• Style Guides
    • All Style Guides & Tips
    • Boho Style Essentials
    • Classic Style Essentials
    • Edgy Style Essentials
    • College Wardrobe Essentials
  • College
    • All College Articles
    • Dorm Bedding 2020
    • College School Supplies Checklist
    • Dorm Color Scheme Guide
    • Dorm Organization Tips
  • Outfit Ideas
    • All Outfit Inspo
    • College Outfits
    • 21st Birthday Outfits
    • Cold Weather Outfits
  • Sorority
    • All Things Sorority
    • Sorority Rush Essentials
    • Sorority Rush Outfits
  • Shopping
    • All Shopping Guides
    • Best Budget Fashion Stores
    • Where to Buy Sweaters
    • Best Online Thrift Stores
    • Timeless Jewelry Guide
  • Beauty
    • All Things Beauty
    • Makeup Essentials Guide
  • Valentine’s
    • All Valentine’s Posts
    • Valentine’s Day Gifts 2021
    • Valentines Gifts for Boyfriend
    • Valentine’s Day Gifts for Girlfriend
    • Cute Valentines Outfits
    • Galentine’s Day 2021
College Fashion
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Write for us

10 Easy Ways to Wear Color

There’s a right way and a wrong way to wear color – get it right with our tips on how to wear color.

Last Updated on January 31, 2019 by Zephyr - CF Editor
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our links. Please read our full disclosure here.
How to wear color

I recently received an email from a reader wanting to know how to add color to an outfit without channeling the psychedelic 1960s or Bozo the clown.

In truth, color is severely lacking in many wardrobes, and it’s such a shame. Wearing color can do amazing things for your skin tone, hair color, and overall appearance. While basic black will forever be a wardrobe staple, adding in a few more shades can spice up your wardrobe and add interest to your look.

Colorful clothes are also a hot spring trend, so wearing color is something worth learning how to do. Even if you think you can’t wear bright clothing, it’s much easier than it seems.

Here are ten easy ways to add some color to your outfits.

Start small and work your way up.

If you don’t normally wear lots of color, don’t dive in head first by throwing on the first five bright pieces you see. If you go this route, you’ll likely hate your look and swear of colors all together. It’s better to start small with one colorful piece and build from there.

Trade in basic black for a different neutral.

I’m not knocking the color black – it’s one of my favorites and makes a chic base to any outfit. That said, I don’t believe in using any color as a wardrobe crutch. If you wear black because you can’t think of anything else to wear, then you need to find a new neutral. I’m a fan of navy blue and nude lately, but gray and brown are perfect options too.

Choose colors that work with your skin and hair.

If you haven’t already, use my guide and find out what colors are most flattering on you. Once you know what looks good on you, it’s 1000 times easier to wear color without fear. Remember: start small. Incorporate one or two of those colors into your wardrobe, get used to them, and build from there.

Colorful shoes

Wear a bold shoe.

This is one of my favorite ways to wear color lately. I just bought a pair of neon pink ballet flats from Forever 21, and have been wearing them every chance I get. The great thing about bright shoes is that they jazz up even the most boring outfit, and they always stand out in a crowd. Red shoes with a little black dress or hot pink heels paired with jeans and a top – either way, you can’t go wrong.

Add a bright handbag.

Bright bags also a hot trend and another simple way to make your outfit more colorful. While black and brown handbags are super popular because they “go with everything”, bright ones are just as versatile! The trick to picking the right colorful bag? Make sure the shade meshes well with the rest of your wardrobe. A cobalt blue purse would be perfect if you wear lots of cool colors like gray and lavender, while a marigold bag would be a great choice if you normally rock shades of brown and other warm tones.

Wear a multi colored dress.

If you’re totally clueless when it comes to putting colors together, find a colorful dress and let it choose your color palette for you. Just pair your frock with neutral shoes and a coordinating bag. The dress will be the focus of your outfit, and you won’t have to worry about mismatching.

Colorful Jewelry

Sport colorful jewelry.

If you watched the Oscars, you must have seen Angelina Jolie’s emerald green earrings. They were strikingly beautiful against her all-black ensemble. This is an example of expert styling at work. Paired with a neutral outfit, a bright piece of jewelry can really stand out and be seen. Try this yourself by choosing one colorful piece – perhaps a chunky turquoise bracelet or bright cocktail ring, and wearing it with a simple top/jeans combo or a little black dress.

