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No, this is not an article on ethnic dressing. When I hear the say Fashion Fiesta, I am referring to color, mixing and matching a variety of colors actually, that the average person just randomly grabbing something from their closet might not think to do, or are afraid to do.

Too often, when we try to coordinate colors, it is so easy to play it safe. How often have you reached into your dresser drawers or pulled an article of clothing off the hangar, only to quickly toss it aside because it is not what one might consider an exact match. If this is you, it is time to learn the rules of what many refer to as Fashion Fiesta.

First rule of Fashion Fiesta is not to think you need to dress looking like a rainbow or some multi colored serape.

Second rule of Fashion Fiesta is to grab some color that you might otherwise think is way too much for the outfit you have in mind, but to find it in something that will bring the color into your ensemble in moderation.

Third rule of Fashion Fiesta is to learn to recognize that spot of color I just talked about in Rule number two. We do not want you heading out the door looking like Francis the clown or some overzealous teenager on his or her first trip down fashion lane.

Fourth rule of Fashion Fiesta is to have some fun. I would like to know where it is written down in stone that dressing for everyday wear, be it for the office or the next PTA meeting, means you have to lose your innate sense of color and style. Getting dressed and shopping for what you wear should allow you to show your spirit to those around you. Believe it or not, by bringing some Fashion Fiesta into your wardrobe, you can show your coworkers that you are not some dodgy wallflower stuck in the corner, or the parent at the PTA meeting that leads such a boring life that the others can always ask you to do anything, because surely you have no life outside of kids.

Your personal Fashion Fiesta can start right now. Go and dig through your drawers and check all your hangars to discover your personal hidden treasures. Most everyone has them. That stunning teal blouse that you just had to have, but once you got it home, you were unsure of what to wear it with, or that bold, deep red tie that has slowly been pushed to the back of your selection. On the other hand, maybe those slightly overdone red heels that fit perfectly, feel smooth as a glove on the foot, but really, every time you go to pull them on, you think that maybe you should have just left them on the store shelf. Gather up these and similar items and take an honest to good look at them.

This is also the perfect time to look through your jewelry box and check out what you own in the form of tie clips, jewelry, scarves, and handbags too. If you are actually lacking in these areas, then maybe it is time to plan a shopping trip in search of a few items of color to help you create your personal Fashion Fiesta the next time you head out the door to work or play.

Once you have these articles of clothing and assorted accessories, turn back to your closet and pick out what you might on a normal day choose to wear. Go ahead. Nobody is looking over your shoulder. Just grab whatever it is you would wear on an average day. Lay it out on the bed, stand back, and take a good look at it. If you are in a rut that is lacking color, the ensemble will likely just seem to fade into the bedcovers or look so blah against it that you will start to wonder how anyone even notices you, whether it be your spouse, your kids, a boss, or even the checkout person down at the local five and dime. Acknowledging this fact is half the battle. For only then can you come to realize just how badly you need a bit of Fashion Fiesta in your life.

Next, turn and grab something from those gathered up finds of color. Grab that teal blouse or those to die for red heels. This is where you are going to have to have just a bit of faith in the Fashion Fiesta thought process. Actually get dressed now, in that normal, every day outfit, but put on at least one item from the Fashion Fiesta group, maybe even two items! And yes, eventually you will be brave enough to wear two if you are serious about bringing some color back into your life.

Wear it for a couple of hours around the house, even if you think it just too much. Then, if you begin to feel confident, leave it on and go out to some place not that crowded. The park, the grocery, maybe even venture into a store or two and soon, you will wonder what was so scary and intimidating about color in the first place. Most people, once they get past that stumbling point of fear about color, realize just how fun it is to wear color. Toss on a scarf, wear that bright colored blouse under a navy or black jacket, pull on a pair of heeled, and brightly colored boots, and you will soon be doing it as naturally as you once avoided color. You will find yourself looking for belts with a bit of color and bling, necklaces that are made to be worn draped down the front of your blouse to showcase their color and shape and not tucked discreetly into the front of your shirt. Even hats may be something to consider, as they are coming back into vogue by the minute even as I sit here writing this. That is for another article however!