So three days ago I hit the decks like a ton of bricks and sprained a ligament in my foot! This is not recommended on Good Friday eve when no shop is open from which to even buy a bandage. But thanks to the lovely physio I encountered by chance that evening, and Carmen and Belinda at Geelong Hospital on Good Friday itself, I am ok.

When I arrived at hospital, all I was thinking was, what damage had I sustained? I already have 11 pieces of metal in that region of my body from a previous injury so I was surprised to hear the hospital staff say how glamorous I looked despite my sore and bandaged foot, worried face and obvious fatigue. When they asked me what I did for a living, they exclaimed “Oh, that explains it! You obviously know what colours suit you and so forth.” 

And yes, I do. But I didn’t think about that before leaving for the hospital. I certainly didn’t go to any trouble for my hospital outing! It was simply a comfy version of jeans and a t-shirt plus a swipe of lipstick. I’m not even sure I brushed my hair. So this was great reinforcement and a reminder that wearing colours that work with our natural colouring enable us to look good with minimum effort.

I had only one pair of shoes that would fit over my home-made bandage, so no options there. I wore a soft pair of pants that I knew would provide the medical staff with easy access to my leg and I reached (clumsily) for the first clean t-shirt I could see. And voila! Nothing special. Anyone else would have done the same. But obviously the colours were singing (‘cos I certainly wasn’t!!).

But that’s the beauty of dressing in colours from the same palette. Everything works together and everything works for you. It’s not limiting but liberating. If you’re interested in knowing how to do this, see here.

Extra tips for dressing for hospital include:

• Ignore the weather forecast, dress for air conditioning 

• Dress in layers

• Bring socks, as eventually your feet will freeze

• Wear things you’d be happy to wear for hours and possibly days

• You could be standing longer than you’d like to, so wear comfy shoes 

• You may also be lying down, possibly without a blanket, so consider that too

Ps; bring a good book. The TV will drive you crazy and your battery won’t last forever.