How to start wearing colour

As a Personal Stylist based in London, I specialise in colour analysis which teaches you which colours suit you and reflect your amazing personality. After colour analysis, and discovering which shades of colours suit you, it’s so important to understand how to begin wearing the right colours and how to  incorporate them into your wardrobe and personal style. 

Its a step by step approach and varies for everyone. This is why it's so hard to figure out on your own. We are all unique in terms of skin, body shape, style personality, our preferences, our characters and we all have preconceived ideas of what suits us as well as what colours work with what.

My role as a stylist in London is to teach you about colour, take you back to the basics and guide you with colour theory so that you have the tools to understand why certain colours work together and most importantly how to put your outfits together based on your new knowledge of colour.

Colour is emotive, it sparks reactions from you, for example, you will  have a favourite colour but also a colour you dislike… can you tell me why? I bet you can't unless you associate it with someone or something. Plot twist - it's different for everyone which is why its so hard to generalise about wearing colours together.

Why is colour so important to wear?

Colour is a language that we all speak, it releases physiological, emotional, AND physical effects, for example, red releases adrenaline that triggers a response in your nervous system… So, its perfect at giving you a boost when you’re absolutely cream crackered.

Colour helps you step into your best zone, it can reflect your personality, for example, extroverted people will wear different combinations and strengths of hues compared to more Introverted individuals. Remember, style starts within - learn more about who you are on the inside and learn to confidently present that person on the outside.  

What is colour?

Above is an example of a colour wheel.

A little science for you;

Colour is light and light is energy. So colour affects our energy.

By choosing to wear certain colours we can help to boost or harmonise our energy/moods depending on how we are feeling OR the situation we are in.

If you’d like to find out more about the psychology behind each colour check out my blog here.

My guide to wearing colour

When I have colour analysis sessions with my clients, at the end of the session I talk about the best way to start wearing their colours. It differs from client to client because of their confidence and with what tints and shades of each colour suits them. It's pretty complicated so don’t worry if you are thinking… ok I like this but now what?!

I always reference the colour wheel, the reason for this is to incorporate fact and take away any emotional attachments to colour. Logic can really help us focus when outfit building and I am here with the colour facts for you. 

I discuss 5 ways of wearing colours together, please note that these are to start you off with experimenting but there are zero ways that you can do it wrong. ‘Rules are made to be broken’ and all that.

Option 1 - Block Colour

Block colour is dressing head to toe in your fave colour. For example, a dress in one colour. Block colour is the easiest way to begin wearing colour - people are used to seeing it, it's a very ‘normal’ way of wearing colour and it's easy to style quickly.

This will also create proportion to your body shape and add inches of height. If youd like to find out more about body shape, check out my blog here.

STYLE NOTES;

If you have a khaki jumpsuit on, you wear a khaki jacket or put a neutral over the top eg, ivory, grey, navy or black. I’ll refer back to this khaki jumpsuit later to help you see the difference in ways of combining colours. 

Option 2 - Monochromatic Colour

Mono colour scheme is three of more of the same colour in different tones/shades – NOT to be confused with black and white dressing. For example, blue denim jeans, a turquoise blouse and navy blazer.

It's fantastic for warming up to the idea of wearing a mix of different colours, I describe it as a step up from wearing simple block colour.

STYLE NOTES; Referring back to the khaki jumpsuit, if you were to style it in a monochromatic way, you'd have a forest green jacket and a sage belt.

Option 3 - Tonal Dressing (analogous colours) 

Tonal dressing is three different colours next to each other on the colour wheel. For example,  a red skirt, an orange top and a yellow bag/shoes. It doent have to be the brightest truest colour to begin with it can be calmed down to a mid red/coral skirt, a peach top and a soft powdery yellow bag.

It’s a really effortless way to begin wearing mixing colours without drawing too much attention to your outfit.  The colours harmonise with each other because they are literally side by side on the colour wheel. Again it's a graduation from monochromatic and block colour as youll be wearing different colours that are very cose to each other. 

Tonal colours are straightforward and dont make a huge statement when walking int a room  because they are so easy on the eye. They also add inches to your height because they draw attention up your body instead of stopping at your waist and clashing with another colour that doesnt sit next to them on the colour wheel.

STYLE NOTES; Back to the khaki jumpsuit, you’d have a lime belt and yellow jacket OR a turquoise belt and blue jacket. 

Option 4 - Triadic colours

Triadic colours are three different colours that are evenly spaced apart on the color wheel.  For example the three primary colours and the three secondary colours. You’d have a navy trouser, a red top and a yellow jacket. Again, they can be soften colours compared to the bright primary colours.

 This is pretty unheard of and the ultimate colour choice if you want to create an unusual but beautiful outfit choice.

 Another step up from tonal dressing here because the colours dont sit closely with each other on the colour wheel. There is a contrast between them but they are balanced as they are a mix of warm and cool colours. EG red warm, blue cool and yellow warm.

Style Notes; Back to the khaki jumpsuit… you’d have an orange jacket and purple belt. 

 Option 5 - Complementary colours

Complementary colours are colours opposite each other on the colour wheel. It can seem confusing because in our heads they clash rather than complement. For example, a purple pair of shorts with a yellow blouse. Again, any tone of yellow or purple can be used, depending on what suits your complexion and reflects your personality.

This is a phenomenal combination to wear and perfect for you to push your style and will get you noticed! If you have a dramatic or creative style personality - this combo is perfect for you. If you aren't sure on style personality, check out my blog here.

Style Notes; My final reference to the khaki jumpsuit is a red jacket, red shoes and red lips! The brighter the better with complementary colour schemes, not for the faint hearted!

Other options of wearing colours

If any of the above suggestions of wearing colours are too much, please don't worry, it's SO normal. If these all feel too much too soon or too overwhelming there are some simple ways of adding colour. For example, printed clothing, colourful accessories like belts, bags and earrings and even metallics. Metallics are basically neutral that will go with anything, I call metallics a contemporary neutral. Start small and with a softer colour and keep pushing it when you get used to one colour, try a stronger version of the same colour and see how you feel. You can also reach out to me here to get a tailored colour plan bespoke to you, your skin, personality and confidence. 

As you can see there are SO many ways of incorporating colour into your style, no wonder its overwhelming but choose your favourite option and experiment with it until you feel super happy with it and then choose the next option up!

Let me know how you get on,

Stylish wishes,

Sian 

Personal Stylist UK