Let's Talk with Maggie Toussaint
Let’s Talk with Maggie Toussaint
March 25, 2021
Color Me Happy
Why wait until we’re eccentric to wear whatever we want? My best buds and I asked this question and decided we’d wear whatever colors/clothes/shoes we wanted. We’re all old enough to know better, of course, but our Mamas are gone so nobody is likely to snatch us up by scruffs of our necks and read us the riot act.
Sometimes I embarrass my kids with my brightly colored or extra warm clothing choices, but that’s nothing new. Imagine having aching joints and having to sit on aluminum bleachers every Friday night in fall in frigid (to me) temps. You’d wear a snowsuit and sit on a stadium blanket, right? Thought so.
Anyway, I’m living the life of color now. Recently I wore a striped knit top with a floral scarf. Not what anyone would think to match, but the colors were the same, so what the hay? Did it.
Back in my professional go-to-work-in-the world days, I wore a never ending supply of neutrals, well, mostly browns but that makes for a boring closet. 
Today I’m happy to report a veritable Crayola Crayon box of colors among my tops and some of my pants. Some times I vary the mix and match casuals, but often I stick with an outfit I’ve matched before because that’s faster.
For writing conferences, that’s a different story. I need smart looking clothes that are also comfy and warm (those meeting rooms are always cold) and also with something in the red family near my face (scarf, blouse, or jacket). Shades of red are the most complimentary color for my skin tone and they dial my mood to happy.
Speaking of book conferences, I miss them! Zooming is just not the same thing for me. I’m looking forward to being able to travel (hopefully) later this year to visit family and to attend a conference or two.
And lastly, color me happy because I have a new book coming out soon! SHRIMPLY DEAD, book 3 in the Seafood Caper Mysteries, releases April 12. It’s on pre-order right now at all vendors. In this culinary cozy, River’s former client is killed and she doesn’t trust the cops to catch the killer. She’s cooking up another delectable murder mystery on Shell Island.
What’s your happy color? I’d love to know! Jot it down in the comments to be eligible for a signed print copy (US residents only) of SPAWNING SUSPICION, book 2 in this series.
Posted in Let's Talk, with Maggie Toussaint • Tags: BLB Discussion, Color Me Happy, Let's Talk, Maggie Toussaint, Seafood Caper Mystery, Shrimply Dead | 27 Comments
My favorite color has always been red, but I’ve been told I look good in purple. Brown usually looks good with my hair and eye color.
Hi Alicia, Those are such classic colors. You are lucky! I never gave brown any thought until I was in my 20s, but I also really like brown. It’s my camouflage color I wear among the flock when I don’t want to call attention to myself.
My happy color is teal. It makes me ridiculously happy to wear it — I even have a pair of teal shoes. Mostly, I think the reason is because it reminds me of the spectacular skies that we get sometimes here in Florida. Heavenly.
Cheryl, I share your love of teal. i love to wear all shades of turquoise, and my office walls have always been a light turquoise. Takes me right to that happy place!
I agree, Maggie — wear whatever the heck you want! Remember the seasonal color trend? My favorite color combo always was black and red and white, so I thought I was a “winter”. Later, I realized that I was an “autumn” (I’m one of those people who look really good in brown). I have two main color palettes in my wardrobe — red and black and gray, and gold/yellow and orange and green. Though, oddly, over the past couple of years I’ve started migrating to pinks. But blue is conspicuously absent from my closet (other than denim) though I adore turquoise jewelry.
The computer ate my reply! I also had a dearth of blue anything (except for jeans), for many years. I am always happy when the colors I like come in vogue for a season or so because then I can stock up on my favs when they go on sale. I bet you look amazing in brown! I’ve also upped the pink factor, but that runs in fits and spurts.
My wardrobe consists mostly of black with bright-colored accents. Why black? It’s slimming! But I’ll pair black jeans and a black T with a red blazer or wear black jeans with a black blazer and a red T. I love pastels, but they don’t love me. I don’t have the coloring for them or for any shades of yellow or orange, both of which have had people asking if I’ve been ill. So I stick with accents of bright reds, blues, blue-greens, and purples.
Very pale skin has too much natural green in it for most yellows to be flattering. I know because I have the same problem, and also a pastel problem. Bright colors are our best friends.
Black, red, and surprisingly purple. The first time someone forced me into a purple related piece of clothing, I went kicking and screaming. Now, I always keep something in that color family in my closet…. but I still go back to the black base under it.
You look great in black and red. It took me a long time to appreciate the differences in purples. It can approach magenta, lean toward lilac, leap into lavender, ease towards eggplant, or even veer into violet, and there are more purple shades than that. I suspect that the color we all think of when we say purple is the one that looks smashing on you! And by the way, I was that way about orange. My mom tried to get me to get an orange two-piece dress and I balked, until she wore me down. That outfit turned out to be one of my all-time favs!
I love Hawaiian shirts. I’ve had them in wild color combos—black, green, purple, and muted—softer greens, grays. Add a pair of neutral colored shorts and I’m a happy camper, assuming, of course, that the weather is cooperating.
I love those Aloha shirts too, especially because they look great untucked.. The colors truly speak to me.
I love tropical shirts on men. Here we call them Guayabera or Cuban shirts.
They look so comfortable and breezy! I love how there are so many styles of this shirt type.
My happy are iss the color of the rainbow. Those colors make me so happy and a rainbow is a symbol of hope. Purple is my favorite happy color.
I would love to read and review the books in print format.
Please enter me.
Hope I Win
Crystal from PA in tthe US
Hi Crystal! Thanks for sharing that the rainbow has all your happy colors, especially purple. I love rainbows and their imagery of hope and the promise, too! Good luck in the drawing!
You do look great in red. I’ve always worn bolder colors. My favorites are red and turquoise. I am not fond of green or yellow, which makes my skin look sallow. I don’t wear a lot of black tops.
I have the same issue with some green-yellows. A black top, for me, works if I have a scarf that breaks up the color and reflects red to my face. Thanks for noticing me in red!
I’ve always loved reds and jewel tones of blues and greens. Now that I’ve let my hair go natural (from medium brown to various stages of gray and white) I’m paying more attention to the colors I wear because shades don’t look as good anymore.
Hi Renee! It’s nice to have you visit here. I am very fond of the colors you mention, and I am also of the same former hair color and new hair color. So far the reds still do me proud!
My happy color is blue. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.
Hi Debra, So nice to have you visit Booklover’s Bench! My mom and my daughter are both in the same “blue is my happy color” camp. It’s nice to know which colors bring us happiness. For DECADES I didn’t wear pink. Just had an aversion to it because I was a tomboy. Come to find out, I really like pink; after all, it’s a shade of red! Both mom and daughter are fond of navy especially but also every other color of blue.
My happy color is blue because it is such a soothing and relaxing color for me.
Hi Cherie, Blue is a soothing color and I’m glad that it relaxes you. I think if I could give one gift to the world, it would be relaxation. We all get wound so tightly trying to keep up in this zany rat race!
Wonderful interview. Love your photo with your puppy. I love green/emerald colors. Wishing you continued success!
Thanks for stopping by, Diana. You look great in those shades of green. Thank you so much for your encouragement.
The winner of my giveaway is Crystal. I will contact Crystal. She has a week to claim her book.