what color yarn for red heads?

[perigrine]

Hi folks,

 

Not sure if this is the right place for this question, but here goes.

 

I have an order for a poncho to be made for a 2yo girl, but she has red hair. I have bright tropical colors (hot pink, lime green, aqua, bright yellow and orange) to make it with, but I don't know which color I should start with. I'm thinking the blue or green rather than the pink.

 

Maybe none of those colors at all? My sister (friend of the 2yos mum) is partial to fuchia pink and dark purple for the little girl. (personally I wouldn't want to use these colors as I made one for my niece in red and royal purple recently)

 

Opinions? thoughts? suggestions?

[alibra]

My sister-in-law is a red head and she will where just about any color with the exception of red or orange..I hope that helps you.

[Tampa Doll]

Me personally, I wouldn't use the pink or orange. I think red heads looks best in greens and blues.

[CrochetKitten]

I agree! I have a red-headed friend that is all about the greens because it really makes her hair pop.

 

...But I think young little redheads can pull off pink, too. Check out Strawberry Shortcake.

[windyknollfarm]

My nine month old daughter has red hair and I avoid yellows and oranges. I absolutely love her in blues, greens, and lavendars! Hope that helps

[Lisaizme]

Molly Ringwald looks pretty in pink. >groan<

[yarn_monkey]

My grandma is a redhead and she refuses to wear pink, but she loves blues and greens. The red-based colors (reds, obviously, oranges, etc.) she says don't go with red hair, so she sticks with the blues. Hope that helps at least a little!

[threadlover]

My granddaughter is a redhead and she wears just about every color. I don't thin she looks bad in any of them.

Marcia

[stitchgirl]

Personally, I love redheads in pink. When Nicole Kidman had red hair she looked great in pink. Just my opinion.

[NanaM3]

Well, since red, yellow and blue are the 3 basic colors ... I would use the yellow and blue variants as the primary colors and the red variants just for occasional snap. If it's a granny square, you could use the pinks in the centers.

 

But from experience I also know that children, with their bright skin tones and vibrant eye colors, tend to wear any color well

 

so ... I bet whichever way you design the colors it'll be perfect

 

let us see a pix when you're done?

[Paper Bag Princess]

If she's anything like my little girl, the only color she wants to wear is pink!

 

I think aqua and green, with a few thin hot pink stripes for accent, would work.

[Debbi-a1]

The basic belief is that red heads look great in green (hence why all my grade school photos I'm wearing green and avoided it for years after). And that is true, especially with green eyes, because red and green are opposite colors.

However, red heads actually can wear any color. Although like said above, orange and yellows are hard to pull off, but doable. And it also depends on skin tone too, I have a pinkish tink, my red head friend doesn't. So I don't wear many pinks (no pink makeup of course), but still do wear it sometimes or if it's a softer pink.

Debbi

[Ellie 13]

Is it possible to let the child choose? Just put out all the colors and see which ones she grabs first. If i'ts to be a surprise, see her and what colors she looks good in.

Ellie 13

[Empress Busy Bee]

She's two and she like's pink. I'd go with the hot pink.

 

[snugsmontreal]

personally, as a previously natural red head, they look great in aqua, darker greens, lime greens, deeper purple.... all those rich saturated colors really make the hair and eyes (blue i will assume) just pop!

[renegade]

I'm a red head, and I love oranges and greens and blues. But no pink for sure! It all depends on the color you're using, because I don't look good in paler, more pastel colors, but I look great in bolder colors.

 

Part of it has to do with skin tone. My skin has more of the sallow (yellow) in it, which is why I look great in oranges and reds. But those redheads whose skin is more reddish blue might not do as well with those colors. I also have blue eyes, and folks say they like to see me in blue, but I don't wear it as much (unless it has a lot of green in the blue) because of my skin tone. And I do wear a lot of greens.

