by Aaron Marino
Possibly one of our biggest challenges when putting an outfit together is coordinating colors. I’m sure science has a good explanation, but it seems most men lack skill when it comes to harmonizing colors. Hey, I’m a guy…I get it! So, instead of trying to change what makes us men, I’m going to give you some basis rules that will turn a handicap into an asset. Say goodbye to the women’s advice you’ve been relying on, and say hello to the new you – the artist of your wardrobe!
In order to understand how colors work, let’s start with some basic vocabulary words:
Core Color: This is the dominant color in the color scheme of your outfit – blue suit, grey trousers, brown jacket, etc.
Accent Colors: These are the second and, at times, third next prominent colors worn in an outfit. Brown pants (core color) with tan jacket or tie (accent color). Accent colors are categorized and will be either complementary, triad, analogous, or neutral. It will make sense… I promise!
Complementary colors: These are colors found directly opposite of each other on the color wheel or in the color spectrum.
This is the infamous Color Wheel!
There’s a lot to be said about applying the rules of the color wheel to fashion, but in order to keep you from falling asleep, I’ll attempt to simplify it by getting to my first point – opposing colors are complementary. Red and green; yellow and violet; blue and orange; etc. are colors that compliment each other, and usually look good when teamed up together. Keeping this rule in mind makes color combining accurate and easy.
