How to Colour Block like a Pro

Have you mastered the art of matching your colours?  Well why not refresh your style this new season by mixing your colours and get heads turning in your direction!  Colour-blocking is thought of as the exploration of taking colours that are opposites on the colour wheel and pairing them together to create complementary colour combo's. It is commonly associated in fashion as a trend that originated from the artwork of Dutch painter, Piet Mondrian.

Need a starting point? These five rules should have you mastering the style in no time!

1.   Avoid Prints

As the goal of colour blocking is to let the whole outfit work together, try to avoid patterns as they tend to draw attention. Stick with solid colours and you can’t go wrong.

2.   Don’t overdo it

You don't want to look like a painter’s palette, so remember less is more. Pick two or three colours, otherwise they’ll start to try and compete with each other.

3.   Wear your neutrals

Don’t forget about your neutrals.  They are an essential part of your wardrobe that will never be out of season. Try pairing one neutral with a bright colour. Black, Browns, greys and even white are easy to block against bright colours like yellow, green or red.

4.   Not just art classroom terms: Complementary, triad, Analogous

Remember the famous colour wheel we all learnt about in school?  Well it’s time to drag it out because it has found another use. Should you decide to be bold and adventurous this chart will be your new best friend. You want to aim for two colours that are on opposite sides of the wheel, called complementary colour.  Try two or three that are each four squares apart.  This is called a triad and shades that are all beside one another are called analogous.

5. Not just the outfit

Your outfit doesn’t stop with what shirt or pants you wear so colour blocking doesn’t have to. You can use the same principles with watches, tote bags, backpacks, shoes and shoelaces and scarves.  The possibilities are endless.