[Tracey4610]

Hmmm...I suggest autumn-type colors for any red-head. If you know what this lucky little girl looks like, check out her skin tone. If her skin is sallow (an olive color, with yellow in it), avoid the yellows or colors which have a lot of yellow in it. Perhaps an orange with a brownish tint, deeper lavenders, that kind of thing. And yes, I believe a red-head can wear pink. Just think of the pinks that are typically ignored in autumn leaves or apples...The shades of pink in apples and leaves are the shades most red-heads can pull off quite well.

 

Ooh! I just had an epiphany, and please tell me if my line of thinking is bad...You know how certain colors are "assigned" to various seasons? I take it a step further, and add time periods of the day, where the type of light available at the time of day is added to the seasonal colors. Twilight has a lot of muted colors, with pastels and grays. Dawn/morning has more neutrals, with yellows and pinks added to colors. Afternoons have bright, bold colors, and evenings add more browns to the shading. Nighttime brings out more black added, or even blues to the colors. Is any of this making sense? (I hate it when I have an epiphany and can't explain it well...I just really enjoy color, experimenting and working with it.)

 

Maybe you can try a color wheel...You can pick one up rather inexpensively at your LYS, and if you see the little girl, maybe hold it up to her skin to see what color-types are more pleasing to the eye. If not, ask the lady who commissioned you to pick the colors, especially if it's to be a surprise.

 

Renegade: I don't have red hair, but I do have yellower/olive skin. Deeper bolder blues, I am imagining, would look lovely on you! My dh has blue eyes and ruddy skin, and I love certain shades of blue on him because they really deepen his eye color and makes his eyes "pop".

[Granny Square]

Tracey4610, funny you should mention seasons. Don't know how old y'all are to remember back in the '80's when "having your colors done" was popular. The idea is there are two skin tones, warm (yellow undertone [autumn or spring colors]) and cool (blue undertone [summer or winter]). Redheads are USUALLY springs or autumns, and are supposed to look good in peach or coral not blue-ish pinks, teal, pea or lime green but not royal blue or emerald, etc.

 

FYI here is a link where you can see what I mean (although they are trying to sell you books and cosmetics

http://www.colormebeautiful.com/

[crochet_hen]

we are all redheads here and any green definitely compliments red hair!

[RachelG]

There's a redhead in the family and she looks great in green. And blue. And purple.

 

According to the Anne books (and that would be Anne-with-an-e) a redhead can't wear pink. I don't agree, but I think green looks better.

[Debbi-a1]

Royal blue looks good on me. I get compliments when I wear it, so I had to make a sweater out of it. And of course any green with my green/blue eyes (mostly green but can look more blue in any blue). Although I limit bright or lime green for personal choice.

[perigrine]

Thanks for all your input!

 

 

I decided to go with the green to start with, but only because I am making the poncho with this pattern and I plan for the neck to be blue. So it will be blue, green yellow, orange, pink and a row or two of blue again (depending on how long it is). Her mom dresses her in bold colors, and I have seen a picture of her in hot pink.

 

They live in Darwin where its tropical, so bright, bold colors will look good. Pictures might be a bit harder, but I think my sister will take one for me and email it. Those colors on a Tasmanian winters day just won't work.

 

Thanks again for the replies, they have been very helpful.

[angieInCA]

I'm a redhead (well dark auburn now but it was brighter when I was younger). There is not much I can't wear but I try to avoid red and yellow. I can do orange if it;s a melon color or very dark brick but not pumpkin orange.

 

My best colors are pink and mint green. Pink actually compliments redheads well especially if they have fair skin tones.

[beth eathorne]

i am a redhead and ladies my very favorite color is, you guessed it red. I have a red shirt today. Drives my husband nuts because i always reach for the red first. come from a long line of red loving redheads. I think personally you can wear any color just about if you have the right shade.

[iamnichole]

Molly Ringwald looks pretty in pink. >groan<

 

bwahahahaha! hilarious!

 

i would go with dark green or dark purple.

i'm strawberry blonde, so i dont think it counts for me, but i wear lots of pink (once upon a time i had pink hair too!). the only thing i will NEVER wear is orange. i think the only people that look good in orange are brazillians. lol.