How to combine colours in your outfits

By: Lisa Simmons
SNAP Newmarket/Aurora, January 2012

Fashion Focus: How To Combine Colors In Your Outfit 

Do you have a difficult time matching colors in your wardrobe?  Do you always match the same pieces together?  Fashion is art and even if you aren’t naturally artistic, understanding a little basic color theory can give you the creative edge needed when designing your outfit for the day.  Here is a sure fire way of finding the right color to go with any outfit.

Let’s start with the color wheel. Please note this is the basic color wheel and obviously doesn’t reflect all the different shades of color you may have in your wardrobe, but the principles will stay  the same.

Monochromatic look: This is taking one color & styling your whole outfit around it. So you can wear a navy top with navy shoes & bag.  Pair it all with a pair of dark blue jeans and you are done.

Primary colors: blue, yellow & red.  This you can combine by wearing red top, blue jean & a yellow belt or shoe or purse. It makes an outfit that stands out. It’s cute & fun!

Complimentary colors: To find a complimentary color, pick a color on the color wheel & go right across the wheel to the other side and there you’ll find it’s complimentary color.  For example: orange & blue. So you can put a blue top with an orange skirt. 

Analogous Colors: Find a color on the color wheel & choose a color on either side of that color.  For example, I can match magenta up with purple and red.  So I can wear a magenta dress with a red purse and purple shoes.  You can also just choose two analogous colors like green and blue.  Wear a green dress with blue belt & purse and pair with nude shoes. 

When working with colors note that you can always mix a neutral color with it.  Examples of neutral colors are nude, cream, black, white, brown, taupe, grey, etc. Neutrals are the basic underpinning of every wardrobe.

Don’t be afraid of mixing & matching color.  Sometimes I’ll pull out all my colours and throw them on the bed and start to experiment.  If you do this, you’ll find that you have many more outfits than you think.  Have fun with it – it works!

 

For more information, contact Lisa at Lemonberry at 905-836-0330.