How Much Colour Should You Wear?

If there is one piece of advice everyone reads over and over again in fashion magazines and blogs, it's "wear colour!" and talks of how much it can change a look. While I agree that colour is important, the topic of how much colour to wear in a look is never discussed -- and the answer varies.

When I style my clients, I always tell them that colour comes down to comfort and confidence, which is true. Some individuals I personal shop with love to wear lots of beautiful, bold hues in their looks and mix and match them together, while others feel too on display when wearing a single item that is bright. Everyone has a different threshold for how much colour makes them feel their best.

If you're someone that loves to wear a lot of different colours at once, wonderful! You know how much fun it can be (as do I), and love the vibrancy it can inject into an outfit (this is also why I love prints so much -- they can be paired with so many different things!).

However, if you're someone that often shy's away from colour because you don't know what pairs with what, or because you feel too bold when doing so, here's a few tips on how you can incorporate more colour into your closet:

1. Start small. If you suddenly put on something bright and bold from head-to-toe, chances are you'll probably feel self-concious all-day long -- not the goal. Opt for small doses of colour such as nail polish, a pop of colour in a scarf, or even in your shoes.
   1. Ground with neutrals. When you're ready to try more colour in your look, ground it with neutrals. For example, if you find a gorgeous red top you want to pair with your denim, try incorporating a jacket or blazer overtop if you feel like it may be too much on it's own. Once you get used to seeing it on yourself, you'll feel less need to put a layer overtop to tone it down.
      
      
   2. Repeat 3 times only (ideally). Once you've become delighted with wearing fun colours, remember the golden rule of three. You only want to repeat the same colour in an outfit three times to avoid overuse and throw the outfit off-balance.
   3. Pull the less dominant colour in a print. If you're wanting to wear colour prints and aren't sure what colours to pair with them, my piece of advice is to look at the print you're wearing and to pull the least dominant colour from it. For example, the dress I'm wearing pictured in this post has multiple colours in it, but the yellow clutch, is a beautiful pop of colour next to it and compliments the look beautifully because yellow is a small, subtle shade in the print of the dress.Follow your comfort. Once you get accustomed to wearing small pops of colour in a look, you'll probably be more okay with the idea of suddenly wearing it in blouse, bottom,  or any other clothing item. Follow your comfort level when moving to a bigger item; opt for a pop of colour in a print if you want to do so slowly, or if you're ready, grab a fun bold clothing item or even a fun shoe in a bold colour to wear against your neutrals.

Above all, always ensure you wear what makes you feel best. Just because magazines or blogs may tell you to wear colour, doesn't mean you need to adopt their advice. Do what works for you and makes you feel the most beautiful, always.