The colour blocking 'trend' is going nowhere for 2019 and I'm SO happy about that!
{See my original Colour Blocking post from 2017 HERE... when it was a 'new trend', and not for the first time!}
Today, I've toned things down a little.
(Well... for me anyway!)
Of course, I'm still mixing some bold colours but I'm sticking to basics in order to create a wearable colour-blocked outfit.
When I say "Wearable" I mean realistic.
When I say "Realistic" I mean something anyone can wear (with a few tweaks) without feeling like they're in a costume, or copying a shop mannequin... or like they've taken leave of their senses!
For me, many colour-blocked outfits I see online (and in magazines) look fabulous and bold in the photographs but can be difficult to wear in our real lives.
Some outfits look great in an Instagram or blog post but not so good when you're turning up at work, or heading into the supermarket.
I'm a lover of bold and bright outfits... but even I like to ease my foot off the BOLD pedal every now and again.
Today is a great example of that.
Bright but not really.
In fact, this is quite a toned down look for me!
3 Easy Steps to the Perfect Colour-Blocked Outfit
1. Stick to Colours you Know (and LOVE)
This seems obvious, but I know many people buy items in clashing colours they don't normally wear just because they are in the shop and look great on the mannequin.
It's understandable.
We all get caught up with how cool the models are.
How edgy the outfits look.
Then we get them home.
Try them on.
Reality hits.
We realise we look nothing like the models.
We don't even look like ourselves.
AND... none of our shoes go with our new look!
(Oh crap. another shopping fail.)
Don't worry!
This problem is easily prevented.
If you simply stick to colours you know (and more importantly LOVE) then you can't go wrong.
Choosing a different version of your own favourite colours will mean that any bold additions slip seamlessly into your wardrobe, and allow multiple bold looks to come together with ease.
You'll probably be able to pull a colour-blocked outfit from pieces you already own.
Keep the shapes simple and the colours in the same intensity and you can't go wrong.
2. Ground Everything
If (for example) you're wearing red trousers and a yellow top, try grounding the rest of your look with neutral accessories.
{TIP: Avoid black as it can look too harsh and cheapen your bold colours, especially when paired with neons.}
Adding a grounding colour really does make the clash seem less intense.
Great neutral choices include:
- Tan (light or true)
- Grey (from dove to charcoal)
- White
- Cream
- Oxblood
- Navy
Why not?
Fashion is supposed to be fun and if it all turns out to be a bit much you can take it off at the end of the day.
At least you'll have had fun experimenting.
3. Cheat with an Accessory!
If you're unsure how to start clashing (or you're a little colour shy) cheat by using a BOLD accessory.
Whether your accessory of choice is a shoe, a handbag, a scarf or necklace, it's a great place to start.
A colourful and bold accessory can hold your hand through the colour clashing process.
It can show you the way to go, picking out pieces that clash with a little class!
The necklace I'm wearing today is doing just that.
Red, green and blue... it's done all of the work for me.
All I had to do was put them together.
Scarves are fantastic for this too.
Why not pick a scarf from your collection and pull an outfit together by matching the colours in the scarf?
When you pop the scarf on top of your completed outfit the colours will all make perfect sense.
It really is one of the best ways to be inspired by colour.
If you need some scarf-wearing inspiration have a look at this video:
Justine is not colour blocking here BUT she has some great ideas about wearing your scarf to add more interest to your outfit.
BONUS TIP:
One BIG Colour blocking mistake to avoid is Fiddly Details.
Delicate details can kill your colour blocked outfit.
Ditch anything frilly, whimsical, sheer and overly girly.
Stick to solid basic shapes in plain colours.
Avoid delicate jewellery.
Step away from items that are not quite bold enough... anything 'off' with spoil the look.
If you're trying to match items and they don't quite match, forget it.
Don't be tempted to "Make Do".
It will ruin your efforts.
Add something TOTALLY different instead and rock the clash!
This particular outfit is made up of a simple navy dress, a green undertop, red coat and red boots.
Nothing too 'out there', nothing overly bold or too weirdly clashy.
The bright red and apple green is grounded with some navy.
Easy.
In order to pull this look together, I used a big necklace.
Using a simple piece like this is an easy way to make an outfit feel like it was supposed to be!
And the best bit?
No shopping required.
{More on that another time}
COAT: Boden (old)
DRESS: Older than time itself... or at least half of my children!
NECKLACE: A gift
BAG: Lotus (past season)
BOOTS: Lotus (past season)