Tips: How to match colors without hassle?

What colors to wear in men's fashion?

1. START WITH “BASIC” COLORS

There was a time when some felt that men had less freedom than women when it came to choosing colors to combine in an outfit. We were content to wear dark and sad colors, alternating between black, navy blue and gray.

Sad times.

Nowadays, dress codes are are slightly softened : sky blue, mustard yellow, light purple or burgundy red are no longer strictly reserved for women. Phew.

If we often have to rely on the dogmas and preconceived ideas of the past, there are still a few notions to keep in mind: if men were used to dressing in a few different colors, it is because that they were simple to agree with each other .

Keep this notion of simplicity in mind. Before investing in expensive colored pieces, we strongly advise you to master the associations with:

• navy blue,
• gray,
• beige.

You can never go wrong with these three colors. With it, you can more easily combine them with more risky colors, like electric blue, orange, green, pink, or whatever else takes your fancy.

A strong and remarkable color must be present in the right proportions , especially if you are not used to paying attention to colors.

Use and abuse these 3 pillar colors , especially if you're just starting out. Gray, in particular, is the easiest color to wear, without it being “sad” either.

If you choose your clothes in these 3 pillar colors: you can NOT go wrong when it comes to matching them!

Don't forget that contrasts in cuts and materials also count. They are also the ones who make an outfit a success…or a failure .

2. CLOTHING COLORS THAT SHOULD BE MODERATED

If we advocate color and originality, there are still certain colors that are good to moderate in a wardrobe .

We think in particular about colors primary and secondary : those of the gouaches that we gave you in kindergarten. These shades are just too garish and lack subtlety. We can use them occasionally but, beyond one item, it is often already too much.

3. WHAT COLORS OF CLOTHES TO WEAR? THE CASE OF WHITE AND BLACK

White and black are NOT the easiest colors to wear. On the contrary, it is very complicated to know how to match these colors :

• White and black are on opposite sides of the color spectrum: wear black with other colors that aren't dark enough, and all you see is the black item of clothing that clashes with the outfit. Same with white if the other clothes are not in light enough tones.

These colors also have disadvantages:

• White quickly turns gray due to wear,
• and black fades quickly , unless you take really high-end clothes.

So use them more sparingly, and if you buy black: do so by choice (= with a specific idea in mind), and not “by default”.

A wardrobe with good basics nevertheless includes a few black or white pieces: jacket, t-shirt, sneakers... These are also the ones that will allow you to easily create your outfits.

Match colors well: think about contrasts and not over-intellectualize

Now that you're no longer worried about colors, here's the second key concept: contrasts . If you had to remember only one thing before moving on to other articles, it would be this little sentence: the contrast between clothes should be of the same order as the contrast between skin and hair .

As a legacy of our hunter/gatherer past, the eye is always drawn to contrasts and to what stands out from the rest. As a result, the observer's attention will go to the most contrasting part of your silhouette. The objective is to direct the gaze towards your face, while having an outfit with the right amount of character.

Below are color circles so you understand the different types of contrasts:

1. MATCH COLORS WITH STRONG SKIN/HAIR CONTRAST

If you have very contrasting skin and hair (light skin/dark hair), your outfit should as much as possible not be too uniform in order to avoid the plain pajamas effect.

Jean Dujardin presents this type of face with light skin and dark hair. Also the photo on the left is more attractive to the eye since her outfit presents a contrast of the same order as that of her facial features .

2. MATCH COLORS WITH MODERATE SKIN/HAIR CONTRAST

It is easier to dress this type of face because the contrast is immediately less pronounced.

On the left, the crisp shirt/black tuxedo jacket contrast is perhaps slightly more pronounced than that between Leonardo Di Caprio's skin and hair. On the right, the shades of blue are more relevant... but we're quibbling a little!

3. MATCH COLORS WITH LOW CONTRAST SKIN/HAIR

If you have fair skin and light hair, you should avoid strong contrasts which would completely erase your face.

On the left, there are too many contrasts with this white tuxedo: we absolutely no longer see the face of good Ryan Gosling. The outfit is much more balanced on the right, because her face takes the light much better.

What about color reminders?

Now, it's time to tackle the ultimate twist: color reminders. In order to give depth and coherence to your outfit, it is a good idea to match certain elements .

• For example, you can match an accessory with your eye or hair color.
• Don't hesitate to match the accessories together: a pair of socks with a scarf, a tie with the pants, and others. Match the colors of different points of the outfit to make it more uniform, without going overboard.

Of course, these reminder ideas are just general rules: experiment in front of the mirror with different clothes . Don't forget the rule of contrasts which remains in force.

And there you have it, you now have the theoretical basis to start having fun with colors, and everything else. A question or an opinion? We would be happy to answer you just below, in the comments section.