Matching colors effectively is an important skill for guys who want to look stylish and put together. The colors you choose to wear convey aspects of your personality and style to the world. Most guys stick to basic colors and patterns, but learning which hues complement your complexion and build cohesive outfits can take your fashion sense to the next level. Follow these tips to match colors seamlessly like a pro.
Know Your Skin’s Undertone
The first step to matching colors is determining your skin’s undertones. Undertone refers to the tint that underlies your complexion. Analyze your veins – are they blue or green? Blue veins indicate cool undertones, while greenish veins mean warm undertones. If your veins are both blue and green, you likely have a neutral undertone.
Once you identify your undertone, you’ll have an easier time choosing colors that complement your natural skin color. Cool undertones look best in silver jewelry and icy blues, purples and greens. Warm undertones shine in gold jewelry and earthy reds, oranges and yellows. Neutral undertones are versatile and can pull off both cool and warm shades.
Stick to a Color Scheme
When creating a cohesive look, sticking to a simple color scheme is key. Don’t overwhelm your outfit by mixing too many colors. Instead, build around 1-3 complementary hues. Some foolproof color combos include:
| Navy blue, gray, white |
| Black, charcoal, maroon |
| Light blue, tan, brown |
| Olive green, cream, khaki |
Choose a color palette with hues that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel, like blue and green. These analogous colors naturally look cohesive. You can also opt for monochromatic palettes using different shades and tints of one color.
Use the 60-30-10 Rule
When putting together an outfit, follow the 60-30-10 rule. This handy trick ensures your look is visually balanced.
– 60% of your outfit should be neutrals like black, white, gray, navy or brown
– 30% should be accent colors like red, blue, green or yellow
– 10% can include patterns like checks, stripes or florals
For example, pair dark rinse jeans (60%) with a forest green sweater (30%) and a subtle gray plaid blazer (10%). The neutral jeans and jacket keep the outfit grounded while the green sweater adds a pop of color.
Match Metals to Your Skin Tone
Metallics like gold, silver and rose gold jewelry and accessories should complement your skin tone:
| Cool skin tones look best in | Silver |
| Warm skin tones look best in | Gold |
| Neutral skin tones can wear | Silver or Gold |
Pairing the right metal finishes with your complexion makes your skin glow rather than cast unflattering shadows. The same principle applies to metallic shoes, bags and eyewear.
Use Color to Direct the Eye
Strategic use of color can visually shape and flatter your body. Darker shades slim and recede, while lighter hues expand and highlight.
For example, pair dark pants with a light colored shirt to add width to your upper body and draw attention upwards. Or try light pants and a darker top to elongate your legs.
Vertical stripes make you look taller, so opt for nautical Breton tops if you want to add height. Large prints also expand, so choose smaller patterns like micro florals if you want to slim certain areas.
Avoid Overpowering Brights
While accent colors add interest, going overboard with bright hues can overwhelm your look. Follow the “20 percent rule” – loud colors should make up no more than 20 percent of your outfit.
For example, pair a bright red sweater with neutral trousers and shoes so it doesn’t dominate the ensemble. Or layer a neon tee under a dark jacket to tone it down.
Stick to one standout color at a time. Mixing multiple brights tends to look chaotic and disjointed.
Match Colors Within Outfit Groups
Some colors naturally belong together when it comes to clothing groups:
| Tops | Bottoms |
| Light blue dress shirt | Navy trousers |
| Burgundy sweater | Gray jeans |
| White tee | Khaki chinos |
Tops and bottoms with similar depth and intensity of color look cohesive. Don’t pair a vivid purple shirt with muted gray pants, for example.
Similarly, outerwear should match pants or jeans:
| Pants | Jacket |
| Olive trousers | Army green field jacket |
| Navy jeans | Dark denim jacket |
| Charcoal slacks | Heather gray overcoat |
Matching jackets and pants unifies your look from head to toe.
Go Monochromatic for Foolproof Pairings
Monochromatic outfits stick to the same base color with varying shades and intensities. It guarantees a harmonious look since hues are derived from the same family.
Some monochrome combinations include:
| Shades of blue | Navy blazer, light blue shirt, mid blue jeans |
| Shades of gray | Charcoal sweater, medium gray trousers, light gray sneakers |
| Shades of brown | Tan jacket, chocolate trousers, beige desert boots |
You can incorporate different textures like wool, cotton and suede within a monochrome outfit. Just keep the overall color tone consistent.
Use Patterns Strategically
Patterns like checks, stripes and plaids provide an easy way to add visual interest and contrast. But mixing patterns incorrectly can make your outfit messy. Follow these guidelines when incorporating patterns:
– Pair large patterns like wide stripes with solids or smaller patterns like microdots. Avoid clashing two bold prints.
