How to match colors : Complete guide

How do you match the colours of clothes? An ever-present question, but in reality it’s not that complicated. You just need to know some basic rules. Here is our comprehensive guide to improving your style by dressing in the right colours.

Unlike women’s fashion, men’s colour choices are a little more limited. But there is one big advantage. The colours that are, let’s say, very masculine, have the particularity of never going out of fashion. You should know that the male dressing room is based on three essential colours:

blue;
grey;
brown.

We must therefore start by mastering this tricolour palette.

Blue, specifically navy blue, is a simple colour for stylish men. Elegant and versatile, this colour works well with a wide range of colours. It is especially ideal with purple, brown, grey and red. For dark blue we recommend burgundy or dark red, white and violet. Electric blue is perfect with light brown and grey.

In summary, blue goes very well with

yellow
orange
burgundy
white
grey
beige
pale pink

Grey is an essential colour in a man’s wardrobe. It is synonymous with elegance and is very easy to wear. You can also use this colour when you need to tone down other clothes in expressive colours like red, orange or fuchsia. Grey goes well with white, black, green and light pink. Moreover, grey is always in trend on stockings. Grey trousers are elegant, stylish and suitable for all occasions. For an eye-catching look, you can combine grey trousers with a white, navy blue, beige, camel, black, pink or burgundy top.

In summary, grey goes very well with :

white ;
black ;
green ;
light pink; navy blue
navy blue
beige; camel
camel;
burgundy.

Like grey and blue, brown can be worn with almost any colour. It is especially ideal with green, red, burgundy, grey and all shades of blue. You can’t talk about brown and not talk about brown coats. It is an essential piece of clothing in a man’s wardrobe.

A brown coat, a cream turtleneck jumper, jeans: your 100% stylish look is ready!

In short, brown goes very well with :

green
black
dark yellow
light yellow
off-white
beige / cream

In general, there are three approaches to harmonising colours.

The first approach is to contrast dark and light shades of the same colour, also known as contrasting colour layers. For example, you can match a light blue top with a dark blue bottom. This approach is the most practical and contains fewer risks. So, if you are afraid of faux pas, take the layer matching approach.

The second approach is the close colour approach. These are colours that are close to each other on the colour wheel, such as blue and purple or green and yellow. These colours are very easy to match.

And the third approach is the balance of easy colours and the variety of textures. You can take the three basic colours mentioned above (grey, brown, blue) and play with textures, shades and patterns.

How to match colours to your physique?

To build a balanced look, you not only need to match the colours of your clothes to each other, but also to your physique. For example, if you are light-skinned and dark, and you wear desaturated, pale colours, your appearance may look worrying. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wear them. There is a trick for you. You should use the technique of layering your clothes. For example, if you want to wear a white jumper, you wear it with a coloured shirt underneath, so that the collar is visible, as it will create a barrier between your face. A scarf or wrap will replace the collar and will have the same function when it is a coat.

If you are white with very light skin or black with very dark skin, you should avoid layers. People with very contrasting skin and hair should avoid overly uniform outfits whenever possible. If you are very dark skinned, avoid too much contrast!

Colours that suit mixed race people very well are bright colours like fir green, bright red, electric blue or fuchsia pink. Just avoid light colours and pastel shades.

The trendy colour for men’s dressing rooms

Elegant, versatile and practical, olive green is a timeless colour for men’s fashion. It works well with pastel shades, such as pale pink, light beige, sky blue and lilac. This colour looks just as good on shirts and jackets as on trousers. A pair of jeans, an olive green shirt, a pair of brown leather Derby shoes and you’re all set.

How to match colors : tips

Try to stick to the golden rule of three colours. This means not combining more than three colours in a look, including accessories.
Your outfit should go from lightest to darkest. It’s not an absolute rule, but it’s aesthetically pleasing and always on trend.
Think contrasts !
Try to combine the colours of your suit with your shirt or a tie.
Match the colour of accessories (suit pocket, tie, scarf) with your eyes.
Match the colour of the shirt with the colour of your hair.
Match the shades and patterns that make up your outfit to balance it out. For example, a suit clutch with beige tones will help you blend in with a pair of brown shoes.

And finally, here are five colour combinations that always work well and are always on trend!

and are always very trendy!