often listed as universals:

Soft white and stone, a medium to light grey, also appear on many lists. I’ve sometimes seen red referred to as a universal colour, but I would disagree because though there is a red for everyone, not every red looks good on every person. Those, like myself, with warm skin tones should choose orange tinted reds, while those with cool skin tones look better wearing blue-based reds. Not sure which one is right for you? Click here.

Universal colours are frequently chosen for staff uniforms because they look good on everyone. If you’re planning a wedding and want to keep a bevy of beautiful bridesmaids happy and looking their best, selecting a universal colour for their dresses is also a sensible choice.

Now, back to searching for that little packet of fabric swatches. Wish me luck!