The Altivra Style Guide
What should I wear? What can I wear to a wedding? How can I style this piece?
These are questions we’ve all asked ourselves at some point. And when we can’t find an answer, deciding what to wear can become genuinely frustrating. Even worse, when we end up wearing something that doesn’t quite feel right or that doesn’t make us feel as well-dressed as we would like, that insecurity can stay with us throughout the day.That’s why this guide brings together some of the principles that can help you dress with greater intention. From understanding a dress code and knowing how to dress for different occasions, to choosing colors that complement your skin tone and finding garments and cuts that flatter your silhouette.As you move through the guide, you’ll find practical tools that you can apply to your own way of dressing and adapt to your personal style, your body, and every occasion.I hope you enjoy this guide and find it to be a useful reference you can return to whenever you need a little inspiration or clarity when deciding what to wear.
Let’s begin.
Dress Code
A dress code is your first clue about what to wear to an event. It gives you an idea of how formal the occasion will be and helps you understand the level of dress expected before you start choosing the details of your look.Once you understand it, the rest of the look becomes a matter of personal choice — the colors, fabrics, silhouettes, and details that reflect your style while fitting naturally into the occasion.
Casual
The most relaxed level, though relaxed doesn’t mean careless. A well-cut pair of jeans, a light dress, or a flowing top, paired with one well-chosen accessory, makes all the difference between “comfortable” and “unfinished.”
Smart Casual
This is where most women hesitate, because it’s neither fully relaxed nor party-ready. Think tailored trousers with a flowing blouse, or a midi dress with low sandals — comfortable pieces, but with a more polished finish than casual.
Cocktail
Raises the sophistication without reaching the formality of a gala. A midi dress remains the safest choice, and here you can bring in satin, lace, or crepe, a more defined neckline, and jewelry with a bit more presence.
Formal
Calls for a look noticeably more elevated than everyday dressing. Midi or maxi dresses in richer fabrics, refined jumpsuits, or a well-considered tailored set — the point is that the entire look feels elevated, not just the main piece.
Black Tie
One of the highest levels of formality, almost always reserved for evening. A floor-length gown is the classic choice, in fabrics like satin, velvet, or tulle, paired with jewelry and a bag that match the occasion.
White Tie
Even more formal than black tie, and in practice you’ll rarely need it — reserved for the most formal ceremonies. Worth knowing simply to place it on the full scale:
Casual → Smart Casual → Cocktail → Formal → Black Tie → White Tie
How to Dress for the Occasion
Choosing the right garment requires understanding what is appropriate for each occasion. Here, you’ll find the color palettes and fabrics that work best, the most suitable silhouettes, and the details that can complete your look.
Wedding Guest
Wedding Guest
Being invited to a wedding is an honor — you’re joining one of the most important moments in the couple’s life. Dressing well for that occasion is also a way of honoring that.
Before choosing your dress, check the invitation for three things: is it day or evening, where is it taking place, and does it mention a dress code? The season of the year also tends to shape which colors and fabrics work best. With that, you already have 80% of the decision made.
If it’s during the day, go for lighter fabrics — chiffon, crepe, linen — in soft colors: blush, powder blue, lavender, sage. If it’s in the evening, switch to fabrics with more weight, like satin or velvet, in deeper colors: emerald, burgundy, navy, plum.
There’s one color you always avoid, no exceptions: white, ivory, or any shade very close to white. That color belongs to the bride, even if your dress looks nothing like hers.
The setting also shapes the outfit. If the wedding is in a garden or on the beach, lighter, breathable fabrics — linen, cotton, chiffon — work better than structured ones, and a wedge or block heel is better than a thin stiletto. If it’s in the countryside, a more romantic or boho style — floral prints, flowing fabrics — tends to suit the setting better than something too formal. And if the ceremony is religious, keep in mind that covered shoulders and a modest neckline are often expected — a shawl or wrap you can add just for the ceremony solves that easily.
As for silhouette, a midi or maxi dress in a fabric with good drape works for almost any wedding. And for accessories, there’s a simple trick: if the dress already has presence on its own (lace, shine, detail), keep jewelry and the bag understated; if the dress is simpler, that’s where you can play with a statement bag or bolder jewelry.
