Important notice

Please note that from 5th November we will only be publishing our blog on the Kettlewell Colours website (link in navigation above). Do come and join us over there if you'd like to continue reading our weekly posts.

How to start wearing colour

Wearing colour has the power to make you feel like the very best version of you. But here at Kettlewell we know that it can be more than a little overwhelming working out where to begin with adding colour to your wardrobe and your life. We have one very simple rule for getting started with...

Colour theme of the month – it’s time to sparkle!

Bright Blue and Shocking Pink Star Print Roll Neck | Citronella Merino Beanie | Gold Classic Metallic Belt Here in the UK, we celebrate Bonfire Night on November 5th with fireworks, bonfires and sparklers. We're hoping to add a little magic back into the month by channelling the 'ooh' and 'aah' of those first, magical and colourful childhood fireworks displays....

Meet the team: Rebecca, Head of Customer Services

From answering sizing queries to advising on the best shades to pair together, Rebecca Bennett is the person at the end of the phone here at Kettlewell HQ, helping to make our customers’ colour wishes come true (or at least having a very good try!). Read on to find out more about her typical day...

How do I discover my best colours?

Sea Green Roxy Shirt Jacket | Smokey Leopard Ava Leopard Dress | Silver Mega Love Necklace Wearing colour has the power to make you feel like the most confident, powerful, upbeat and stylish version of yourself. But wearing the wrong colours - ones that wash you out or feel too overwhelmingly bright - can do exactly the opposite, leaving you...

The prints – story and styling

We love a good colourful basic here at Kettlewell, but we also recognise the challenges of finding prints in your seasonal palette, without a load of random 'wrong' colours thrown in. Which is why we create a capsule print collection each season, with colours chosen to carefully chosen to sit within the seasonal palettes and...

Colour of the month – Purple

October is the month of magic and mystery, and what better colour to celebrate than the colour of spells and sorcery, Purple? A mixture of Red and Blue, Purple is a secondary colour, which means the balance of the two primary colours (and the addition of any black, grey or white) can shift it dramatically. Which...

Colour conversation with Suki Day – teacher

To celebrate our Colour of the Month, Harvest, Melissa joins her long-time friend Suki Day on a colourful tour of her West Dorset veg patch. A primary school teacher and owner of two stylish Airbnb properties, Suki’s bountiful garden is bursting with colour at this time of year, from bright orange pumpkins and rainbow chard...

Kettlewell in the USA

John & Melissa on the roof of the Rockefeller Centre It’s been a month since John and I returned from our eight-day trip to the States but it’s only now that I’ve come back down to earth. What an exciting, inspiring and, most importantly, colourful trip that was. From the moment we touched down at...

Jo’s picks from the new collection

It's new season launch time! I'm so excited about this new collection - from print co-ords to the perfect ponte (supportive without being too stiff or too clingy), and from structured, tailored lines to glorious drape and swish, it's a feast of colour and style just waiting for you to join in! So without further...

Colour theme of the month – Harvest

Supersoft Top in Aubergine | Pauline Trousers in Acorn (coming soon) It's September, and here in the UK, as every primary-aged child knows, it's the month inextricably linked with harvest time. Whether it's crops in the field, a bouquet of late summer blooms, or a basket of rich, deep coloured berries, autumn feels like a...

Meet the operations team

From picking and packing and dispatch to reprocessing and returns, we talk to our unsung heroes here at Kettlewell – the team that makes sure those little (and not so little!) turquoise bags of joy are sent out swiftly, efficiently and in perfect condition to the four corners of the colour world… Jamie wearing a...

Your BFF lipstick!

We understand the power of a good lipstick at Kettlewell. It can be every bit as reliable, uplifting and confidence boosting as a best friend, which is why we want to share our ultimate BFF (best friend forever) lipsticks with you! The key to the perfect lipstick is to stick with colours that flatter you,...

Colour conversation with marine biologist, Owen Day

What better way to usher in our new Colour of the Month, Ocean Blue, than with a Colour Conversation between Melissa and her long-time friend, marine biologist Owen Day. Owen has spent the past 20 years developing programmes in marine research, education and conservation in the Caribbean, and more recently his work has focused on...

Colour of the month – Ocean Blues

At Kettlewell HQ we've been chatting about the power of colour an awful lot recently, and although we talk a lot about the personal impact it's had on each of us, we also decided we wanted to help make a bigger impact on the world with colour. Which is why this August we're linking our...

Do your colours clash with your style?

If you've had a colour analysis, or are familiar with the four seasonal palettes, you've probably noticed that each of the four seasonal palettes has a mood of its own. Spring is naturally fresh, lively, and energetic, Summer feels gentle, effortless and calm, Autumn is outdoorsy, adventurous and practical, while Winter is sleek, fashionable and...

Wear it now, wear it later – sale edition!

Stylist Lisa Whiteside is wearing an Acid Yellow Retro Print Mock Turtle with a Lobelia Short Tie Wrap Sale shopping can be a minefield - so many bargains, but who wants to buy something in the summer sale only to leave it sat in their wardrobe until the warm weather rolls around again next year?...

