Add a Splash Of Colour This Spring

Pampas orange bag spring colour

Before you go totally “radio-rentals” and buy a whole new wardrobe full of colours which don’t really go with each other (or what you already have)  consider 5 simple tips to make adding colour to your wardrobe easy! 

colour in wardrobe
by Elena Taggart, The Closet Stylist

Tip 1 – Start Small

Adding more colour to your wardrobe is super simple if you start small by adding accessories. Bags, belts, jewellery, scarfs and shoes are all great and inexpensive ways to add pops of colour to your wardrobe without going crazy.  You might choose to add a few pieces in the same colour or individual pops of a few colours. I wouldn’t focus on having matching shoes, bags and belts in every outfit. But a brightly coloured bag will lift a neutral outfit. A bright pair of sandals in an eye popping colour can totally change up an outfit. Or try clashing two opposing colours when accessorising one outfit – that is EXPERT level!

Tip 2 – Update Basics You Know Work

Do you have a favourite white tee? Or a favourite cut classic shirt? Try adding another colour in a tried and tested piece that you know works for you and fits well.  This is a really easy way to add a new colour to your wardrobe while being sure the item will fit and work with other pieces you have. Your favourite tee might come in a wealth of colours and one might just SPRING out at you (do you see what I did there)!

Tip 3 – Understand Your Season

Skin tone and hair colouring can have an impact on the colours we wear and feel great in. While there are some colours some of us can’t wear, I do think with a full face of make-up we can all wear whatever colour we want!  Having an idea of which colours work for you can make choices easier. You really don’t have to have your colours professionally “done”, just look at your hair and skin tone. Is your skin warm or cool, sallow or pale? Do you burn or tan in the sun? Is your hair warm or cool toned? Simply put if you have a warm skin tone typically you will suit warm toned colours rich camel rather than pale beige. If you have a cooler tone, you might suit cooler baby blues rather than vibrant cobalt.  Don’t obsess about it, do not download a colour chart and march into M&S and demand that exact colour of knit, just keep it in mind when you’re obsessing about green sweaters, is it a warm vibrant or cool white based shade? And are you warm or cool? 

Tip 4 – Identify Your Signature Colour

You did the prep and you already conducted your wardrobe analysis before you started right? Well if not… Look in your wardrobe and evaluate what you have already. Is there a colour that you already lean towards? With me, although my wardrobe is fairly neutral I love warm camel tones so I tend to pick these up to add to the mainly black and whites I already have.  I have clients where the wardrobe edit leaves really strong veins of certain colours like yellow, orange or green. We all have a signature colour we lean towards. If you add more of that signature colour to the pieces you already have you can’t fail to make it work.

Tip 5  –  Add Some Pattern

Tied into the signature colour, adding patterns and prints in colours that you lean too is a simple way to add more colour that will work with what you already have. Adding leopard print to my already black, white and camel wardrobe is really a no brainer….  If yours is green for example, any  lovely floral, leaf or leopard with a hint of green should go with pieces you already have.

For more tips and colour advice, read Elena’s accompanying Westender Wardrobe Edit here.

For more great looks and advice visit Elena’s Instagram @the_closet_stylist

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