Our guest collection was designed with exactly this in mind: elegant pieces for every kind of wedding, whether it’s outdoors, in a ballroom, or under the afternoon sun.Explore our guest collection and find the perfect dress to celebrate the couple on their big day.
Formal Events
Formal Events
This is an elegance that adapts to your day, with a polished and sophisticated feel. It is the level of elegance you’ll most often find in everyday life: important meetings, social gatherings, and celebrations where you’re expected to look polished and well put together.
During the day, neutrals and earth tones — beige, camel, off-white, and navy — work beautifully. Burgundy, emerald green, cobalt blue, and dusty rose can also work well, depending on the occasion. Look for fabrics with some structure without feeling too heavy, such as crepe or structured cotton with an elegant finish.
At night, you can opt for deeper colors — wine, bottle green, emerald, plum, and black — and fabrics with more texture, a subtle sheen, or a richer appearance. Embellishment and shimmer can work beautifully here as well, as long as they remain proportional to the occasion and don’t dominate the entire look. The idea is for the shine to act as an accent rather than become the main focus of the dress.
Shoes and bags play an important role in a simple outfit: a well-chosen heel and a structured bag can transform a look. For jewelry, choose pieces that match the level of formality of the occasion; delicate earrings or a simple necklace can complete the look without taking attention away from the clothing. Hair can be kept polished and well groomed, while clean, well-balanced makeup helps maintain an elegant daytime appearance.
Explore our collections and find the piece that best suits your occasion and your style.
Color Theory
Color theory explores how the colors of your skin, hair, and eyes relate to one another, and which tones make that combination look its best. Everyone has their own color profile, which is why the same shade can brighten one face and completely dull another.
The right colors can make your skin look more luminous, bring out your features, and make your clothing choices feel more natural and well suited to you.
Your Skin Tone
Your Undertone:
Undertone is the foundation of everything — the tone underneath your surface color that stays the same whether you tan, wear makeup, or the light changes. It falls into three groups:
Warm: skin with golden or yellowish pigments, which tends to tan easily.
Cool: skin with pink or bluish pigments, which tends to tan less easily.
Neutral: a real mix of both — not clearly warm or cool. It usually tans well, but can also burn without care. It’s sometimes called an olive undertone.
One important clarification before moving on: being cool doesn’t mean red is off-limits for you, and being warm doesn’t mean you should avoid blue — what changes is the exact shade of that color. A green with more yellow in it is warm; the same green with more blue is cool. Undertone doesn’t remove colors from your closet, it just tells you which version of each one flatters you most.
How to identify your undertone
Your veins (look at the inside of your wrist, in natural light):
blue or purple → cool.
Blue-green → neutral.
Olive or greenish → warm.
Jewelry: put on something white and try gold and silver accessories. If gold flatters you more, you’re warm. If silver flatters you more, you’re cool. If both look equally good, you’re neutral.
The sun: if you tan to a golden shade, you’re warm. If you turn red, you’re cool. If you redden first and then tan, you’re neutral.
A fourth trick, standing by natural light with no makeup on: try on a green top and then a blue one, and see which one better hides redness, dark circles, and fine lines. If it’s the green, you’re warm; if it’s the blue, you’re cool; if both work, you’re neutral.
Note: these clues give you a first impression, but none on its own is a definitive test. Use them together — the more they agree with each other, the more confident you can be in your result.
Your Contrast
Compare your skin tone to your hair color: if they’re similar to each other (light skin + blonde hair, or deep skin + brown hair), your contrast is low. If they’re very different from each other (light skin + black hair, for example), your contrast is high.
Applied Example
Light warm-brown skin, dark eyes, black hair.
Undertone: olive-toned veins, gold flatters her more than silver → warm.
Contrast: her skin is warm-medium in tone, and her hair is very dark — there’s noticeable distance between the two → high contrast.
Result: warm + high contrast → Autumn family.
Your family, based on undertone and contrast:
Warm + low contrast → Spring
Warm + high contrast → Autumn* Cool + low contrast → Summer
Cool + high contrast → Winter
If your undertone is neutral, notice which side — warm or cool — you lean toward slightly more, and use that lean together with your contrast to place your family.
