"If you know me in real life, you know that I’m not shy when it comes to wearing color. Although I’m a maximalist at heart, my closet leans a bit more minimalist. (For a girl who works in fashion? Shocking, I know). Keeping a pared-back wardrobe certainly has its perks—space, time, money—but lately I’ve found myself in a bit of a style rut. Determined to pull myself out of it, I turned to new ways to experiment with color instead of buying anything new.
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You know those moments when you envision an outfit in your head, but realize after putting it on that it’s just downright horrible? Well, surprisingly, the opposite occurred for me when I decided to test out a few new color combos. What seemed like an absolute “no” in my mind turned into an “absolutely yes” when I looked in the mirror. The best combo so far? Brace yourselves: red and yellow. I know, it’s a total ketchup and mustard scenario (ew), but it worked.
In my desperation to switch things up, I realized that while I normally go for a pop of color, I rarely style more than one at a time. What started as an introduction to complementary colors quickly turned into a full-fledged love affair with head-to-toe color blocking. With many popular color schemes resembling national holidays, fast-food restaurants, and beloved childhood characters (sing it with me now: I love you, you love me…), I spent years coming up with reasons not to mix colors. Once I got over my fear of turning into a McDonald’s marquee, my creative potential exploded.
The 8 Best Unexpected Color Combinations to Style
Red and Yellow
Ah, here she is: the aforementioned mustard and ketchup pairing. Though this outfit seems pretty straightforward, if you look closely, there’s more to it than meets the eye. Since I chose to primarily stick to two colors and matched my sunnies to my shoes, I needed to find ways to break up the uniformity. The subtle sequin and pearl additions create depth without taking away from the overall look.
Pink and Yellow
Barbiecore or not, the color pink remains easily accessible in my closet. There’s just something about it that taps into my inner girlhood and makes me feel like the most powerful version of myself. Luckily, adding a pop of yellow to an outfit only ups the ante. This playful pairing can lean a bit more summer-focused, but when paired with darker neutrals (yes, leopard is a neutral), it suddenly feels fall-ready.
Blue and Green
Let’s try something here: I want you to imagine this same outfit, only the pants are beige and the bag is black. Cute, right? I’d wear it. Now look at the photo again. You’ve forgotten all about the neutral combo I told you to imagine, haven’t you? The outfit in this photo is the perfect example of why I’m suddenly reaching for loud color combos: life’s too short not to wear the fun stuff. Oh, and notice the small pop of orange on her wrist—it’s a great way to add a third color without going overboard.
Blue and Red
Outside of the Fourth of July, I can’t recall a time in which I’ve worn the patriotic color scheme… until last week when I was running late to an event and frantically paired a red bag with a blue top. Reluctant to show up to the event in the flag-waving combo, I arrived and started to receive a few compliments on what others thought was an intentional pairing. Here, I like that she’s decided to keep the accessories neutral in order to give the red pants the main stage.
Purple and Yellow
If you’re feeling a bit apprehensive about styling complimentary colors from head to toe, opt for experimenting with colorful accessories to start. Speaking generally, this idea works the best with outfits that are either entirely neutral or monochromatic. When I began to dabble in a bit of color mixing myself, I chose to start with a groutfit and then carefully added in opposing accessories. Though I chose to pair my purple sunnies with a yellow bag, it could have easily worked with a green or blue as well.
Turquoise and Burgundy
Excuse me while I find the words to articulate my obsession with this look. Independent of the daring color combo, this leather set is to die for. Though I normally advise against matching color shades exactly, since she’s exclusively stuck to the two colors from head to toe, the uniformity actually works to create a much more powerful statement. The cool undertones of the turquoise married with the richness of the burgundy create a harmony that allows for ways to extend the shelf life of brighter colors way beyond summer.
Pink and Orange
Name a happier color combo… I’ll wait. The idea of a monochromatic outfit seems like a universally loved concept, and while this outfit isn’t that, it’s the next best thing: the illusion of one. Because the pink and orange are both highly saturated, this outfit appears to be all one shade; however, since the orange is still a hair away from pink, it works to generate a more dimensional look. She could have left it at that, but the subtle pops of blue on the collar and purple on the bag add a little something extra.
Brown and Green
While you don’t need to go full-on neon to achieve this look, I would stick to a lighter shade of green at the risk of blending into the season’s fall foliage. With this fall offering such a wide array of greens to choose from, it’ll be easier to experiment outside of the standard olive. My personal fave? Lime green. Though it’s usually reserved for warmer temps, I think it brings a fresh perspective to the predictable fall line-up. In this look, I love how the coolness of the bright green sunnies harmonize with the warmth of the chocolate brown knit.
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Tinsley Crisp, Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer
Tinsley Crisp is a Fashion & Beauty Staff Writer at The Everygirl and specializes in reporting on the season’s latest trends and hottest products. As a New York City-based stylist, she’s committed to injecting joy into the art of getting dressed and delivering attainable yet aspirational content to our readers.