Now Color is What You Need
Trends come, go, and often come back again. I am an advocate for not following trends blindly; I mean buying an item because it is currently popular and everyone is wearing it, and on the flip side not wearing something because it’s is “so last season” or “so last decade”. With that being said, this is one of the few times that you would hear me use the word trend and how to wear one.
From what I saw on the runways last fall (Spring/Summer collections are shown in the fall and Autumn/Winter collections are shown in the spring) and in the e-mail subscriptions I receive from all my favorite stores, color blocking is one of the trends for Spring/Summer 2011. If it is not immediately apparent to you what color blocking means, allow me to explain. Color blocking means creating one’s outfits using the most bright and vivid colors. The final result should be bold and eye catching. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you create your most attractive color blocking look:
You must nail your combinations
To avoid looking like a pack of skittles, you must combine your colors appropriately. A safe way to wear this trend is to wear one color throughout your outfit but in different shades. However, although this is a “safe” option don’t be fooled as it still requires a decent amount of skill because it could come off as you being overly matchy which is always a bad thing. For those that are not color shy, to get you started some color combinations that work are: red and cobalt blue, think Tommy Hilfiger; orange and cobalt blue, go UVA! ; turquoise and electric blue; pink and green; and finally green and orange, warning this could be tricky.
Stripes
Stripes are an easy way to wear this trend and this dress from H&M couldn’t have done it better.
Bold Jewellery
I got this tip from my daily Rachel Zoe subscription. Rachel Zoe is Hollywood’s most powerful stylist (The Hollywood Reporter) as she has made a million dollar business by advising her clients on what to wear… I’m totally jealous. Feel free to go loud with your jewelry this season; chunky colored bangles are a good place to start. No, colorful silly bandz will not suffice. A set of three brightly colored bangles will look great paired with the striped dress above.
The White Tee-Shirt
You can dress up a white tee-shirt as shown above if you want to slightly tone down the color. The skirt is by Jil Sander and the satchel is a medium Proenza Schouler PS1. Both the skirt and the satchel have hefty price tags, however you can certainly find more affordable alternatives at your favorite store.
The Bold Clutch or Handbag
Another great way to wear this look is to accessorize with a bold clutch or bag (like the satchel in the outfit above).
This turquoise clutch by Marc by Marc Jacobs can be paired with a pink mini dress to create a look that is both feminine and attention grabbing. I am a huge fan of mixed textures; this clutch combines raffia and leather perfectly, so yum! Buy at net-a-porter at a steal-worthy price of $200.
In summary, I feel when working with so many colours it is important to keep it simple; minimalism is inherent in color blocking. Additionally, please make sure your colors are bright because dull looking colors will look like a half-ass job. Furthermore, confidence is important to pull this look off effortlessly. Finally, if for some reason you end up looking you had an accident at the Skittles factory you are definitely color blocking incorrectly.
If you have a style question, you can write to me at saynotosweatpants@gmail.com