Once you’ve placed your family, the final step is identifying how muted or vivid your coloring reads. Each of the four families splits into three more specific seasons, and that natural brightness is exactly what places you in yours.
Your Season
Spring
General characteristics
Skin with a natural warm glow and a golden undertone. These women are flattered by soft, delicate, or pastel colors, always with a yellow base. This is the most delicate skin of the four seasons — it flushes easily and freckles are common.
Warm Spring
• Skin: ivory, peach, golden beige, golden brown
• Hair: blonde, honey blonde, caramel, champagne
• Eyes: blue, green, blue-green
• Tips: light to medium tones work best — pastel pink, green, yellow-green, khaki, camel, stone. These colors best support this warm, delicate coloring.
Light Spring
• Skin: fair and translucent, porcelain, ivory, light beige
• Hair: light brown, dark brown, dark blonde, brown with reddish highlights
• Eyes: blue, bright hazel, green, blue-violet
• Tips: aim for contrast among light colors — soft grays and primary tones work well here. Avoid very dark shades.
Light-Bright Spring
• Skin: ivory, porcelain
• Hair: red, strawberry blonde, copper, chestnut
• Eyes: blue, green, blue-green, turquoise
• Tips: warm colors with a golden undertone, light blue, and greens in various shades, always with a matte or pastel finish. Avoid black.
Summer
General characteristics
Nearly translucent skin with fine blue undertones. These women are flattered by pastel, soft, cool, blue-toned colors — shades reminiscent of the sea and sky. They’re often born with blonde or light brown hair, which darkens slightly with age.
Cool Summer
• Skin: soft pink, beige, yellowish pink, porcelain
• Hair: ash blonde, deep ash blonde or gray, dark brown
• Eyes: gray, blue-gray, blue-green • Tips: choose colors with blue, beige, and pink undertones.
Light Summer
• Skin: light ivory, soft beige, cool beige
• Hair: ash blonde, blonde-gray, gray
• Eyes: soft blue, blue-gray, gray
• Tips: avoid high-contrast combinations — similar tones work best together. Blue, gray, and pink are excellent for everyday wear. Avoid black.
Soft Summer
• Skin: ivory, beige
• Hair: ash blonde, dark blonde, medium brown, gray
• Eyes: green, blue-gray, soft hazel • Tips: combine bright, eye-catching colors with soft, pastel tones — for example mint, teal, pink, white, yellow.
Autumn
General characteristics
Autumn is the family of warm, earthy tones — never icy, never neon. All three subseasons share that warm base, but differ in two things: how deep their coloring runs (from light to dark) and how muted or vivid the colors that flatter them are.
Warm Autumn is the purest and most luminous of the three; Soft Autumn is the most muted; Deep Autumn is the darkest and most intense.
Warm Autumn
• Skin: peach, golden, copper
• Hair: golden blonde (darkens with age), blonde with reddish tones, brown with reddish or golden tones
• Eyes: brown, topaz, green with golden or brown flecks, olive green, turquoise
• Tips: coffee, brown, gold, red, orange, emerald, teal, terracotta.
Soft Autumn
• Skin: beige
• Hair: medium brown, brown, dark blonde
• Eyes: hazel, topaz, brown, gray-green
• Tips: muted, neutral colors — salmon, olive green, caramel. Avoid bright tones; always look for a matte finish.
Deep Autumn
• Skin: brown, bronze, golden olive, beige, ivory
• Hair: dark brown, chestnut, brown • Eyes: hazel, golden brown, dark brown
• Tips: deep, rich colors, paired with lighter tones — mahogany, mustard, teal, cream. Avoid pastel tones.
Winter
General characteristics
Porcelain-toned skin that needs bold, primary, cool colors to look its best — black, navy, pink, red, yellow, and white.
Cool Winter
• Skin: ivory, light olive, beige
• Hair: silver-gray, reddish brown, black
• Eyes: deep brown, gray-brown
• Tips: this is the most neutral of the three, so softer colors like fuchsia, blue, and red work well. Gray and charcoal make an excellent combination. Avoid black, brown, gold, and beige. For everyday wear: raspberry, gray, white, and blue. Silver jewelry is especially flattering on this tone.
