Hi Imogen, just wondering if you will be doing more discussions on color coordinating. I had my colors done and I am a winter. I know what colors look best on me however not quite sure on how to incorporate multiple colors, and putting multiple colors together that you won’t routinely think will go but work well. In stating this, it would be nice to have ebook that is designated on use of color showing you how to team up colors in a picture format for each color season. I know you touch on it briefly, but something more in depth would be great.
Thanks for your time. I loved the the ebook The Finishing Touch, very informative, and helpful!
Sincerely,
Nikkie
the sea that inspired Rosina
Colour mixes are abundant in nature. Have a look around and notice what you feel is beautiful. It could be a single plant or a landscape or scenery. Often when we use nature as our guide we can create a really beautiful palette to work with.
Do you remember Rosina? She talked about how she loves the sea and it influences the way she dresses.
What are the landscapes that make you swoon?
Landscapes that inspire you?
Here are just a few landscapes, filled with colours that could inspire you to think about mixing colours. Notice how the intensity or saturation of the colours remains the same and works with each of the colours – so bright with bright or soft with soft.
City landscapes that inspire
No matter what kind of scenery that inspires you look at how the colours work together. What are the patterns? Are they high or low contrast?
Colour schemes in nature
Look how nature puts together colour combinations. Here with these birds and fish we can see everything from monochromatic, analogous, triadic and complementary colour schemes all replicated in these creatures.
So how do you translate these to your outfits? Firstly, think about your colour wheel and how you can use it to create a colour scheme.
colour schemes using the colour wheel
1. Monochromatic – shades of the same colour
2. Analogous – 2-3 colours next to each other on the colour wheel
3. Complementary – colours opposite on the colour wheel
4. Triadic – 2-3 colours equally spaced on the colour wheel
Match like colours together, warm with warm, cool with cool, bright with bright etc. Here are a couple more polyvore examples to help you think about mixing ‘like’ colours.
So you can see that by using the colour wheel and nature you can look for more unusual or interesting colour schemes to try out in your clothes.
You may find that this post on choosing colours helps you think about mixing colours too.
Just remember that you don’t want to dress in equal portions, it’s better to have a dominant colour, a secondary colour and when bringing in a tertiary colour it should be a much smaller percentage.
Which colour schemes do you love?
What in nature inspires you?
Awesome post, Imogen!!! So much wonderful information! I am in the process of “de-frumping” my wardrobe. This post will help immensely. Thank you!
Sheila – dump that frump! Thanks for your lovely comment.
Ditto – fantastic!
Hello Imogen,
The part of the post about Rosina and how the sea influences her way of dressing really struck a cord with me. It is so beautiful and self-affirming when a person is able to choose an inspiration that resonates with her inner self and dress accordingly. But what if your inner inspiration and work dress code are completely at odds? For example, the what inspires me can be captured by the adjectives of creative, artistic, stylish and unique and my work demands an image of caring, warm, relatable, and knowledgeable (I am a psychotherapist). Most of my waking hours are spend either at work or chasing after the kids, so embracing my “inner style persona” on a few outings with friends does not seem to be enough. Is there a happy medium?
Thanks so much!
I just want to mention that for me, a bit of creativity in a psychotherapist’s outfit would be only attractive because I’d connect to it. I guess it varies client to client.
Also, I am too in a fairly conservative environment, plus I’m a natural/casual, so I add creativity in small bits: necklaces, scarves, earrings, eyeshadow, purse … works for me – satisfies the desire to be creative and play while generally sticking to the crowd.
my 2 cents,
– tall & slim anon
Thanks so much for your kind words! Sometimes I am having difficulty remembering that every small bit counts, that it is not all or none situation. Thank you for reminding me of that…
Thanks Anna!
This is quite possibly the most straightforward thing I’ve read about color-coordinating anywhere, ever. Thanks.
Thanks Mia – I really appreciate your lovely comment!
Hi Imogen, I was wondering if you use pinterest at all for color? I have been really starting to get more creative with my colors since I started pinning colors. It is a great way to see how a wardrobe can look with all of the different colors that I have been working with from my Deep Warm palette. I have pulled my favorites out of the bunch and love seeing what colors other people have put them with and seeing what they look like together. For example I am loving navy with chartreuse which I never would have thought of. If you do pin I would love to see that.
hi imogen. after reading these posts about color, i am eager to read your e-book on color! can you tell us when it will be available? thanks so much!
I’m working on it Jenni!
yay! looking forward to reading! thanks.
I love your posts, Imogen. Finally I have learned how to mix colours! Please, never stop writting
thanks so much Maria