Unless you work in an extremely formal place where grey and black are the only permissible colors, there is no excuse for not adding color to your look. Believe it or not colors have multiple benefits – they brighten up the mood, give out positives vibes, make you more approachable, the list goes on….

If you have worn black or gray all your life and are not sure how to start with the colors, take one step at a time. Add colors by way of accessories like a scarf or bangles while keeping your clothes neutral. You will really be surprised to see how many compliments you receive. When someone who dresses too predictably, goes in for a change, it is always welcome!!

Once you are confident that you look good in colors, start buying clothes in different colors. You can start with light colors in solids. Then slowly move to prints. Make it a habit to include one pop of color in your outfit. If your clothes are neutral, adding a bright bag or shoes or jewelry will spice up your appearance instantly. The key is not to match but to give a more put together look. So, if you are thinking of wearing a red dress with red shoes, please don’t. It’s always great to have a pop of color but it should never be overdone. Color Combinations for Clothes and Accessories Neutrals: Black, White, Khaki, Navy, Grey, Brown and Tan are all neutrals. They can be paired with ANY color and with each other. You can never go wrong when making outfits using neutrals but just neutrals make the outfit really dull. So, you want to bring in a bright piece of clothing or accessory to add interest to your outfit.

Colors: There are these softer colors like Pale Pink, Mauve, Lemon Yellow, Light Blue and Light Green and bolder colors like Orange, Red, Fuchsia, Purple, Deep Blue, Bright Green and so on. These can be paired with ANY neutral but you want to be careful when pairing them with each other. Here’s a small guide to help you decide which colors go with each other. Note that I say GO and not match. Matchy matchy is too outdated so you have to think contrast.

Main Color	Colors that go with the main color
Green	Yellow, Red, Blue, Orange and Purple
Orange	Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple
Red	All colors except, bright orange, pink and purple
Purple	Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink
Blue	Red, Pink, Yellow, Orange, Green
Yellow	Orange, Red, Blue, Green, Purple, Pink
Pink	Yellow, Purple, Blue

Just remember these combinations need not be restricted to clothes alone. You can mix pieces of clothing and accessories in these colors. For instance, you can do a grey suit with green silk blouse, yellow bag and orange bracelet. Keep the shoes neutral – may be black croc leather pump for adding some texture.

Hair Color

Who doesn’t color their hair? That’s easier that getting or maintaining a new style. Whether it is to hide grays or to get a new look, there are tons of products available in the market to make it easier than ever. But, just remember one thing – it’s always better to get shades that are closer to your natural hair color. If you are dark haired and decide to go totally blonde, it may not work esp. with your eyebrows and eyelashes giving it away. So is the case for blonde going really dark. You can always lighten or darken your brows and lashes, but the result is not always perfect. A great alternative would be to get highlights. That way you are experimenting with a very different color, yet are not forced to keep up with the color of your brows and lashes!!

Colors in Makeup

Another thing you should always keep in mind is the color of your make-up. If you are wearing clothes in earthy colors, stick to shades of brown, orange or red for lips and cheeks. If you are wearing pink or purple clothes, choose blush and lip color in shades of pink, wine or mauve. If you are really unsure, stick to nude or very light lip gloss for a more natural look.

Instead of wearing black liner all the time, you can really dramatize your eyes by choosing the right shades of shadow and eye liner:

Blue eyes – Go for brown shadow and liner
Brown eyes – Think sapphire
Green eyes – Eggplant is the best color for your eyes

But remember, if you are doing the smoky eyes, keep your lips neutral.

If there is anything else you would like to know on color combinations, do let me know through comments or by using Contact Me section.

Go ahead and color yourself happy!!

Summary:

- Clothes and accessories shouldn’t match - they should go!

- Make any outfit interesting by adding a pop of color

- Try highlights before you drastically change your hair color

- Choose pink or earthy tones for cheeks and lips depending on your outfits color

- Achieve a dazzling look by substituting your black eyeliner with other colors

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