– If combining two patterns, ensure they share a common color. For example, pair blue and white gingham with navy stripes.
– Anchor loud patterns with neutral layers like a gray blazer or white tee.
– Limit patterns to one or two statement pieces per look. Patterns on tops, bottoms, jacket and accessories overwhelm the eye.
– Vary the scale of patterns. Pair an oversize graphic tee with narrow pinstripe trousers.
Match Intensity Levels
The depth and saturation of colors also affect how harmonious they look together. Match the intensity of hues within an outfit for consistency:
| Light pastels | Mint shirt + blush pants + ivory jacket |
| Deep jewel tones | Sapphire shirt + emerald trousers + ruby belt |
| Muted earth tones | Mushroom tee + olive chinos + tan boots |
A vibrant color paired with muted shades looks off balance. For a relaxed vibe, stick to low intensity hues. Vibrant saturated colors make more of a statement.
Use White to Transition Between Colors
Crisp white tee shirts, sneakers or jackets help blend disparate colors within an outfit. The neutral white connects unrelated hues.
For example, a white tee unifies an outfit with bright red shorts and deep navy loafers that otherwise might clash. Or wear a white blazer to pull together muted gray trousers and a bold yellow button-down.
Think of white items as bridges linking colors together smoothly.
Choose Colors that Flatter Your Complexion
Certain hues enhance your natural skin tone, while others can wash you out or cast unflattering shadows:
| Fair skin | Blue, pink, purple, green, beige |
| Olive skin | Green, yellow, orange, pink, gold |
| Dark skin | Red, purple, teal, burnt orange, cobalt |
Analyze your wrist veins and ask friends to help identify your most flattering shades. See which colors make you glow vs those that appear dated or draining.
Match Leathers in Brown Hues
Leather shoes, belts and bags should share similar brown tones for a polished look:
| Light brown shoes | Camel belt |
| Medium brown briefcase | Chestnut leather strap watch |
| Dark cognac penny loafers | Espresso leather wallet |
Brown leather accessories don’t need an exact match, but should live within the same color family. Don’t pair black shoes with a tan belt.
Use Color to Tie Separates Together
Injecting the same accent color throughout your look visually ties disparate pieces together into a cohesive outfit.
For example, add a pop of turquoise to unify separates via:
| Navy blazer |
| Gray dotted tie |
| White shirt |
| Turquoise pocket square |
| Charcoal trousers |
| Turquoise socks |
| Black oxfords |
This creates a streamlined, monochromatic effect while enabling versatility to mix and match individual pieces.
Match Color Intensity
When combining colors, matching their intensity creates harmony. Colors have an inherent lightness, darkness and saturation. Keep these factors consistent:
| Light blue oxford shirt | Faded light blue jeans |
| Deep burgundy sweater | Rich maroon trousers |
| Muted tan overcoat | Dusty beige scarf |
A vibrant cyan shirt with pale gray pants looks mismatching due to the difference in saturation. But a light blue shirt with equally faded jeans appears balanced.
Observe Lighting Conditions
Lighting impacts how colors are perceived. Natural outdoor light reveals true hues while indoor lighting can skew colors.
Observe fabric swatches in both store lighting and daylight to understand how the color intensity changes. Dressing room lighting is notoriously warm and distorting.
Also consider how your outfit will look in different settings – a hue combination ideal for a dim lounge may seem jarring in bright sunlight.
Take Color Temperature Into Account
Some hues inherently read as warm or cool:
| Warm colors | Red, yellow, orange |
| Cool colors | Blue, green purple |
Mixing warm and cool colors in one look can seem disjointed, like pairing a fire engine red shirt with mint green pants.
Stick to a cool or warm color scheme for smooth, blended outfits:
| Warm palette | Yellow shirt, brick red jacket, cinnamon brown belt |
| Cool palette | Ice blue shirt, forest green jacket, navy trousers |
Both schemes use colors in the same temperature range. Adding contrasting hues like red to a cool outfit appears jarring.
Consider Context
Occasion and season impact color choices. Dark winter palettes differ from bright spring hues. Formal events call for luxurious colors while casual settings allow vibrant shades.
Holistic color coordination requires understanding contextual factors:
| Venue | Time of day | Season |
| Beach wedding | Daytime | Summer |
| Theater | Evening | Winter |
A beach inspired pastel linen suit complements the setting, time and season. Matching color to context ensures you dress appropriately.
Conclusion
Matching colors effectively elevates your style to new sophistication. Analyze skin undertones, utilize color theory principles and understand context to put together seamless looks. With practice mixing and matching hues, you’ll develop an intuition for clever color combinations. Use these tips as guidelines to build outfits with colors that pop.
