How to wear color now (without looking like a carnival)
Between the Coastal Grandmother, Quiet Luxury, and minimalist trends, it can feel at times as though color has been banished from our wardrobes. Or at least, put on a time-out. I love my neutrals as much as the next gal, but sometimes need the enlivening boost that color adds. Here are some colorful outfit ideas for women, to wear now and into the holiday season.
One colorful accent
I think the easiest way to wear color is to add one accent piece. (In one of your best colors, of course!)
Red is one of fall’s biggest color trends, and there’s a red for everyone. The current season version of this sweater jacket is a more neutral red than the one I’m wearing above, so could work for almost everyone. (If you want a warmer red, check out the striped version.)
Here’s a neutrals + one-color outfit idea in a cool palette.
I love the silver-tone “statement” buttons on the raspberry pink cardigan, good for most Winters and some Summers. (Summers also take a look at this one in the “Marina” color.)
Tie one on 🧣
A scarf is also one of the easiest ways to add color to your outfits (and get your best colors nearest your face). I’ve been working with BLACK (a luxury accessories brand in the UK) on this collection of colorful leopard print scarves for each of the seasonal palettes. They are now in stock and up on the website!
Many of you Autumns can wear this one too…
Some Springs may find this color works for us as well.
And no, I haven’t forgotten you Summers…here’s a Cornflower blue colorway just for you!
For a limited time, you can save 15% on these scarves and other best-selling gifts from BLACK, during their Gift Event! (No code needed, and shipping is free on all orders over $175.)
Color head to toe…
We’ll soon be rounding the corner into the holiday season, and I always like to have a couple of Festive-not-Fussy outfits in mind for parties and other gatherings. Even simple outfits look and feel more festive in color. But I don’t want to compete with the holiday decorations. So my suggestion to keep the look more sophisticated is to limit the number of colors in an outfit.
One way to do this is to wear a single color head to toe. (If you wear jumpsuits or dresses, you’ve already got this.) But I think an even more interesting way to go (without going overboard) is to wear two analogous colors. Analogous colors are within the same seasonal palette, and close to each other on the color wheel. Pink and red is one classic example.
Here are a couple of colorful outfit ideas for casual holiday parties, or other celebrations.
Colorful outfit ideas for women
This outfit idea features a cool color palette mix of burgundy and raspberry , which should work for most Winters and Summers. (Burgundy and raspberry are two colors that are found in both palettes.)
This warm analogous outfit idea is for you Autumns, and includes both the Peacock and Kingfisher colors from your palette.
Springs, this one is a bit more challenging for us, as so many of our colors skew a bit splashy and “carnival” to start with. (Especially the colors in our palette that are available now.) For us, I think the one-color approach works best, either neutrals + color or a single color head to toe.
More tips for wearing color
If you’re generally color-shy (but would like to wear more of it), my suggestion is to focus on just one or two of the colors you like best in your palette. Then experiment with incorporating them in with your neutral outfits, and see just how much color feels right for you. (It may vary from day to day.) The beauty of a wardrobe in your seasonal palette is that just about everything will coordinate. So it’s easier to mix and match, and you can build your wardrobe over time.
Be sure to check out my seasonal color shops for more of my top picks for every seasonal palette:
Shop Spring | Shop Summer | Shop Autumn | Shop Winter
How do you like to wear color: a little, a lot, or not at all?
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Do you have any suggestions for in person color analysts in Memphis, TN or Charleston, SC?
Just home from 10 days in Italy, where it was unusually HOT weather…sneakers/trainers/tennis shoes with everything…looks ‘lazy/shlumpy’ to my eye, but my plantar fasciitis thanked me. I ‘tabletop dressed’ and gave my feet a rest. Thanks, Susan, for guiding me to put my best ‘feet’ forward! OH – and I DID manage to ‘carry on’ in a chic and micro-wardrobe way!
This is my third season of wearing outfits composed entirely of shades of (sort of) burgundy…burgundy, cassis (Eileen Fisher), fig (JJill), wine, etc. I love the palettes and, to my amazement, always get compliments on the outfits. I combine a cassis scarf or leopard-print scarf or shirt or something black or cream or a gold necklace or…. I am a medium-brown-haired winter turned white-haired. Over the past few years I have gathered multiple items in this color family. Always fun, colorful without being bright, and great for travel because any combination seems to work.
The Peacock and Kingfisher outfit is outstanding, colors, modern shapes and textures – sartorial perfection.
Thank you!
I agree! It’s absolutely stunning, Susan. I love those two colours together and never would have thought to wear them with leopard print!
Hi Susan, it’s fun to see color! I appreciate you showing the various color seasons within the same post. I’m sure you’ve shared this before, but please remind me what is your favorite way to store scarves? I find scarves really pep up my Winter palette. Thanks!
I love colour and wear bright colours a lot. I’ll send you a photo of a friend in bright colours which I think is the bomb.
Greetje
That pink and red outfit is glorious! Spectacular! I love doing that mixing of hues, always feels to artsy and sophisticated to me:)