Totally Fabulous Tuesday: How to Choose Colors That Look Great

“Mr. Clever” once told me that I needed a color wheel because I dressed too “matchy matchy” and not with enough variety of colors. He was nice enough to supply me with a color wheel and help me expand my color world.

The season is changing so I want to share with you how to choose colors that will look great together and on you. This should also help you enhance your wardrobe combinations.

1. Basic pieces that go with everything are Jeans/denim. Solid whites, grays, blacks, and tan khaki. Rule of thumb, clothing that are not solids with designs, patterns, and different textures follow totally different rules.

2. Before my color wheel education began, I typically paired colors that were in the same family but I wore different shades. (Subconsciously, I only went around the color wheel in a circle). Yes my outfits matched, but it also showed little creativity.

3. Later, I learned that I did not only have to go around the color wheel I could pair colors together that were on opposite sides of each other (for example, pair together yellow and violent) because those are the colors that would compliment each other and pop. Don’t be afraid to add color; especially if they compliment each other.

4. Another combination available on the color wheel is a tricolor set (see the picture below). These colors will also look awesome together. The key though, is to use only two as main colors and the third as an accent or accessory color, because you don’t want to end up looking like a clown. Understand the need for balance and proportion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Choosing colors that compliment each other on the color wheel is not as simple as it seems. You also need to factor in which colors look great on you and your skin tone. For instance, I have dark brown skin, but a red undertone. Because I have a red undertone colors in the red family and colors that compliment red look great on me. The tricolor wheel with a small wedge triangle gives me even more red complimentary options to choose from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Another great way to pair colors together is to look at nature. Flowers display great color choices that compliment each other naturally.

7. Lastly, feel free to explore.  Try on new color combinations to see how they look on you and how well they work together.

Photo: Greg Kessler, source: Oprah.com

 

 

 

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