RNIB Event Recap: Breaking Style Rules and Embracing Your Comfort Zone
Saturday at the RNIB event was an inspiring day of style and connection, with the StyleAble team buzzing from start to finish! Alongside Astra from Rouge Make-Up, we hosted ten one-on-one sessions with RNIB’s London forum members, sharing fashion and beauty tips tailored to their unique needs. The event was packed with lively conversation as blind and partially sighted attendees shared their own experiences, advice, and questions about shopping and personal styling with a visual impairment.
Style Without Rules
For many people, fashion advice comes wrapped in “rules”—cool tones here, warm tones there, specific shapes for specific bodies. But honestly? Style is about finding what makes you feel comfortable, confident, and authentically yourself. While we shared classic color tips, the day’s real takeaway was simple: wear what feels right, regardless of the rulebook.
Several attendees asked about color and undertones, and while guidelines can be useful, they’re just that—guidelines. Whether you’re drawn to deep ruby tones, soothing greens, or rich chocolate hues, try things on and see how they make you feel. Nearly any color can work with the right shade and intensity, but the best accessory is always confidence.
Finding Comfort in Self-Styling
Body shapes were another popular topic, but as always, the best style advice is to choose pieces that make *you* feel good. If you love the feel of a soft, flowing maxi dress, go for it. Prefer a wrap dress? Wrap yourself up! Dressing for your body type can certainly help, but feeling comfortable in what you wear is what truly makes you shine.
Listening to the stories and tips shared by those who navigate style and shopping with visual impairments was a powerful reminder that fashion is less about strict rules and more about personal empowerment. So next time you’re shopping, forget the dos and don’ts—just find what makes you feel amazing, and let that be your guide.
We were booked by RNIB to give image and style advice to their London forum members, and the team, including Astra from Rouge Make-Up, manned a StyleAble stand and gave make up and fashion advice in 10 one-to-one sessions throughout the day.
Some rules are made to be broken
Questions around colours and shapes sometimes threw me off as I don’t always remember the rules. But this might also be because I don’t really believe in them. All the stuff about cool and warm undertones and colour matching is fine, but no-one really thinks about that when out shopping. I like to get people to try clothes on, regardless of ‘the rules’. The truth is that there are no good or bad colours. You can wear almost any colour if you learn to choose the right shade and intensity that will enhance your skin tone.
In preparation for the event, I did a bit of research and this is what I found. Maybe you will find it useful…
Cool undertones
People with a pink or rosy look to their skin look best in blue-based colours. Opt for raspberry, emerald green, royal blue, plums or pure black. An aqua blue green from the very light pastel shades would also suit these tones. A pure white or soft white looks great, as well as lemon yellows and rich colours like ruby and sapphire.
Warm understones
Yellow based colours work best on people with golden or apricot undertones. Mochas, bronze, sage greens, peach, apricot, yellow and apple greens should also suit. Reds – dark tomato and burnt orange are other great colour choices. Earth greens like olive and moss will create a soft natural look and fresh lime, grass or celery greens will bring out the skin tone. Ivory, camel and bright navy can be used for a sophisticated look.
Body shapes
Pear shapes are best with maxi lengths; top heavy’s work well with wrap dresses – especially ruche waists. Boyish figures are great for bodycons and would do well with belted dresses; this can bring in the waist and give more of a curvy look. Curvy girls, (like me)… draw in the waist, draw in the waist, draw in that gosh darn waist!