Colour conversation with Claire Bannister, MD House of Colour

For this week’s Colour Conversation, we talk to Claire Bannister, the new MD of House of Colour, who we recently welcomed to Kettlewell HQ to talk all things colour with Melissa and the team. Here, she shares her experience of leaving the monochrome world of City finance behind and taking up her dream job in...

Cocktail colours! – Colour of the month #COTM

Short Tie Wrap in Burnt Orange Remember when summer very firmly arrived a few weeks ago in the most tropical fashion? While the weather has been more changeable since then, we're fully embracing the idea of a holiday summer here at Kettlewell. And is there anything more I'm-on-holiday-feeling than an over the top, bold, bright and...

Summertime combinations for everyone!

Whether you use the meteorological date or the solstice, summer has very definitely arrived, and we're here to celebrate this season of picnics, wildflowers, sandy toes and sunshine through the power of colour! Although summertime tends to be associated with light, fresh, even tropical colours, we think it's possible to celebrate the sun regardless of...

Holiday packing for every palette

Michelle wears a Tutti Frutti Multi Stripe V and a Gold Classic Metallic Belt with her own shorts Travel is once again broadly manageable (fingers crossed, four leaf clovers hunted down, horseshoes turned the appropriate way up), which means we at Kettlewell are starting to get excited about holiday packing! Despite being a capsule wardrobe-a-holic, I actually always...

Hues for him

It’s a little-known fact that while Kettlewell has always been about me wanting to find my Spring colours, it was actually John who planted the seed for the business, way back when he had his colours done on his 18th birthday. He had requested it for his birthday present having seen how colour analysis had...

Red, White and Blue for every season!

Breton Stripe Boat Neck in Watermelon and Soft White Classic Metallic Belt in Gold In honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, we thought we'd celebrate that most patriotic of colour combinations and show you how to do your version of Red, White and Blue. A colour combination inspired by the Union Jack (my children would interject here...

Colour of the month – think Pink!

Sophie (Spring) wears Flamingo Pink Cara V Neck, Emma (Summer) wears an Orchid Sleeveless V  Lulu (Autumn) wears a Sultry Rosewood Becca Sweater and Yasmin (Winter) wears a Fuchsia Semi Scoop 3/4 Sleeve As spring blends into summer, the roses begin to come out in full force, and the weather might just give us the odd tropical feeling day, it's time...

Colour Conversation with Clare Foster, Garden Editor

With Chelsea Flower Show just around the corner – and gardens everywhere exploding into a riot of Spring colour – what better time for a Colour Conversation with Clare Foster, Garden Editor of House & Garden magazine and owner of the website for stylish gardeners, Bud to Seed. Passionate about colour, from lime greens and...

My perfect summer dresses

It’s only taken 18 years but I’ve finally had an item of Kettlewell named after me! The Melissa Maxi Dress in 100% cotton has just arrived in stock and it’s quite simply my favourite piece from the Summer collection – comfortable, stylish, easy to wear, super versatile and available in six gorgeous colours, Hot Pink,...

Complete your look – accessories and more!

When we show you colours here at Kettlewell, or talk about putting outfits together, we usually focus on the core parts of your outfit - the garments - because that's our speciality! However, it's important to remember that it's not just garments that make up your look. Everything from shoes to earrings to handbag adds...

Colour theme of the month – your favourite bouquet!

Emma wears the T Shirt Dress in Pansy After the success of March's Dopamine Dressing, we wanted to give you another chance to flex your creativity and colour combining skills with May's Colour Theme of the Month. So instead of dictating a single colour, we want you to take inspiration from your favourite flowers for this month's...

Dress your body shape

Wearing your best colours has a massive impact on feeling more confident in your clothes, but so does knowing your personal style, and dressing you, not an idealised magazine image. Knowing your body shape is a part of your personal style and can help you understand the shape, length and style of clothes that will...

When Melissa met the winners

If you’ve seen the new Zine which has been going out with orders recently, you will have spotted four very vibrant ladies from our Facebook Colour Club on the cover – Meryl, Clare, Latha and Marieke, who were the winners of our competition to spend a day at Kettlewell HQ and model our SS22 collection....

Meet the team – Hannah, graphic designer

From the website to newsletters, catalogues to colour combinations – and not forgetting our recent Zine – our talented in-house graphic designer Hannah has been putting her creative stamp on the Kettlewell brand since 2014… Can you tell us a little about yourself – your artistic training and background, and how you came to join...

Colour of the month – Fresh Green

There's no denying it! Spring is here and we are loving all things new growth, vibrancy and positivity here at Kettlewell. And could there be a colour that signifies this time of year more than the vibrant green of new shoots, tulip stems and new grass growth (just don't mention that the lawn's going to...

The seasonal sub-types – which are your best colours?

If you’ve had a seasonal colour analysis, you will have been given a seasonal designation; Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. (If you have been analysed in a tonal system and want a quick translation to a seasonal sub-type, this blog post will help you translate your tonal directions into a seasonal palette). Once upon a...

