Yes, it’s true! And it sharpens your filter. When you have an eye for colour you can spot the good stuff a mile off.

Over the weekend I participated in a clothing swap at my local library. This was my first time. At this one you were to take up to five items of clothing with you, the organisers give you coupons and assemble the clothing, and then half an hour later they open the doors to allow all of us shoppers to swoop and sweep.

And swoop and sweep we did! Picture a small swarm of women elegantly but fiercely picking over clothes to spot the best things without looking too desperate…

Well this is where having a good eye for colour gives you the advantage! Knowing what colours you’re looking for enables you to block out all the ‘noise’ around you and the jewels to shine right up at you. In my case, all the tired blacks and grubby greys simply faded into the background and the golds, tangerines and corals encouraged me forward. I could eliminate up to ninety percent of the heap through colour alone. This is because our eyes and brains are an excellent team, drawing on skills honed from centuries of snap judgments required to ensure our survival.

Once I had a handful of clothes, all I had to do the was to see if I liked the styles and fabrics and then see if the garments fitted. The organisers had kindly categorised things into sizes for us but because there is no such thing as universal sizing for women, this actually means very little - so ensure you always try things on. Never rely on the manufacturer’s sizing alone.

Success! I picked up a brand new sunshiny yellow linen top, made in Australia; a coral coloured tencel dress from Melbourne label, Elk, that definitely looks unworn, and a pure silk camisole top that also looks perfect.

It’s the same deal when you’re out window shopping - there’s no need to enter any stores if the colours are not calling out to you. This is a great way to ensure your wardrobe contributes to sustainability. If you’re not tempted to buy clothes in colours that won’t work with your own colouring or that don’t co-ordinate with each other, you won’t be buying excessively. Know your colours and become efficient!