An unpleasant moment that has happened to all of us: standing in front of your closet without knowing how to dress. A useless waste of time before starting your day which doesn't necessarily put you in a good mood.
Yes, it's not enough to know how to buy clothes well. Mixing basics and strong pieces, harmonizing colors, is just as essential for your style.
So today, a little reminder about colors ... We have already had the opportunity to explain to you what colors to wear and how to match colors ( part I is here ). But with the imminent release of our first pair of sneakers (with National Standard), some have wondered how to integrate them into their outfits, especially because they come in several colors.
So we're going to quickly review the basics , then I'll talk to you about something totally new on the blog: color reminders and material reminders .
Basic rules to know
So I'm going to be very clear right away: stop overdoing the colors. The point is not to look like a clown, there is no point in adding bright colors or very original patterns if they arrive like a hair in the soup, just because you go a little in circles with well-chosen basics, but which give looks that are a little too simple on a daily basis.
If you discovered the blog in the last 6 months...
Play it safe first, and learn the basics of a good look (clothing in the right size, quality, with a cut that suits you). Don't look for originality right away, be patient.
Consequently :
- Choose 2 or 3 dominant colors in your outfit, and no more (navy blue, gray, brown, beige, khaki)
- Think balance and harmony : bright colors should be toned down by more sober colors like gray or navy blue
- Play with color accents to balance and structure your look (this is what we will see in the article)
Simple and unadorned: more than enough for a start.
Looks can be very original despite very simple colors .
We will do everything to avoid this for you.
If you've been reading the blog for longer...
No doubt you have gathered a good part of the basics that we recommend to you . I imagine that now your old oversized shirts and jeans , which were not the right size, are starting to be replaced by quality pieces in your size (i.e.: often a size smaller what you were buying before).
And maybe you've even started to experiment with strong pieces (leather jacket, rangers, bright blue pants, etc. ) or at least basics... a little less basic ( example: t-shirt with a more elaborate collar, blazer in a more original material, coat with leather inserts... ).
Unfortunately, this is often when we begin to stagnate in our progress . We would like to try more original things but we don't really know how to go about it, for fear of creating inconsistent outfits. And we are all the more afraid to do it when we are just starting to receive sincere compliments from loved ones and friends: we really don't want to go back.
The two comments that come up most often are:
- “I can’t incorporate more original colors or materials”
- “I can’t integrate strong pieces into my basic outfits”
In both cases, good control of colors and reminders is the solution. So let's go !
Example of a well-executed look, but a little too simple.
Know how to juggle with colors
For girls, it's almost instinctive : they manage to coordinate colors perfectly and integrate reminders into their outfits. And the result is (almost) always clear: a harmonious silhouette. Well yeah, they were sharpening their senses by thinking about their looks, while we were tearing holes in our pants from getting dirty at recess...
A harmonious outfit yet made up of quite strong pieces (electric orange coat, white pants, multi-colored towel). The magic happens thanks to the reminder of colors between the cover which takes up the tones of the other pieces . Not to mention natural makeup but chosen with great attention. And we don't overload the outfit with colors when it comes to the shoes, which echo the black of the sweater. The brown bag is there to provide an alternative to white and black (and brown goes well with orange, or the color of the lady's hair). And bam, 0 - 1 from midfield!
You will have understood, we are a little late: exercise is less natural for us. But don’t panic, one day: the student will surpass the master 😉
Harmony and reminder of colors in men's fashion
Well, concretely, how can you juggle colors, but not like a clown?
Match colors with small touches
Here is an example of a beautiful color combination:
The outfit is balanced : we stick to 3 main colors (blue, white and pine green).
We then enhance the outfit with:
- another color: yellow, in small touches, everywhere on the outfit (buttons, blazer straps, pocket square),
- a cardigan which takes up the white of the shirt, the navy blue/black of the glasses and the bow tie: it links the different colors,
- new materials: poplin for the shirt, thicker cotton for the pants and blazer, knit for the cardigan.
So if we summarize, the outfit is:
- balanced thanks to a few simple colors,
- expanded by adding colors and materials,
- unified because the additions of colors and materials are distributed and discreet, and there is a piece that makes the connection.
It is this process that allows us to achieve successful outfits.
Of course, this look is the extreme example. We must not seek to accord everything with Stalinist rigor! An overly matching look will make it clear that you spent a long time putting together your outfit, locked in your bathroom. This is an exercise that may seem complicated at first... but with practice, everything will become intuitive and natural.
The objective is to use the assortment and reminders of colors as a tool to homogenize, but in no case as a goal to be achieved at all costs !
Vary textures and patterns
Let's move on to a simpler example: a shirt, a blazer, jeans and shoes.
Let's put aside the tie, the watch and the bracelet right away.
Raw jeans combined with a denim shirt don't look too much . Even though blue dominates, the color shade is different. It is harmonious because the two materials are similar but are not identical . They remind each other without confusing each other.
The country-style tweed blazer contrasts with the ensemble. It brings color (the little red stripes) as well as a new texture: the outfit becomes thicker . The shoes are reminiscent of the blazer, again without the obsession of looking for the same color.
What also really enhances this outfit is the variety of materials used : leather, knitted socks, denim, chambray, tweed. The same outfit, just on very smooth cottons, definitely wouldn't have the same impact.
Note that if you were obsessed with matching everything with identical tones each time, this outfit would lose a lot of its naturalness and simplicity.
The color reminders must therefore be close, but once again no obsession, and materials that vary! (in other words: break away from your purchasing habits, diversify your wardrobe, and have fun).
Small note on the green bracelet, which a priori has nothing to do there: it actually disrupts the general harmony of the outfit. It's almost the little detail that says: " Hey no, I don't bother choosing everything for 30 minutes in the morning. The proof? I have this green thing that slipped onto my wrist without me doing anything. too careful ."
In my outfit, the shirt bridges simple colors.
There are reminders between the seams of the jeans, the watch,
one of the bluish colors of the camouflage, etc...
But... different materials.
Note that there are not only color reminders. You can also play with material reminders to unify the outfit .
How to integrate the famous strong pieces?
Once you master these little reminder techniques, you can incorporate stronger pieces into your outfits.
You can have a real crush on a strong piece but once you buy it, it gets harder when it comes to wearing it. To avoid coming across as "fashionable", you simply have to tone it down through the combination of colors and textures . Once again, we must gain harmony, so that it does not sting the eyes too much.
To achieve this, imagine that the strong piece (which by default is rich in colors or materials) links with the other pieces of the outfit:
- wear basics that use some of the colors of the strong piece,
The Lanvin sneakers are integrated by the colors of the jeans and the cardigan.
- wear basics that use the materials,
Here it is the leather of the braids which recalls (the material).
- and if the strong piece is of a single color or material, integrate reminders through accessories...
Almost no basics, but some well-found reminders,
especially in the accessories, to give unity to the outfit.
Other tips are available to you:
- When you integrate a strong piece, purify your outfit as much as possible so that the strong piece does not overload it.
A very sober outfit base is essential with such a colorful wide sweater.
- Use cool colors like gray, beige or navy blue that tone down other colors
Lots of textures, but simple colors:
And it happens by itself!