A bright top + denim = love.

I love colorful tops. They are one of the easiest ways to experiment with color, and they’re fairly inexpensive as far as clothes go. When paired with denim, a colorful top has met it’s perfect match. This spring, try a hot pink tank worn with white skinny jeans and heels, or a drapey yellow top with denim shorts.

Two words: colorful accessories.

Bright accessories rock because they’re cheap and easy to experiment with. A bright red belt over a black dress would look adorable. What about a cerulean scarf paired with your favorite neutral spring jacket? Bright tights are also a fun way to enliven your look, and they’re very on-trend as well.

Just have fun!

My final tip is to use color to express your personality and add some fun to your look. While it’s nice to try and dress well, when you wear color, experiment and enjoy yourself! Even if you don’t match perfectly, at the end of the day, it’s just fashion. We’re not saving lives here. 😉

Well, you’ve seen my tips for wearing more color – now I want to know what you think! Does your love for everything technicolor rival Rainbow Bright’s, or are you a basic black kind of girl? What colors do you wear the most?

Tags : Colors, How To, Wardrobe

22 Comments
Originally published on March 26, 2009
Previous Fashion Idols: The Pros and Cons
Next Labels Aren’t Everything – How to Break the Brand Name Obsession

Related Posts

How to Dress Like an Instagram Influencer: Amy Bell (@t...

Lizzo Concert Outfits | What to Wear to Lizzo’s &...

mint mustard header

Color Combo to Try: Mint + Mustard

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lyd says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    Awesome post!!! My wardrobe has lots of color (mainly t-shirts though)….colour wise……i cant choose because ive got too many colours…

    Reply
  2. Preet says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    Love love this ! i always love color but sooo confused how to use it 🙂 thanx xx

    Reply
  3. Kristen says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    How about bright nail polish? My nails are bright pink right now (the bottle says “Pink Promenade Creme,” but that’s not really helpful). They’re so colorful and happy! I wore a yellow shirt today because I was excited about the sunshine.

    Reply
  4. Mahima says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    When I go shopping, I usually am at a complete loss when it comes to color. So I stick to black, and usually like to spice it up with one bright and perky color. Before I knew it, it became my style.

    Top 3 Combinations I <3 :

    Blacks/ Graphites to go with bright sunshine yellow
    Whites/ lighter Greys to go with parrot greens or turquoise blues
    Browns/Beiges/Cremes with Pinks and Magentas.

    So a majority of my wardrobe is neutral, and a few brightly colored pieces. I love to mix and match here, so no two outfits resemble each other- but then, that’s an illusionary trick I swear by!!

    Reply
  5. Chelsea says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    I have been waiting for this post. My mom gets so mad when I pair two bright colors together. I love to pair hot pink and a bright blue cardigan. My signature however is black with a splash of hot pink. I do this trough purses, belts, jewlery, shoes, and cardigans.

    My favorite way to add color is purses, I own one in almost every color. I am still looking for the perfect purple one though…

    Reply
  6. piggy says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    yay thanks for posting this article so soon : )
    i really like the tips! im going to try the replacing with neutrals, i’ve also been liking tan, navy blue and grey lately! and i can’t seem to part with my black boots, so maybe i’ll try brown/tan…though it may be too hot to wear boots anyway : (
    alsoooo i’m going to try to the accessories one and bag , and bright shoessss <3
    thanks! i never wear straight up black, but i just have too much black or i tend to wear too much neutrals together which is Getty bland and boring w/spring coming in.

    Reply
  7. Jenny says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    I’m usually a black-grey-blue person, but I do like colors in moderation.

    I like bright shoes, but not necessarily heels. I stick to flats or sneakers for most days.

    I hate purses, but I love scarves. They’re inexpensive and come in every color ever.

    Any time I wear a t-shirt, I ALWAYS wear a tank top underneath so it sticks out a little around my hips. It’s an easy way to add color without going overboard or looking tacky.

    Reply
  8. Anna says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    I LOVE wearing lots of color!

    Totally random, but I got SO mad when I was watching Ugly Betty and her boss Daniel told her that if she ever wanted to make it in the world of fashion she needed to stop wearing so many colors. And then, when she dresses in all black her family gasps and tells her she looks “almost fashionable.” Helloo – color is in! 🙂 sorry for extreme rant.

    Reply
  9. Michelle says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    I LOVE COLOR!!! and to Anna lol I thought the same thing but Ugly Betty is still awesome!