Light Winter
• Skin: very fair, ivory, beige, light olive
• Hair: black, dark brown, reddish brown, silver
• Eyes: deep blue, violet, light hazel
• Tips: look for bold colors — intense and dark — to create dramatic yet natural contrast. For everyday wear: gray, black, and blue; if you have hazel eyes, brown also works well. Silver jewelry is an excellent choice.
Deep Winter
• Skin: dark brown, brown, olive, beige
• Hair: black, dark chestnut, deep chestnut
• Eyes: dark brown, hazel, olive
• Tips: look for strong, neutral tones — black works excellently here. For everyday wear: black, gray-green, and white. For evening: red, black, and purple. If your skin is deep, avoid cold grays, overly cool blacks, and dull browns that can wash out your natural tone.
Combining Colors
Knowing your season tells you which colors flatter you. But combining them well within one look is a separate skill, straight from color theory:
Analogous colors: colors sitting next to each other on the color wheel (e.g., blue and green, or red and orange). Combining them creates a harmonious, easy-to-wear look — ideal for everyday dressing, since they never compete with each other.
Complementary colors: colors opposite each other on the wheel (e.g., blue and orange, purple and yellow). Combining them creates contrast and presence — this works best as one strong color accent (a bag or a lip color) against an otherwise neutral look, rather than two complementary pieces in equal parts.
Triadic colors: three colors evenly spaced on the wheel (e.g., red, yellow, and blue). It’s the boldest combination and the hardest to balance — the key is letting one of the three dominate the look, with the other two appearing only in accessories or details, never all three in equal proportion.
The 60-30-10 Rule
How to make color work in an outfit
Color harmony also depends on how the colors are balanced within an outfit. A simple way to apply this is the 60-30-10 rule:
60% dominant color — the one that occupies most of the look (e.g., a navy dress).
30% secondary color — a shade that supports the dominant one without competing (e.g., nude shoes).
10% accent — the smallest presence, reserved for jewelry, a bag, or a single accessory (e.g., a burgundy bag).
With just three steps, you can build any outfit using this logic:
Choose your dominant color — the one that takes up the most visual space.
Add a supporting color — a shade that complements the dominant one without competing.
Finish with an accent — use accessories, shoes, or a bag to introduce a small point of contrast.
Understanding Your Silhouette
Every body has its own natural proportions between the shoulders, waist, and hips. Understanding yours can help you identify the cuts, necklines, and lines that best complement your figure in the garments you choose.
Hourglass
Shoulders and hips of similar width, with a defined waist between them. (reference silhouette here) What highlights your natural proportion: pieces that follow your waist without over-cinching it — a wrap dress, a belt at the right height, A-line cuts that don’t hide the shape you already have.
Pear
Hips wider than shoulders, defined waist. (reference silhouette here) What balances your proportion: necklines that visually widen the shoulders (boat neck, halter, off-shoulder), and skirts or pants with clean drape rather than extra volume at the hip.
Inverted Triangle
Shoulders wider than hips.
What favors your proportion: a well-proportioned V-neckline introduces a vertical line that stylizes the torso. Skirts or pants with some movement or texture at the bottom give visual presence to the hip and create balance with the upper body.
Rectangle
Shoulders, waist, and hips of similar width, without a strongly defined curve. (reference silhouette here) What creates proportion where you choose: a belt or a fitted waist cut creates that curve; pieces with detail at a single point (waist, neckline, or hip) add dimension to the outfit.
Oval
A softer, fuller midsection, with shoulders, legs, or other areas comparatively more defined.
What favors your proportion: pieces with vertical drape flowing from the bust — empire waist, column silhouette, or a straight dress without a defined waist — create an elongated, stylized line. V-necklines help lengthen the torso line, and fabrics with good drape let the piece move naturally with the body.
You now have a better understanding of how to choose what to wear for different occasions, how to interpret a dress code, which colors can complement your skin tone, and which garments and cuts can help create a more balanced silhouette.
Save this guide and come back to it whenever you have a special occasion, want to try a different combination, or simply need a little inspiration.
And if you ever have a special occasion and aren’t sure what to wear, you can contact us. We’ll be happy to guide you and help you find a look that suits both the occasion and your personal style.
And remember: the best choice will always be the one that makes you feel confident and comfortable with yourself.Thank you for sharing this space with Altivra Mode.