Our friend, the Color Wheel - Part 2

About a month ago, I addressed how to dress in complimentary colors in my first color wheel post. If you missed that post, I encourage you to click here and read that article first! For those of you who have already read the first post, your very long wait is over. Welcome to part two!

We'll start off (as usual) with the example outfit...

Shirt - JCPenney ($14.99)Scarf - Old Navy (Gift)Belt - Ebay ($8.00)Skirt - Wet Seal ($5.00)Tights - Forever 21 ($4.00)Shoes - Forever 21 ($15.00)
As you might guess, the skirt is the focal point of the colors in this look. My shirt, scarf, and tights are some of the colors in the skirt that stood out to me upon first glance. Take a look at the pattern and see what colors jump out to you.


As you can see, there are many to choose from; so many that it's hard to pick just a few. I could have done sky blue, cobalt, mint green, pale yellow, light brown, even a near olive shade! The fact that I picked a vibrant red, purple, and mustard yellow to take from this skirt is just a testament to how much I adore bright colors and the fact that this was the last rare 50 degree day in Chicago (at least for a few months)! It's up to you, your personality, and the season that you wear this pattern in which will determine the colors you choose to highlight. This brings me to the next bullet point on the list.
4) Seasons determine the colors that you sport.
Point number two (Pick whatever accent color speaks to you) also goes hand in hand with your surroundings. Yes, it's January in Chicago, but up until a few days ago, we were experiencing Spring-like weather. In my opinion, this skirt transcends the seasonal color suggestion. That may not be the truth for some of you out there. Fashion commonly dictates that certain color options accompany the change of the seasons. Usually, these are common sense changes - bright colors for Spring and Summer; browns, yellows, oranges, dark reds for Fall; and paler, more washed out colors for Winter. In between the seasons, colors that are trending may slowly transition. It's up to you to determine if you want to follow the seasonal color suggestions exactly, or if you want to throw in a little bit of your own interpretation as I've done here. Feel free to experiment. It's always up to you.
5) Patterns are the friendliest complimentary color palette.
If you look back at the last Color Wheel post and examine my focal point for this outfit, you will notice a glaring similarity - both of my "main" pieces sport colorful patterns. If you are going for complimentary colors (especially in accessorizing), it is easiest to work with multicolored patterned clothing. For me, I like going a bit outside the box with my accessories (i.e. not perfectly matching the colors), but for this outfit, I've put together some accessories that draw out those colors that really caught my eye in order to give you a "jumping off point" of sorts.

Necklace - Forever 21 ($3.80)
Bracelets - Forever 21 ($6.80)Earrings - Thrifted ($1.99)
We discussed in the last color post about gold being a neutral. I've also decided to highlight the greens, blues, and reds in the skirt with the set of bracelets and earrings. These, too, have gold accents to tie them back in with the necklace.
Once you are more comfortable with picking out colors from your focal point in the outfit, you can start picking more avant garde looking accessories.
6) Have fun, and don't be afraid to take the next step!
Learning how to match and compliment colors does not happen overnight. It takes practice and many outfits. Don't ever be afraid to think outside the box when you have reached your comfort zone. That is how fashion is made!
Have any of my steps helped you out in your daily dressing excursions? Do you have tips for drawing out complimentary colors? Comment on this post to tell me all about it!
Until next time.
~ they seek her there