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A neutral colors girlie here and I know how hard it can get to introduce color to your wardrobe!
Let’s be honest, some people love colorful, vibrant outfits and can put them together with so much ease and smoothness, but for others, this represents a struggle, especially when you are just trying to get started on it. And with warmer seasons here, we kind of feel a bit more pressure to leave behind darker shades and move onto bright ones.
However, good news is that there are ways of introducing color to your outfits while still feeling confident and honoring your personal style! It’s all about finding the pieces that best work for you and remembering that you have to wear whatever you want! Fashion has no rules so don’t feel like you need to add color if that doesn’t resonate with you. But if you are looking forward to including some energy and brightness to your day through clothes, here are five ways to do it!
No better season than spring to try this! Pastels are colorful, joyful and such charming shades but at the same time they keep that classy subtleness that prevents them from being too loud and eye-catching if that’s not what you are looking for. Since they are extra light shades they can sometimes even act as neutral colors, making them so much easier to combine, wear and feel confident in.
It’s a great way of introducing color since you will be stepping away from blacks, whites & browns but not taking it too far all at once, which is why we usually fail to add color. The sensation of not being yourself when wearing something too bold for the first time will dissuade you to continue trying and experimenting because of thinking that “it’s not made for you”.
Here are a few of our pastel favorites:
This blush set is to die for, but for a start just get one of them to not feel overwhelmed with all the colors!
2. Add subtle prints like stripes
People often think that prints are always bold, vibrant, colorful and extra crazy, and that’s far from the truth! There are so many delicate prints that you can easily find in really pretty combinations & is a perfect way of adding little pops of colors to your wardrobe! For this specific article we’ll talk about stripes as they are so versatile not only in shade but in the overall design!
Wearing a striped shirt under a sweater or jacket just showing the collar & cuffs is such a good styling tip!
You can go for extra thin stripes when getting started and then gradually go for bolder styles, and the same happens with the color you go for! Shirts & tops are the easiest way to play with it but you could totally go for pants, dresses or accessories such as scarfs.
Remember that patterns will not only help you to add some color but also to elevate your outfit to make it more interesting by adding something fun and that helps with contrast.
3. Wear colorful base layers
If you’re ready to take it a bit further and try something more daring, then definitely go for your base layers! If you are wearing jeans & a blazer, then opt for a colorful top. It can be plain or it can be a graphic tee for example, but the idea is to keep your usual fit while switching it up a little bit by adding the color in the base. That way it’s not too prominent but is still there brightening up the overall fit.
Other ideas you can try are wearing a neutral fit with colorful socks or nice colorful pants with a neutral long trench. This way, the color can stand out a bit, but without being too overwhelming or the main character of the entire ensemble. This is such a good way of starting to think of color as part of your outfit and getting used to it. Later on you will automatically plan your outfits with this in mind and it is going to feel a lot more natural rather than forced!
4. Try with accessories & shoes
It’s not a secret that accessories, bags & shoes are the ‘pop of colors’ par excellence. They can easily be added or removed, they don’t define the whole outfit but do bring it together and they allow you to make it more or less important in the overall fit: you decide how much of them you want to show.
A favorite of mine -and the one I experiment the most to be honest- are earrings! They are small (or not haha), they can fuse with your hair if you are a little unsure at the beginning and they can instantly change the whole vibe of the fit! I like to play with what they are made of as well so I can take it further, and for this I go for acrylic, wood or raffia beside the usual materials.
Regarding shoes, they are bigger pieces and can even become statement items if you want so, so make sure to have fun! Adidas Samba became such a staple in everyone's closet for spiced up urban footwear, so those can be a good choice. If you are over Sambas, we also gathered other Adidas sneakers you are sure to love so make sure to check that out.
5. Get something colorful you really like
This is one of the things that helped me the most to get at ease when I started experimenting with colors. I understood that part of being comfortable goes beyond colors, and involves how a garment fits and how it makes us feel. It probably happened to you that just for fun tried something you would ‘never buy’ and then realized how much you loved it!
Opting for styles that flatter you, for fabrics that feel nice and taking the time to find the piece that fits the best will make you realize that many times the problem is not stepping out of the neutral colors but rather that you are failing to choose the piece of clothing itself. Yes, it takes a lot of hours, trying on, walking stores, patience and, naturally, disappointment, but in the end it is so worth it!
Some of the items I relied on were blazers, pants and shorts or skirts, and put the whole emphasis on adoring the way it looked on me, otherwise, I don’t want it!
BONUS! Find the colors you’re most comfortable with
And lastly but not least, remember you are not meant to love every color and wear them all. Yes to experimenting, playing, having fun and challenging your choices, but once you find a couple shades you like and can wear feeling super confident, stick to them!
Something great you can do is a color analysis if you want a bit of help knowing which colors will flatter you the best, but don’t feel a prisoner of it. It’s just information that can guide you at the beginning but you can do whatever you want from there to find your personal preferences!