5 ways to effortlessly add colour into your wardrobe. Pt 2

So, you now understand colour, wahooo! And you perhaps now know which hues you’d like to add into your wardrobe, but how on earth do you do this?! Last week I wrote about how and why to choose certain colours to wear, I started by discussing the sciencey bits including the colour wheel and 6 ‘official’ ways to use the colour wheel to help you select colours to wear. I then described the physiological, psychological and physical benefits of each colour and the extra boost the give you when combined with second colour. I hope that it has helped you feel more at ease with choosing hues and helped you to understand its amazing benefits and I assure you its not a dull read!

So now you understand why we should choose certain colours, how and where do you start to do this?!

I bet you can’t guess the first step one… YEP ACCESSORIES.

Try to wear one accessory a day! Last week’s blog talks in detail about how to accessorise, so make sure you give it a read after this if you have missed it. Accessorising is well and truly the least scary and most cost-effective way of introducing beautiful pops of colour into your style.

What do I class as accessories?

Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, headbands, scarves, head scarves, scrunchies, watches and belts! (Shoes and bags too, Ill be writing a blog on them soon which is why I haven’t mentioned them yet)

If you are a serial black wearer and ready to start adding colour in to your style, (and have read part 1 of this colour series blog) choose a hue you know you will physiologically benefit from the most and treat yourself to ANY accessory in that colour! See? Super easy.

If you already love to accessorise, now is the time to add in new colours or combinations of colours that you haven’t considered before so you start to elevate your look and move your style on.

The second easiest way to add hue into your wardrobe is print.

There are SO many genres of prints to choose from there is most definitely a print style out there for everyone.

What are print types?

Florals, ditzy, graphic, vintage, abstract, illustration/drawings, geometric, boho, conversational, animal, polka, lines, chain print, nautical, clashing prints, tonal, block colour etc.

Struggling? Have no fear, there are a couple of ways to figure out what style of print you like. Firstly, pop you head into your wardrobe and see if you have a similar theme of print across your clothes – most people do without even realising! If you have zero print or even a total mix don’t fret!

Think about artwork you may own – what kind of style is that? Is it very abstract? If so try out wearing abstract prints. If you have lots of shapes in your interiors try geometric prints etc. See where I am going? If you are a minimalist that’s totally fine, print might not be your bag and dont worry about it - focus on really nailing tonal dressing!

Like colour, print can really help show your personality through the way you dress. If print is new to you, start with a small scale of your choice and build it up from there.

Print gives you the opportunity to slowly add new colours into your wardrobe that perhaps you have been too nervous to wear. Instead of suddenly adding an orange top into your wardrobe and freaking yourself out, print helps you slowly get used to the orange and builds up your confidence so you can add it in more when you feel ready to do so. Start with a simple top and then work up to a dress or patterned trouser!

A third way to add hue into your wardrobe is Harmonious dressing or analogous to be fancy

I see this as the most logical and easiest way to start wearing colours together. Harmonious dressing is where you wear colours that sit NEXT to each other on the colour wheel. It could be as simple as two colours, e.g.  red and orange but also three like the following…

Harmonious dressing is an exquisite way to dress and add colour in a more developed logic. Its easier on our eyes because the hues sit comfortably and naturally with each other. The warm tones, e.g. reds, oranges and yellows create an energetic style where the cooler tones, green, blues and purple create a calmer and balanced style. See where your eyes are drawn to on the colour wheel and follow your gut instinct with whether to choose the warmer or cooler tones together. Perhaps start with two hues and build it up to three.

Next up is Tonal or Monochromatic dressing – Style note: this isn’t black and white like so many of us confuse it with!

It is a colour scheme that is made up of variations of the same colour. For example, Dark blue, mid blue and light blue. It’s the definition of a polished and pulled together look – sartorial chic or confidence dressing at its best.  You can also go head to toe in the same block colour if you really want to go for it! If you are not ready for head to toe tonal dressing, chose tonal accessories or a print! If you want to take it to the next level though… make sure you match your accessories too!

The final way…Complementary colour dressing is my ULTIMATE fave style!

Probably not for the faint-hearted, roll out the extroverts here! Complementary colours are actually an illusion here and can get the best of us in a muddle, what it really means is colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel – think clashing colours!

SO opposites attract here and all the ‘fashion rules’ are thrown out of the book. Red and green – YES please, blue and orange, purple and yellow. I adore it when its block clashing colours here but again, you could choose orange accessories if you were wearing denim to start your complementary colour dressing. Or a printed blouse that already has complimentary hues on or even two complimentary prints and clash them together. You really can go totally mad here and experiment.

Style note; It may be harder to find brighter bold colours in Autumn and winter.

Get over to Pinterest and have a look at my colour boards to start discovering which route you’d like to take with adding colour into your wardrobe. Please remember it should be a fun experiment, you cant get it wrong ever – rules are made to be broeke. Do get in touch for a free style session if you aren’t quite sure where to start still!  

Next up is shoes and bags galore!

Keep staying safe and lots of stylish love,

Sian xxx