Clothes Combination Color Guide: Learn to Combine Colors Like a Pro

Looking good is an art, and for you to become good at it, you will need to learn to combine colors. Whether you're a fan of neutral colors or strong color combinations, understanding color combos is crucial. Even if you only wear monochrome looks, you'll notice that it's not that easy to dress perfectly and that certain color combination skills are required.

Regardless of your fashion style and preferences, this article aims to help you learn how to match colors and create such combinations that everyone will give you compliments as soon as they see you!

From understanding contrasting combination rules to bright combinations, learn how to look like a fashion icon with the clothing items you already have in your closet.

1. Choosing Between Cool Or Warm Shades

The great thing about fashion is that you don't have to decide forever. For instance, you can wear cool colors, such as light grey, navy blue, or green, during the winter and warm colors, such as burnt yellow and hot pink, during the summer. Not to mention that your summer tan will make any color pop!

Whether you choose cool or warm shades, you can make sure you've made the right choice by checking the color wheel. Many women do so, and it allows them to check whether they've succeeded with the color pairings!

Also, you can opt for a classic contrast combination where your color combination consists of both cool and warm shades. Add appropriate decorative elements and you're good to go!

2. Combining Gray Or Pastel Colors

If you want a completely gray monochrome look, you will have it easy. However, be mindful of different shades of gray, as they might make your outfit look poorly.

Instead of putting anything gray you find in your closet, aim to create contrasting effects even with one color. The same goes for beige combinations.

On the other hand, if you choose pastel colors, you will have more choices. Just by looking at the color wheel, we can see that pastel colors include bright colors such as peach, baby blue, light yellow, and sea green.

Once you've decided on your favorite pastel color, instead of pairing it with another pastel color, choose a contrasting color that will match your outfit. For instance, blue, charcoal, and brown match well with pastel colors.

3. Being Mindful of Neutral and Complementary Colors

If you're a fan of a more soft-colored look, your closet will probably be full of neutral colors. The reason why most women prefer neutral shades is that they go well with everything, can be worn during hot and cold months, but also look elegant and sophisticated.

Examples of neutral colors would be black, but also white, gray, and brown. Even with more neutral shades, the color combinations that work best are the ones based on contrast.

For instance, a white blouse will go well with a black or gray skirt.

Whichever neutral color you like to wear, it will be quite easy to find complementary colors that go well with it.

White pants with an ochre yellow shirt or light purple blouse are perfect for business meetings and cocktail nights with your girlfriends. Such neutral and complementary colors can even work for attending weddings!

Just remember that if you only want to stick to neutral ones, avoid combining dark brown with black or navy blue with gray, as these color combinations don't combine according to the color wheel, and they rarely match even outside fashion!

4. Building Your Capsule Wardrobe

If you've never heard of a capsule wardrobe before, you'll be glad to discover it now! How many clothing items can be used in numerous outfits? Your capsule wardrobe helps you create outfits based on items that are classic and eternal. It can be anything from a coat to a belt, but it needs to fit different outfits for different occasions!

When it comes to color matching, a capsule wardrobe can include any color you wear often. For some, this will mean a soft color like beige, while for others, it can be any other color from the color palette, such as green, purple, or orange. Your favorite color combinations will dictate the color of your capsule wardrobe!

Lastly, choose clothes that you see yourself wearing next year as well. When talking about a capsule wardrobe, never choose an outfit depending on current fashion trends.

Having these classy, elegant items will give more balance to your entire closet and save you the trouble when you don't have time to be creative.

5. Don't Forget About Accessories

Regardless of whether you prefer a monochrome look or a contrasting look, you'll agree with us that the same outfit can look really different when it's paired with nice jewelry. Even barely noticeable accessories, such as tiny green earrings, can be successfully mixed into one outfit and provide a powerful contrast!

If you're worried about the color theory when adding accessories, think of colors and interesting textures. For instance, a black leather belt will look different from a black velvet belt. After all, matching clothes goes beyond just colors!

You can easily match clothes with your fashionable details by following the rule of contrasting combinations. In other words, if you're wearing a burnt orange dress, your shoes and bag should be either purple or emerald green to bring more focus onto your dress.

Use dark accessories with soft colors. Before making a purchase, test the colors on the color wheel to be sure they match. A soft combination with soft shoes, bags, or jewelry will make it difficult to look good, so the more contrast, the better!

Conclusion

There is a lot of creativity behind how your chosen colors match your entire outfit. Different shades of the same color can make the difference between a good or a bad outfit. Regardless of the colors that can be found in your own closet, contrasting looks is the rule of thumb you should always follow.

Don't be afraid of combining different colors from the color palette to create one outfit. Check the color wheel to see whether you've chosen a contrasting combination or is a soft combination that needs contrasting accessories to make your outfit look stunning.

Follow our multiple practical methods such as building your own capsule wardrobe and being mindful of the color matching before going out, and you'll soon be recognized as the fashion icon of your group!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Contrasting Combination?

A contrasting combination refers to an outfit that combines one color, for instance, dark blue, and contrasts it with light green. You can contrast primary colors as look as the dark is matching light shades. The same goes for choosing a neutral color as well. If you want to avoid a monochrome look, you can combine beige with white or dark blue. Lastly, a great way of contrasting combinations is by mixing primary and secondary colors, also known as tertiary colors.

What Is the 3-color Rule in Fashion?

A three-color rule means you shouldn't wear more than three colors in one outfit. If this sounds limiting to you, you can choose to wear different shades of the same color, for instance, blue, orange, or green. But, combining three colors is not as easy as it seems, so make sure to go with analogous colors. This refers to the colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.

How Can I Match the Color of My Clothes?

If you're looking to match the colors of your clothes, regardless of whether it is primary colors like blue or secondary like orange, green, or purple, you will need to create contrasting looks. This contrast can appear in the form of textures and shades. To make sure your contrasting combination makes sense, double-check the color wheel and apply all fashion rules before you leave your home.