Sunday Styling Series // 007

how to wear color (when you aren't sure how to wear color)

Hi Reader,

Welcome back to another ✨Sunday Styling Series✨!

Today I’m sharing some quick and practical tips for HOW TO WEAR COLOR (when you aren’t sure how to wear color).

This post is less about color combination ideas and more about how to style color with better ease if you:

• have a fairly neutral wardrobe and want to inject pop/seasonal colors

• want to wear bolder colors or prints but don’t know how to pair them

• want to wear more of your colored pieces outside of just 1-2 ways

• want to wear certain colors but don’t feel like they are “your” color

• you resonate with certain colors but aren’t sure you can “pull it off”

This post was created as there is a lot of styling content focused around color analysis and identifying your “color season” and as a stylist, I’d like to offer a different perspective.

I know it can sometimes feel easier to find style “rules” to stick to in order to make sense of all the endless options out there but here’s the thing - if you are already struggling to put outfits together, trying to apply rules can actually just add to the noise. You also should never feel like you have to, or should, only wear certain colors!

That’s a limited way to look at your personal style and the same applies for age old rules like not being able to wear Navy + Black , Black + Brown or wearing White after Labor Day. This is why I always share styling tools, not rules!

Navy and Black will be forever chic (Do as Phoebe Philo would do, always!)

I have had clients ask me if I can help with their color analysis and here’s what I always tell them:

Why wear colors that don’t spark anything inside you and why avoid colors that bring you joy?

It’s the same reason why I never use the word “flattering” when speaking to my styling content or working with clients. The word never felt good to me even as I worked through my own style, especially around the years where I experienced weight gains, because it’s something that describes how we think we should be dressed for others to perceive us as more beautiful/slim/ideal vs internally aligning with how we want to feel. You will always feel more authentic and confident when your style expresses what you want to say, not in relation to others, but to yourself.

When editing a closet or shopping and styling for a client, if they have certain colors they love but aren’t sure if they can “pull it off”, here’s 5 tips I always recommend to feel more confident wearing them:

*note I used the color yellow as a visual thread throughout all the tips!

1. Layer in White

   White can help break up color and prints and create some balance and breathing space to a look. White also tends to be the neutral that brightens up your appearance so they can help to create a visual separation with your face, which is where I find clients have the biggest challenge as they feel certain colors they love don’t work well with their skin undertones. I always recommend finding a shade of white that you feel good in as it will be different for everyone. If you like brightness, try an optic white. If you like more of a yellow undertone, try creams or ivory and if you like more of a blue-grey undertone, try ecru or stone.

   

   These looks would look great on their own without the layered white but it can 1) help break up colors and create breathing space if you want to tone down a look 2) can help break up colors worn close to the face by creating a visual break

   

   Note the same concept can apply with Black but depending on the color you want to style and the visual contrast you want to create, it can create a very high contrast and harsher visual, especially with warmer tones

2. Layer Up!

   This trick is great when you want to wear color in a non-obvious way but also great to utilize so you can get more wear out of color year round.

   

   Layer your favorite neutral jacket or coat on top of color to create a neutral “topping” - it helps provide more visual coverage | Layer the color under or between other pieces like a sandwich. I love the peek of red popping out of Jalil Johnson’s look and the quiet moment of the sky blue peeking out between neutral layers in Taffy Msipa’s beautiful outfit

   

   As always, one of my favorite pieces is a colorful cardigan/sweater, especially to throw over your shoulder - it becomes so versatile when you want to create interest, shape, texture, color. I love the yellow thrown over a neutral outfit but also love it when you want to create a more fun playful look combining it with other pop colors!