Color Theory For People Who Don’t Know Anything About Color Theory

I believe that true art knows no rules, fashion included. I’m a huge fan of mixing styles and patterns in unusual ways but I know that not everyone is comfortable making daring combinations in their wardrobe. One of the most common questions I get asked is “do these pieces go together?” Im seeing a lot of color blocking, tonal, and monochrome dressing on the runways lately so I thought we would delve a little bit into the “rules” of color. When it comes to color theory there are some guidelines that you can follow to help you build a perfectly coordinated look.

For a short lesson in color theory let’s consult our friend the color wheel. There are three types of colors. Primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Primary: Primary colors just exist. These colors are yellow, red, blue.

Secondary: Secondary colors are created when you take two primary colors and mix them together. Yellow + blue = green.

Tertiary: Tertiary colors fall between a primary and a secondary. The color between blue and green would be blue-green. (Duh)

There are also many shades of each one. This is where you get your pink or navy or even lavender shades. so there is a wide range of stuff to play with here.

Now that you have a basic understanding of where colors come from, let’s learn how to use them. Knowing a little bit about how colors work together as a team will help you when you are trying to pair up items in your closet.

The “Rules”

1. Build your outfit with colors that are on opposing sides of the wheel, like this combo of pink/olive green.

2. Pick colors that are neighbors or close to one another in a row like this pink(red) /red-orange/ orange combo.

3. Make a triangle Red(Pink)/Yellow/Blue

4. Pick different shades in the same color to go for a monochrome look.

Once you pick your color palette you can use your neutrals like black, brown, grey, & white to balance out your look and voila! You have a perfectly crafted colorful look! Tag me in your looks or use the hashtag #theorganzabonanza on facebook and instagram if you try these tips out! Happy outfit building!