One of my favorite things to do when creating outfits is working with pieces in really remarkable colors. I’m a very visual person and there’s just something about an elegant color scheme bringing out a color’s raw beauty that just feels really good to me. In fact I get a lot of color inspiration from random things I come across in my daily pursuits such as an intricately painted row house, a vintage poster, or a unique dish pattern. Whatever it happens to be, when I see something that really grabs my attention I look closer to pick out the basic components so that I can recreate the same scheme with pieces in my wardrobe.
I also use the color wheel a lot when I’m looking for ideas on how to wear certain colors. I have a number of statement color pieces in my wardrobe that I wear all the time, and while I have a set of go-to color formulas, I do like to change things up and give those statement pieces more versatility. When I’m putting together an outfit I typically pick one piece that I want to wear and then build the look around that piece, and this is where the color wheel is very helpful.
When using the color wheel to create colors schemes there are two approaches I’ll take and the direction I go mostly depends on my mood. If I want a smooth and comfortable combination I’ll go with neighboring colors like green and blue or red and pink. Alternatively, opposites on the color wheel, also known as complementary colors, will create a more fascinating aesthetic. Complementary colors have the strongest contrast to one another, basically the yin and yangs of the color wheel.
While opposite colors are in fact complimentary, they can be a bit daunting and trickier to pull off unless you want to walk out the door looking like a Christmas wreath. Per my own personal preference I tend to go with more subtle color pairings, so when I want to do a opposite color pairing I find the best way to go is with less saturated shades of the primary colors. In this case, my starting point of this outfit was the faded redwood coat. This color is on the borderline of red and burnt orange and the kelly green in this striped sweater was the perfect shade to liven up the coat’s muted color. With an opposite color scheme it’s also important to incorporate one or two neutrals to soften the look and let the contrast in the color pairing be the main focus of the look.
This double breasted coat is a new addition to my coat collection. I have a weak spot for statement colored coats and really fell in love with the color of this one. Depending on what colors it’s worn with this shade of red can go either way as an interesting neutral or statement color. In addition to the color, I really love the structural style of this coat because it’s a classic piece that gives balance to casual, relaxed outfits. This coat isn’t the warmest in my collection, which is why I sized up so that I can fit lots of layers underneath, but it also happens to be a good transitional piece for that same reason.
I could probably wear stripes every day and be happy. I definitely prefer a breton stripe, but I found this rugby striped sweater on clearance years ago and it’s been one of my favorite sweaters ever since. It’s a cotton knit and fits more like a thick long sleeved shirt, so it’s warm without the bulk. I also really like the sporty feel of a rugby stripe and will often pair them with more feminine pieces like this straw bag and flared pant.
I bought these flared pants a few years ago and at the time I thought they were kind of ridiculous, but I also really loved them. At the time the 70’s look was not in-style at all, in fact I hadn’t seen them in the mainstream since I was in the 7th grade. But man were they cool then. But I digress, even though they are not my normal trouser silhouette, having a good pair of flared pants in your wardrobe is a safe investment to make. If they fit you well and they are good quality you’ll have them for years and pull them out every once in a while to get your 70’s fill and then tuck them away until the disco fever strikes again. Although this pant style comes and goes on the trends train, with its illusionist leg lengthening and waist whittling abilities a high-rise flared pant is ever the flattering and edgy piece.
And of course, the market tote. Perfect in March when your day dreaming of warmer weather but the forecast has different ideas. We had a few 60-70 degree days last week and now we are expecting snow in the next few days. But fear not because there’s nothing like a tres chic market bag for making a little snow into lemonade. My uber stylish mother brought this beauty home to me after visiting the Medina Mercantile shop in Copper Hill, Virginia. Classic, structured, and leather trimmed this bag is simple perfection.