    Reply
  10. Ashley says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    No no. I’ll stick to my all-black. Thankyou.

    Reply
  11. myvogue says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    Great post, I love colors. My favorite is blue, I have tons of outfits in blue and I am starting to think that I should start wearing other colors too like green and pink. Also for the summer yellow is very trendy, because when the skin is tanned it looks super sexy. I heard long time ago that in order to look stylish a woman should not combine more than three colors on her outfit.

    Reply
  12. Sarah says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    great article! I would have to say I love my neutrals black and gray but I still love a pop of color. Lately I’ve been wearing a lot of white as a base color, it’s a refreshing change from my darker winter wardrobe and the best part is anything goes! I just bought a pair of aqua green (ugg calls it “pool”) slouchy sweater uggs…at 50% off (only 70 bucks) they’re an awesome way to add color compared to the basic, neutral colored regular uggs I’ve worn.

    Reply
  13. Nilaya says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    This has come right on time, I seriously need to start wearing some more color. I’m your basic classy black/grey/cream girl. What’s weird is that I actually have one gigantic pop of color- my fire engine red coat. And I always have red nails (it’s like my signature trademark thing), but I’ve had that coat for so long it feels like it doesn’t count anymore.
    I just needs to get other bright colors than red! When I read the thing about shoes I realized the only bright-colored shoes I have were my, typically, red peetoes.
    My summer wardrobe’s mostly basic cool tones like dark blue, green and white while my winter’s all beige and cream and grey.
    Seriously I’ve bought one hot pink shirt but I just don’t know what to wear it with! It’s really tshirt like, which is also so not me, and has a print, which is also a first for me. With some jeans it’d just look too… boring high-necklined or something. I’m used to shirts in varying styles, but no tshirt-necks! Was thinking about my balck pencil skirt or black shorts, but I dunno…

    Reply
  14. Taylor says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    i like dark colors, mostly grays, navys and blacks. all my skirts are brightly colored or patterned and i use that to infuse color in.

    Reply
  15. F_W says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    Great post!
    Adding colourful accessories is a great idea…definately a good way to spice up an otherwise basic outfit.
    But having just having fun with colour is probably the best piece of advice!

    Reply
  16. Judy Booty says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

    I can never pull it off with the bright colors! DAMN IT!

    Reply
  17. gabi says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    how do u feel about skinny jeans with bright heels and a bright shirt? should one just be neutral? different colors? or different shades of the same colors?

    Reply
  18. la petite fashionista says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    Love the suggestions! I’m a huge fan of bright colors; they really brighten up an outfit. I usually wear it in my shoes/accessories or another fun way is withnail polish!

    Reply
  19. Maria says

    May 27, 2019 at 10:07 am

    I love the idea! I usually wear colorful tops with black skinny jeans and neutral colored shoes (since jeans and shoes are rather expensive, unlike tops which are a lot cheaper) 🙂

    Reply
  20. Deborah Boland says

    April 15, 2019 at 11:17 am

    I find it is particularly important to wear color after 40. It’s easy to fall into a black hole because black is easy and slimming, but it really accentuates dark shadows, lines and wrinkles, so I always advise clients to wear color at least up by their faces.

    Reply
  21. bella says

    May 17, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    well one other way that i love to wear bright colours is getting a cardigan (not a long one) in a bright colour that suits you and wearing it with a pretty but neutral coloured top, however keeping the cardigan opened so it sort of rolls and you can see the top. you can wear almost anything even a tank top under it, and then skinny jeans and cute flats to go with that.

    Reply
  22. PerfectLocks says

    May 17, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    Thanks for all the wonderful tips. I am loving all the colorful jewelry and bags that I am seeing in stores now. They are an easy way to add color to your outfit without being to flashy or out there. Also, I love summer time when all the pretty and colorful dresses come out.

    Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • bloglovin

SEARCH CF

Get the latest CF updates! (Delivered weekly, no spam ever, unsubscribe anytime.)

21 Cute Backpacks for School 2021: Our Picks for Going to Class with Style

Sling some style over your shoulder this semester.

Best of 2020: Fashion, Beauty, College Essentials, and More!

All of my favorites from an unforgettable year, to say the least.

Vintage Posts

Copyright © 2007-2021 College Fashion LLC | Contact • Privacy Policy • Terms of Service • Disclosure • Write for Us