Wear it two ways

We know that you love your Kettlewell, and we also know that sometimes when you really love a piece of clothing, it can be tricky to break the seal of actually wearing it for your everyday life, rather than saving it for 'best'. But if the challenges of the past couple of years have taught...

Pretty in Paisley

Sometimes a print goes from concept to production in a matter of months. Other times it takes, well, longer. Our beautiful Paisley print was first designed exclusively for us back in January 2020 by artist Vanessa Bowman. But, as with so many grand plans from that year, the development of the design was interrupted by...

Spring/Summer: The wardrobe heroes!

Cate Jacket in Cobalt Blue worn over an Apple Mimi Top As this post goes live, it's launch day for the new collection and we are so excited to share all of our new pieces with you! We know that when the new collection launches, the new prints and bold new colours are what really...

Colour theme of the month – dopamine dressing

Louella Dress in Poppy Paisley** | Rachel Jacket in Leaf ** | Cashmere Gauze Stole in Dutch Blue It's spring! Officially, at least, even if the weather of the past few weeks has felt rather like it was trying to postpone the inevitable. So we think it's time to bring on the joy and exuberance...

Blue and Green should definitely be seen

Rachel Jacket in Seaspray worn over a Molly Square Neck in Cobalt Blue We've approached this week's post from a tonal perspective - translation to seasonal palettes has been provided under each outfit, but we hope those of you who use a tonal system will enjoy this change from our usual approach! It's one of those style rule...

Does my hair dye change my palette?

Ditching the dye has become more popular since many of us had no choice but to embrace our natural hair colour over lockdown, but reports suggest that at least 50% of women are still dyeing their hair on a regular basis. Which means that the question of hair colour vs seasonal palette still very much...

Diary of a photoshoot

Michelle and Jacques in action... If you follow us on Instagram, you might have spotted a few behind-the-scenes photos from our shoot in Cape Town recently for our high-summer catalogue. Having cancelled last year’s photo shoot due to Covid, this January I was determined to make it happen, despite our busy work schedule meaning we...

Colour theme of the month – sunrise

The days are getting longer, the nights are slowly shrinking back away, and it is the time of year for the most glorious pink, orange and violet sunrises. This month, rather than choose a single colour, we thought we'd celebrate nature's beauty at this time of year and ask you to celebrate all things sunrise...

Five colour pops to beat the winter blues

Blue Monday (allegedly the most depressing day of the year) has been and gone, and we're ready to beat any lingering winter blues with colour pops! Here at Kettlewell we know how powerful colour can be. So much more powerful than simply making you look good, wearing the bold, bright and beautiful colours that harmonise...

Styling the sale

Supersoft V Neck in Light Grey Marl (was £59 now £41.30) worn with Navy Cropped Ponte Trousers and Azalea Pink Merino Beanie and Infinity Scarf Unlike many online retailers, at Kettlewell we don't base our business model on constant sales and discounts. But a couple of times a year we do like to clear our...

Colour Conversation with Cheray Gant – ‘living life colourfully in Texas’

Let’s start the new year as we mean to go on – with a Colour Conversation with the fabulously colourful and uplifting Cheray Gant from Texas. Cheray’s imaginative Spring colour combinations in our Facebook group, the Kettlewell Colour Club, have been a constant source of delight and inspiration for many. We couldn’t wait to hear more...

Colour of the month #COTM

Welcome, Colour of the Year 2022! This annual post, sharing and discussing the new Pantone® Colour of the Year, has become one of my favourite ways to mark the beginning of the new year, and another 365 days of colour. This year I think Pantone® have really hit the zeitgeist on the head, with the...

Melissa’s Christmas Message

I’m ringing the changes this year. Instead of looking back over the year that’s passed – the highs, the lows and everything between –  I’m looking forward to a new year full of hope, potential and colour-charged positivity (I feel a range of Kettlewell rose-tinted glasses coming on!). After all, we’ve got plenty to feel...

The Colour of Friendship

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is only a matter of days away now and that we’ll soon be ushering in a new year of colour. For me, what stands out the most from 2021 is the wonderful friendships that have been forged through our Facebook Colour Club – the kind words, the supportive messages,...

Comfortable and cosy at Christmas!

Maena wears a Studio sweatshirt in Tango Red While Christmas is the time of dressing up to the nines, it is also a time of rest, relaxation and hopefully a good few days spent cosy at home! So this week, as a follow up to last week's Dress Up In Colour post, we've put together...

Dress up in colour this Christmas!

The festive season is fast approaching! And as we head into it with uncertainty over how much time we might be able to spend with friends and family, there has never been a better time to harness the power of colour to brighten your mood and help you look and feel your best. So we've...

Colour of the month – Red

Red has become our traditional December Colour Of The Month, having been so every year since we introduced these monthly themes, and 2021 is no exception! Red is a gorgeous, vibrant, festive, celebratory colour, encompassing every shade from coolest Claret and Carmine to warmest Rust and Geranium. And the best bit is that even if...