Fashionable colour combinations change with each passing season.
The latest 'hot' colour and/or the 'on trend' colour mixes are there to keep us interested in new trends, and keep us spending our hard-earned money.
That's how the fashion industry works.
Out with the old and in with the new.
Designers are constantly trying to re-invent the wheel, and make fashion seem fresh.
I must admit that despite understanding the whole money-making process, I still love looking at the latest "Must Have" colours and how they are being combined each season.
I enjoy trying to recreate the trending shades (and combinations) from pieces I already own, or trawling the charity shops (and sale rails) for 'old fashioned' items that are currently in fashion again.... crazy isn't it?
Colours excite me, and I love mixing them.
This post was inspired by a lady called Lynn (See her colourful blog full of all things vintage HERE).
After reading her comments (about colour combinations) on a picture I'd posted on Instagram, I started to wonder if there were any colour combinations I didn't like.
Hmmmm....
I struggled to think of any!
In fact, I think ALL colours are worth a try, and any combination can work, given a few tweaks.
4 Easy Ways to Wear ANY Colour Combination
1. Love it!
You have to really love the colours you choose, not just wear them because they're on-trend, or supposed to suit you.Only put on your body colours that make you smile from ear to ear.
{See my happiest coloured outfits HERE and HERE.}
If you really love something it shows, and you will automatically look great!
2. Neutralise
If the colours are completely wrong for your colouring... like every colour in THIS outfit! ... try upping the makeup ante.Once any sallowness (or redness) in your skin is neutralised (and you add a good lippy) ANY colour can look great!
(See THIS POST from Michelle, for natural-looking makeup tips!)
3. Mix it and Match it
When clashing colours try to find similar intensities, and they will sit together easier... e.g. pastels with pastels, brights with brights.Try to match tints, tones or shades at the same level of intensity and your outfit will appear more harmonious.
What are Tints, Tones and Shades?
- Tints: Colours mixed with white.
- Tones: Colours mixed with Grey.
- Shades: Colours mixed with black.
If this seems confusing, think of an all-RED outfit and chose a tint, tone and shade in the same column.
See how many combinations are possible!
(This article explains in detail)
If the colour you have chosen is hard for you to wear (draining, or unflattering to your skin) try adding a touch of a colour that you know looks good on you.
Even a tiny splash can help make the harsher hue work.
See THIS POST with a dab of red.
4. Ground it
Add a grounding neutral like black, grey, tan, cream (or even metallics) to make the colour feel more wearable.... see this outfit grounded with tan and silver (with a bonus wardrobe malfunction story) or this one with grey grounding bright yellow!
Today I chose a mixture of colours, that shouldn't really go together at all.
The orange camisole was my 'I know suits' colour, and the navy trousers acted as a neutral base.
Next came the lilac cardigan... completely out of place, but it seemed to work perfectly with the orange.
{See Catherine, from Not dressed as lamb, in lilac and orange (plus a few more shades!) HERE... from a couple of years ago.}
Lilac and orange might be my new favourite combination.... until the next clash, of course!
I grounded the mixed colours with a neutral bag, but added back some extra "zing" with my (now favourite) embroidered mules.
{LOVE these shoes!}
A slightly twee butterfly necklace finished my look of nicely.
Do you have any colour combinations you particularly love (or hate!)?
Please share in the comments, and I might try to give them a go myself!
Please share in the comments, and I might try to give them a go myself!
CAMISOLE: George @Asda
CARDIGAN: COS... similar
SHOES: M&S
BAG: c/o Bonmarché... similar
NECKLACE: Monsoon (very old).... this one is fab!
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