Zula Fashion Rules #2 Bam! Color!

Repeat introduction: I am on a crusade to bring back class. Class, you might ask, is defined by taste, color palette awareness, and style. Last week we talked a little about rules. Bottom line. Don't wear pajama pants out in public.

Today is all about color.

Color palettes. Color makes the world spin, dears! And color is one of your ways to be you. You have your primaries and secondaries and monochromatic— of which a version is now called ombre near as I can figure out. 

Here are some tips for figuring out what colors to rock and rule the fashion in your life.

Which colors do you get compliments in? If it's yellow you are a rare creature. 

What eye color do you possess? If it's yellow you should see your doctor yesterday. Ha. Ha. Ha. 

Skin tone? See previous note. Sorry. I just couldn't resist. Eye color and skin tones do make a difference on what colors look great on you. Your biggest hint is the color you get compliments in.

Rule #1: Look through your closet. Hold items of different colors against your throat in a well lit room. Does black wash you out and make you almost disappear? Or look too harsh? Does yellow make you look ready for Shady Rest Nursing Home or cemetary? Does blue add depth to your eyes? How about red or pink bringing a healthy pink to your cheeks?

If pastels look divine against your hair, skin and eyes? By all means dress like a princess. Sparkles and pinks and lavenders and glittery mint and baby blue. Princess Divine.

Perchance you are the Madame of brights and bolds and look glorious in colors like lime, turquoise and flamingo. These are the staples of Florida. And with the Florida tan chances are you look stunning in these colors. This is the grown up sister to the pastel club. Add sequins and rock this palette, Madame! 

If you are more hippie in nature, dress to hide among the weeds in grays, beiges and browns. Fern rocks these colors. Make sure the fabrics are things like cotton, linen and hemp. We will call this category the Duchesses of Drab, or Earth if you must. When Fern is out of the bungalow, I can snap a photo of her closet and share it with you all, clothing lined up like boring little soldiers, not a hint of glitter anywhere. Her most poppy piece is the golden rain jacket I insisted she get. She does look pretty in that one.

Finally, do you have a very pale complexion and vivid blue eyes with dark, dark or shot through with silver hair? Well, then, dear, you are in the Divine Villain category of color. Queen of jewel tones should wear garnets, ruby, sapphire, emerald, and never, never, never be without cubic zirconia or crystals. Blood red, black, stark white, maroon. Embrace your inner daring diva. This style wears a single blood red ruby teardrop well. Or black leather. Leather and Florida are a tough sell, but you get the picture. Animal prints, anyone? Yes.

If you are lucky you can cross genres and find some in each category that you can pull off beautifully!

Get out there and be you, but a better version of you as you follow my advice. May you always shine with sequins and glow with uniqueness as you waft through life as the queen or princess you were meant to be. 

Decorative Quandary

I have a problem. You'll know what I mean if you keep reading. 

Conversation between me and Fern: 

Me: Fern, please let me make you an Easter bonnet?!?!?! Please. PLEASE!!!!!

Fern: Not if it was made of gold and diamond encrusted Benjamins, Zula. That means no!

Me: But you would look so beautiful in the elegant bonnet I have pictured in my mind. Please!

Fern:  Sigh. What about my first answer did you not understand, Zula? I am not Easter bonnet material. I do not want to parade around like a silly matron who thinks she looks good with a garden party on her head. 

Me: But, Fern, I almost died last year. This is my first Easter where I really feel like I can celebrate life fully after staring the Grim Reaper in the eye. I want you to celebrate with me. 

Fern: It was a flesh wound, Zula! You are going to annoy me every day with this request. Fine! If it will quiet you, make me a hat and if it's not ridiculous I'll wear it for 5 minutes. 

You see it?!? She gave her permission. She made a promise. 

But I don't know what to do to pull off a hat she won't hate. Should you need a visual. Mine is covered with red paper roses. I've been making them for 2 days and have broken a nail and burned my fingerprints off. I didn't just cover the hat with paper roses. Ooooh that's a goodie and oldie. Paper Roses. Hummm, hum, humity-hum. 

Anyhoo. I'm adding a ribbon/rose train. It is going to be magnificent. I've made a hundred roses and probably need to make a hundred more to make this the most epic Easter bonnet, ever!!! 

But what do I do for Fern?!? Part of me wants to make paper roses out of brown grocery bags but that's not going to fly. What she'd like would be as exciting as a paper plate and I just can't! 

Party! Party! Party!

The writers had a party! 

They served mocktails and little bites of deliciousness!!!! And the food items were my recipes. (Well, apparently one had to be tweaked a bit! But that's because they don't have my awesome bundt pan!) 

The writers held this party in a cute book shop in Minneapolis, and the shop was set up for partying like nobody's business. The store name is adorable...wait for it....ONCE UPON A CRIME!!! Isn't that CUTE???

When the writers walked in it looked like a book store full of racks and shelves of books. They had a moment where they wondered where would they put the bodacious spread they had prepared from MY RECIPES!?!?! And the mocktail table? And the book signing table? 

Oh those clever book store people! Racks on wheels. They just swooped in and turned the whole room into a book-lined PARTY ROOM!!!!! The writers even shared the Paradise Paragraphs newsletter with the CROWD. It was a huge CROWD. Here are some pictures. 

I'm going to be putting wheels on all my living and dining room furniture. Fern will be helping. Or maybe if I offer Salmon Roberto and Spicy Dicey Onion Rings Bobby-Boo will help. Darn. I may have to see if I can't rope in Detective Flynn. He's got a nice strong back and I am his favorite senior citizen of all time. 

But I just LOVE the wheeling idea. I could redecorate weekly. We can have dance parties after dinner. It's brilliant! BRILLIANT!  Oh, and here's another interview. I'm not sure I like what was said about me, but speaking of favorite senior citizens I think I loved that part.