This week we’re taking it down a tone or two to bring nudes and neutrals to the table.

Yes, bright colours are in but that doesn’t mean we should store our less striking hues in our wardrobes and avoid them in the stores.

While the orange, pink and yellow outfits make you stand out in a crowd, there are clever ways to wear more muted colours that will make you look more chic and sophisticated.

There isn’t an item of clothing that you can’t wear in shades like beige, caramel, cream, apricot and blush, and there are many ways you can mix and match these colours.

Bear in mind that while some hues are termed “nude”, you shouldn’t actually look like you’re naked when you’re wearing them – that’s just tacky and distasteful.

Plus, if your skin is already really pale you might end up looking washed-out by choosing to wear nude shades.

First of all, when looking for a good nude shade for your skin, look for pinker and rosier shades if your skin is light; while for darker complexions, taupe is a better option.

For those with really pale skin, just like actress Bryce Dallas Howard, blush is a great nude colour to throw on, but make sure it doesn’t make you look washed-out by accessorising properly.

Bryce's blush dress suits her well

A great example of nude for slightly darker complexions is this Elie Saab gown worn by Aishwarya Rai (picture) – it is a nude shade which doesn’t draw attention away from Aishwarya, but instead helps make her lovely features stand out.

Aishwarya looking stunning in this nude gown

A must-have item in every girl’s closet is a pair of nude shoes that are closest to your skin colour.

Whether they’re a pair of sky-high stilettos, cute ballerina pumps or summer wedges, the nude will complement anything you have on.

Every girl's best friend: a pair of nudes

It may be a little tricky making grey items stand out, and neutral shades tend to make you look wider, so make sure you wear them right – for example long, straight-cut pants and long-ish jackets and blazers.

White and black go with any nude or neutral shades. Even something as simple as skinny black trousers with a white blouse and beige jacket work well together, and a white flared skirt with an apricot blouse is a good example of a match as well.

If you’re going for the all-nude look, try to add some colour to your outfit in the form of accessories in jewel tones like amethyst, emerald and citrine.

Add an ethereal feel to your outfit by, for example, wearing a cream dress with a brown vest or jacket. Think imaginary beings like elves, fairies and pixies and stuff they would fashion for themselves out of tree leaves and vines.

If you’re the adventurous dresser type, pair neutral colours with electric blue, red or orange.

Try this if you’re feeling adventurous: just like with colour blocking bright hues, experiment with wearing several nude shades together, all on the same outfit.