[START HERE] Welcome to The Style Lab
🧪 Entry #01: Color & the most underrated style tool.
Welcome to the new you.
Okay, maybe not yet. But she’s in there, I promise! And we’re going to find her 🥰
🧠 The 12 Competencies of Personal Style
Through working with hundreds of clients and slowly but surely developing my own personal style, I’ve discovered that there are twelve essential concepts that form the backbone of every successful wardrobe.
color type
wardrobe editing
fit + measurements
silhouette + proportion
color story
texture
multidimensional style
conflict + balance
full outfits
These aren’t rules. They’re the foundational skills that make getting dressed easier, more intuitive, and more you.
Let’s start with color.
🎨 Why Color is Important
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll probably know that color type, body type, and core style form the cornerstone of every successful capsule wardrobe.
Knowing your color type will help you understand why you enjoy wearing certain colors and why others may not work for you. And if you want to wear colors that don’t fall within your color type, understanding how to prioritize your color characteristics will allow you to do so intentionally and with confidence.
But before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s start with the most underrated style tool: awareness.
🗝️ Behind the Paywall [UNLOCKED]
This first entry is fully unlocked so you can see what’s normally behind the paywall. If you like what you see, come join us. ✨
An exercise to deepen your awareness of color
A peek into the colors that I’ve worn recently and what I thought about them
Access to the private thread—I’ll be hanging out and replying
You'll always receive the core lesson content as a free subscriber. Want the exercises, bonus tools, and community access? Become a paid subscriber to get the full experience, or move on to the next free lesson.
Exercise 1-1: Your Color Journal
Create a note on your phone and title it Color Journal.
Every day for the next week, add an entry for the main color that you are wearing near your face. Once you are fully dressed for the day, note down how you feel in that color. It can be one word, an emoji, or an entire journal entry.
For the next week, track:
The main color near your face
How you feel in that color: mood, energy, confidence
How your mood or comfort level shifts in different settings throughout your day
Your Color Journal will start to prime your brain to think more critically about color in your wardrobe. Once you’ve completed this exercise, move on to Color Type: Lesson 2.
💬 Discussion Prompt
In the meantime, share your Color Journal notes in the comments:
What color shows up most for you?
Which ones feel the best, or the worst?
Are there colors you’ve been wearing out of habit rather than love?
I’ll be checking in on the discussion thread, and I can’t wait to hear your reflections!
With Love,
Alyssa Rudman
Black definitely comes up most often, but I don't think it's actually my best color (even though I'm a Winter). I look better in dark grays. Does this make sense, or could I be wrong that I'm a Winter type?
Black, navy and white make up about 80% of my closet and are what I wear the most. I like (dark) greens against my skin and some of the worst are the warm pink. I love pastel blues, but I have a few shirts in unflattering shades that I just can’t do away with because they are comfortable. I suspect I’m some kind of winter type, but not sure which one yet.