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How to wear colour

16 January 2019

Wearing bold shades can be a daunting prospect for most, especially in the colder months when sombre greys and blacks feel a little more in tune with the season. But research shows that stepping out of your colour comfort zone can actually work wonders for your mood and style credentials. Here’s how.

Going for bold

There’s a rainbow of possibilities here, but the key is confidence. If dressing head-to-toe in paint-box brights makes you feel self-conscious, don’t do it. This is a trend that demands attention; so taking it to the extreme should only apply if it feels in tune with your personality. If it does, try clashing Crayola hues like fuchsia and lipstick red, but stick to a minimal silhouette – it has to be one or the other. Equally, you can wear one shade head to toe – yellow is key this season if you’re feeling particularly bold – but again, stick to simple shapes: a suit or sleek tailoring will keep your look the right side of sophisticated.

Meet me in the middle

Consider this your mid-way option: you want to embrace colour, but aren’t quite ready to let it dictate your entire wardrobe. The good news is it’s simple – take one statement piece and build the rest of your outfit around it. This could be a bold pair of trousers or a statement midi skirt, just keep everything else pared back. If you want a safe bet, trial the trend with knitwear, styled with denim to give your everyday staples a new lease of life.

Check the fine print

Even the loudest of colour palettes can become easy on the eye if carefully interwoven through print or pattern. Take this amazing check coat (above right) – somehow the linear lines soften the effect of what would otherwise be a very bright piece of outerwear, making it versatile enough to layer with most things in your wardrobe. Equally, a graphic stripe can make even the shyest of colour novices feel more confident in their outfit of choice.

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