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The runways at fashion week were awash with colour clashes, as were the streets, as fashionistas everywhere went all-out for the trend. But in reality, you’ve got to have a little know-how in order to get it right.
In order to avoid making a fashion faux pas, we lay out some basic tips that’ll help you create an ensemble that’s both chic and pleasing to the eye.
1. Match similar shades together
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If the idea of mixing different bright colours together makes you want to barf (violet with lime green? no way!), what you can do is to start off by experimenting the variation of one hue.
For example, if the main piece that you’ve chosen to rock for the day is in vermillion, an easy way to colour-clash is to just use accessories in varying shades of red. Think of colours like pink, maroon, blush or rust — they all fall under the umbrella of red shades, only differing in degrees of contrast and brightness. This way, you’ll be able to create an interesting twist to your outfit.
2. Colour block with hues of opposite spectrums
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Hues that fall directly opposite each other on the classic colour wheel will go well with each other, even if they seemingly clash. These combinations include blue and orange, red and green, as well as yellow and purple. If you’re playing it safe, leave one colour muted when you’re going all-out with the other.
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3. Use adjacent colours on the colour wheel
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When two shades fall side by side with each other on the colour wheel, they are known as analogous colours. Examples are red and orange, yellow and green, and blue and violet. These will definitely match well with one another and appear harmonious. Make sure that at least one of the pieces you’re wearing is highly saturated in colour, so that you create enough contrast.
4. Triadic colours
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The term ‘triadic’ in colour theory refers to the serene effect you’ll achieve when three hues equidistant to one another on the colour wheel are used together. For example, yellow will complement blue and red, while green looks stunning with orange and violet. To deploy this technique successfully, the colours should be balanced. In other words, one shade should be the dominating hue, while the other two should come in as supporting accents.
5. When in doubt, mix and match different neutrals
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Okay, so you’re not a rainbow-loving kind of gal. We get it. What you can do to spice up your ensemble without having the need to go bright, is to opt for two or more neutral colours and combine them. These hues include grey, navy, black, white, brown and nude. Understated yet stylish, these colours will mesh together to create a tonal, yet chic, overall look.
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