The most beautiful colours of the season are the easiest way to refresh your wardrobe: even a single colourful piece can make a familiar outfit look completely different. In this shot from our Outfit of the Day corner, we tried to capture the energy of spring colours.
Image: A rainbow-coloured cape at the Camp exhibition at the Met Museum (representative image) — Rhododendrites, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
How to bring the season’s most beautiful colours into your outfits
As the weather starts to warm up, the dark tones of the winter months give way to lighter, softer colours. Pastel shades such as powder pink, lilac, light blue, mint green and lemon yellow are among the most popular colours for spring outfits. These tones also bring freshness to the face and can easily be worn in both daytime and evening looks.
Balance with neutrals
If you are trying a colourful piece for the first time, pair it with a neutral one. Shades such as white, beige, grey or navy are the safest route. You could, for example, wear a pastel shirt with white trousers or light blue jeans. That way the colour stands out while the outfit stays simple.
One colour, different shades
Combining light and dark shades of the same colour is very harmonious. This is called tonal dressing, and it creates a look that is both coordinated and stylish. You could wear a purple skirt with a lilac blouse, or choose a deeper pink to go with a pale pink top. That way you build a bold outfit without falling into a clash of colours.
Small touches with accessories
If you are not yet ready for colourful clothes, try colour through accessories. A scarf, a colourful bag, shoes or earrings are enough to add a breath of spring to your outfit. In this way, the season’s most beautiful colours gradually find their way into your wardrobe, and you also discover which shades suit you.
Choosing by skin tone
Not every pastel shade suits everyone equally. As a general rule, skin with warm undertones looks more radiant with warm pastels such as peach, coral and cream yellow. Skin with cool undertones, on the other hand, sits better with lilac, ice blue and powder pink. If you are not sure, though, holding the colour close to your face and looking in the mirror in daylight is the most practical test. This choice matters especially for pieces worn close to the face, such as shirts, blouses and scarves. With trousers, skirts and shoes, you can experiment more freely.
If you are curious about the place of pastel shades in colour theory, see the pastel colours entry on Wikipedia. For colour suggestions for the summer months, our article on 2016 summer colours awaits you.