Simple clothing color charts to help take the stress out of color & design. A color wheel shows the colors that are in the same color family as well as what my work well in a color group.
Complementary colors: Colors directly opposite each other in the color spectrum or wheel. Blue is opposite of orange on the color wheel. That is why gold, rust and brown compliment
shades of blue. Here’s an example of an outfit: navy trousers (blue) with a rust dress shirt (orange).
Analogous colors: Colors, which are next to each other on the color wheel, go well together, such as blue pants, a blue-green shirt and a green jacket.
Some examples of how to put this to use to coordinate your wardrobes: Some additional considerations:
Seasonal Colors: Some colors are more appropriate at certain times of year than others. Like the pastels of yellow, are usually associated with summer, while autumn colors are rust, brown, green, and burgundy. Wearing rust in the summer, or light yellow in the fall looks out of place.
Think Contrast: Try one light element with two dark, or one dark with two lights, such as a charcoal suit, white shirt and red tie, or tan suit with yellow shirt and green tie. Or khaki pants and a dark blue shirt.
Color Value: Dark colors recede thus making you look thinner, and light colors project, which tends to bulk you up. Dark colors are more formal than light colors.
Warm and Cool Colors: Families of analogous colors include warm colors (red, orange, yellow) and cool colors (green, blue, violet). Designers often build color schemes around two or three related colors.Select two warm colors with one cool or two cool with one warm to create dynamic harmony. Examples: navy suit, light blue shirt and red tie, or a yellow shirt, rust jacket and blue jeans.
Monochromatic: all one color, but different shades, tones or tints. All blue attire could consist of a navy suit, light blue shirt, dark blue tie, blue pocket square, etc. Add some contrast to this combination by using texture and pattern. Some of your clothing items should be smooth; others rough in texture. Some items could be patterned; others solid.
Neutral: We talked about neutral colors, but you can dress in shades of white, black, gray or beige. Khaki pants, a white shirt, and a gray dress shirt are all neutrals. It may not be a dynamic look, but it is sophisticated.
Seasonal Colors: Some colors are more appropriate at certain times of year than others. Like the pastels of yellow, are usually associated with summer, while autumn colors are rust, brown, green, and burgundy. Wearing rust in the summer, or light yellow in the fall looks out of place.
Color Value: Dark colors recede thus making you look thinner, and light colors project, which tends to bulk you up. Dark colors are more formal than light.
These charts by Design Seeds and Vacation Beach Portraits are useful tools in picking out just the right attire. People often think they should all wear the same color which isn’t always true. Coordinating and staying in the same shades are pleasing to the eye while lending some variation and breaking up the monotony of a group in all white or all blue etc.
Try picking colors that harmonize, Be sure to add accessories for splashes of color to give your portrait just the right wow.