Do you find yourself battling bland fashion in the brisk months? Nothing will brighten your winter closet more than a splash of dazzling color! Follow these simple tips to mix some lively hues into your winter wardrobe:
Start with Blue
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with adding a lot of color to your closet all at once, start small. Begin by dressing in navy blue. This will create more vibrancy without straying too far from an elegant all-black look. Navy is also a color that many of us have in our closets already, so it doesn’t require a costly splurge.
Wear a Colorful Solid with Favorite Neutrals
This tip takes us to the next level of adding color while keeping one foot in the comfort zone. First, select some of your favorite neutral pieces to comprise most of the outfit. You can approach this look with a black, brown, or gray-and-white base. Don’t overthink this part. Anything neutral will work perfectly. Next, add a colored piece to complete the look. For example, you could pair bright-yellow jeans with a black sweater and shoes, or you could try a bright-pink coat over a gray-and-white outfit.
You’ll be surprised at the pop just one piece of vibrant clothing generates. The best part about this tip is you can keep the same or similar neutral pieces together while swapping out the colored piece. This enables you to create outfits that look completely different without forcing yourself to reinvent the look entirely.
Incorporate Accent Pieces
Our next step in the journey to color is building off the last tip: incorporate colored accent pieces into a neutral look. The advantage to this tip is it produces just as much pop in color with less expensive pieces. Ditch your neutral accessories and grab a colored bag, hat, or scarf to accent a black or gray outfit. You could even go for a pair of shoes or some jewelry. Make sure you limit yourself to one accent color per outfit. If you don’t, you could inadvertently create chaos instead of that perfect cohesion of color we’re going for.
Make Your Own Monochromatic Masterpiece
If you’re looking for a bold, new look that’s different from anything you’ve ever worn, this is the tip for you. Go all in with monochromatic attire! Wear a jumpsuit dyed with similar hues. Or start with a colored pair of jeans and find a shirt and shoes of similar hues to complement the look. Focus less on finding pieces that have hues that match perfectly, and see what happens when you explore different shades of a favorite color. Keep the shoes neutral if that feels comfortable for you, but if you can find the perfect pair to complete your monochromatic invention, why hold back? This look is about leaving it all on the table.
Be Crafty with the Color Wheel
As you find yourself gaining confidence with color, you can start to personalize your looks more by experimenting with the color wheel. Start by crafting outfits that have analogous or complementary color schemes. A great way to begin is to find a colored piece you are in love with. From there, you can either add pieces that are similar hues, or you can create a stark contrast by pairing your piece with its complementary color. For example, imagine pairing a purple pair of rain boots with a vibrant yellow raincoat. It doesn’t take long to visualize an exciting burst of color that’s sure to turn heads!
Embrace Patterns
To finish satiating your appetite for color in the winter months, mix colorful patterns into your wardrobe. Exciting new patterns can function as a gateway into colors we may not have otherwise explored. If you’re new to patterns, start with something small or modest. As soon as you feel comfortable with that, you can continue to add more patterns, but they should be different sizes to ensure the patterns complement each other rather than compete to dominate the look. If you start with a busier pattern, make sure the second one you add is more subtle. Meshing patterns can be tricky, but if you think color makes your outfits pop, wait until you see what the harmony of pattern and color can do for your closet.