How to Start Wearing Colour
How to start wearing colour
As the cold weather and dark mornings have thrust us into a period of low moods and tiredness, and it sometimes feels like the sun will never be out again. But not at Bonmarché! While we can’t get you out of that New Year slump, we can certainly help keep your wardrobe as colourful and bright as those summer sunrises you’re craving. Follow our helpful tips to start adding colour to your outfits and look at examples from our range below.
Start with a small pop of colour
We know it can be intimidating donning a whole outfit of colour, so start yourself off slowly. Begin with your normal neutral base but switch out one item for something colourful. Changing your accessories is a great start - try a bright scarf draped around your neck or a bold handbag to sit on your arm. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, why not switch out your top , jacket or skirt like this delicate blue wave print flippy jersey elasticated waist Skirt.
Experiment with a colour you love
It’s time to venture into items of clothing and choose colourful pieces for your tops or bottoms. Wearing colour is all about being confident, so as you branch out beyond accessories, start with a colour you know you feel great in. Starting with darker can also help you work your way up to the dizzying heights of a full colour outfit. We love this green cutout embroidered design sweatshirt .
Test out a colour with a monochrome palette
Now that you’re feeling a bit more confident with colour, you can create entire ensembles. We recommend starting with a monochrome palette as this is the easiest to build out. Simply decide on your base colour (it’s probably easiest to choose your favourite!) and then find all the pieces in your wardrobe that fit the brief. The perfect monochrome outfit has mostly one colour so don’t be afraid to give it a try. Why not check out or matching leisurewear sets, these jogging pants and zip up jackets come in four different colours too!
Try colour combinations
This is the big one. Now you’ve experimented with one colour, it’s time to bring another in. Start small with our low contrast colour combinations which can be found below. A good way to start wearing two colours is choosing a piece with two colours like this short sleeved lemon and leaf print bubble hem T-shirt. Instead of pairing it with jeans , experiment by pairing it with a matching colour cropped trouser or skirt . This can be applied to any patterned piece, simply draw out the other colours and pair accordingly.
Play around with contrasting colours
Now onto the hardest part, styling contrasting colours. Contrasting, or complimentary colours, are those that sit on opposite sides of the colour wheel. These combinations were made to pop so choosing them can be a big step. Stick to a 70/30 structure with one colour being the main tone (70% of the outfit) and the other adding an extra punch (30% of the outfit). Try to choose similar tones as well - this means pairing dark reds with dark greens rather than pastel shades for more impact. This long sleeve block stripe jumper perfectly combines contrasting colours in the same tonal range.
Don’t be scared
If you take one piece of advice from this article, let it be this: Fashion is all about experimenting to find what makes you look and feel your best and you can’t achieve this without making a few fashion faux pas, so don’t be afraid to do so. Try out a range of colours, from contrasting to clashing, and learn what it is you like!
Some great colour combos
While we encourage you to experiment, here are some tried and tested colour combos that we love:
Low contrast colour combinations
- Blush and burgundy
- Burnt orange and green
- Green and yellow
- Baby pink and green
- Lime and yellow
- Baby blue and baby pink
- Navy and fuschia
- Green and purple
- Red and fuschia
High contrast colour combinations
- Baby blue and mustard
- Turquoise and royal blue
- Blue and green
- Pink and orange
- Olive green and pink
- Red and blue
- Yellow and bright pink
- Purple and orange
- Orange and yellow
- Red and orange
Use the patterns and colours already available to you
If you are still reticent to combine and add colour to your wardrobe, utilise the clothing already designed for you. Look for a jumper or pair of leggings that you love, then use the colour pallet from that. Remember to mix and match stripes with florals or polka dots but remember if you mix patters then keep the colour tonal range the same, this helps keep the outfit look more put together. Most of all have fun and experiment with it!
So there you have it, our top tips for bringing colour into your wardrobe rotation. For more advice on how to style certain looks, take a look at our other blogs you may like:Our Favourite Blue Tops & How to Style Them or What to Pack for a Weekend Away