A trend that never goes away. Colour is hands down the most joyful trend that returns to the catwalk season on season and it doesn’t look like the designers will be leaving it behind anytime soon. From neon pink to cobalt blue there’s every shade under the rainbow in everything from jeans to clutches. Wearing brights is ninety per cent confidence – so here’s our guide to colour and how to wear it….
COLOUR BLOCK (Colour and how to wear it)
The secret to pulling it off is sticking to simple shapes – think classic shifts, maxis, pencil skirts, trouser suits – and choosing shades that are the direct opposites on the colour wheel. Try clashing pink and yellow, orange and blue, green and purple to create the most effective blocking effect. Victoria Beckham is Queen of the colour block, clashing colours that you’d think wouldn’t work, yet somehow they do.
DO: Choose shades that have the same level of intensity. You can’t team fluro yellow with a blah purple for example – make sure that each piece has the same amount of vibrancy otherwise the look will be unbalanced.
DON’T: Add prints, stripes, florals or patterns of any kind when colour blocking an outfit – it’s a fast track to circus clown!
COLOUR TONE
If you’re scared of super bright colours you can try colour toning. Similar to blocking, it uses shades within the same family. Michelle Obama does this look really well. Try royal blue and purple or pale green and lemon pastels or even shades of the same colour something which celebrities like J-Lo and Jessica Alba do to perfection – it’s sophisticated and makes the trend a little more conservative and grown-up.
DO: Opt for neutrals or metallic accessories to keep the look simple and allow the colour to pop.
DON’T: Accessorise with bags and shoes in the same shade as your outfit – this look belongs to 1985 and it needs to stay there.
COLOUR POP (Colour and how to wear it)
One of the easiest ways to introduce colour into your wardrobe is to wear brights in a single pop. One colour, on one item in your look. Try a pink shift dress, a yellow bag or an aqua shoe. This is a way of dipping your toe into the trend and working it back with the basics in your wardrobe like black, white and denim. You can still go for it with a colour pop with a long dress or trouser suit in one colour. Blake Lively and Sarah Jessica Parker know exactly how to do this in style.
USING A COLOUR WHEEL
The colour wheel is a handy tool that will guide you in your choice of colour. In the colour wheel, you have the complementary and analogous colours. The complementary colours are the colours that are opposite to each other while the analogous colours are the ones that are next to each other in the colour wheel. For instance, green is complementary to pink while blue is analogous to pink. Complementary colours will give you a more bold appearance with different colours while analogous colours will give you a cool colour combination of similar shade or with a little difference. This is a great starting point to figure out colour and how to wear it.
GENERAL TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND
- Don’t choose too many colours at the same time.
If you don’t want to create unnecessary attention to your outfit, then limit your choice of colours to two at most. You don’t need to put on the whole colour wheel before you can colour block! If you are a beginner, try experimenting with different colours before you get your perfect choice of colour. - Avoid excessive make up.
Light, neutral-toned make up is recommended, especially when you want to colour block. Nudes and more natural tones work perfectly. However, don’t let the colour of your clothes wash you out. A flush of blush suited to your skin tone will help with that. - Accessorise wisely.
You can introduce colour blocking accessories such as shoes, handbags, necklaces and other jewellery. Choose whatever colour complements your choice of outfit, making sure that you don’t end up creating too many colours for your outfit. If this is a step too far, let the clothing do the talking and just add simple, neutral accessories. - Be bold. Be confident.
If you have made up your mind to colour block, then go ahead and step out confidently and stylishly. Know that you are putting on an eye-catching outfit, so don’t be intimidated by the various glances that you will get. They’re sure to be looks of admiration!
Colour is the easiest way to breathe life into your outfits and wardrobe, so it’s the ideal path to perk up your look. Feel fiery in flaming red and orange, show off your cheery disposition in sunshine yellow, keep it cool in bold blue and green, or express your regal side in vivacious violet and purple. Whichever you choose, pick a hue with high impact. Once you find your favourite, you can intersperse it throughout your wardrobe for a truly signature style. Most of all put a smile on your face and have fun, that’s what fashion is all about! Colour and how to wear it is up to you!
