How To Wear Colour This Winter

There’s no denying that January is here, and with it comes the freezing weather and general lack of style inspiration. I love an all black/all neutral outfit as much as the next person and I’ll always reach for these items if I’m trying to build an outfit for the day. There’s a comfort in knowing that all of these tones work together so well, with little thought as to what to actually combine. Ultimatley, they’re the safe options. And as much as there is always space for a safe (or some may say timeless) neutral, when the weather is grey and the novely of knitwear has worn off they can also start to feel a little stale. Any ardent neutral-lover will know the niggling fear of adding in too much colour. You want everything to still go seamlessly together, you know the tones that suit you and you also want to know you’ll get a lot of wear out of an item. It’s much easier to imagine yourself in a camel jumper 2 years from now than a bright fuschia pink one.

Injecting a little colour into your wardrobe can be the perfect way to give everything that little refresh though. To give other outfits a new lease of life and to just get you more inspired by the wardrobe you currently have without having to go and buy too much. Instead, carefully selecting one or two things can give you that fresh perspective and brighten up even the dullest of January days. Not sure where to start though? Keep reading. There are also some of my favourite high street picks, but at a quick glance the likes of eBay, Depop and even your local charity shops will have similar things on offer at this time of the year so why not have a look there too and be kind to the planet at the same time?

Muted pastels: Bright pastels have never really been my thing, the tones wash me out and generally I think most people struggle to wear them and incorproate them seamlessly into their existing wardrobe. If you have to buy an entirly new outfit to incorproate just one item of colour then put it back on the shelf. You do not need it and that’s not what this is about. The muted pastel trend that has emerged over the past few months is the more wearable and neutrual-lover-friendly cousin of this. From blues with a slight grey hue to them and pistachio greens, these are much easier to wear alongside navy trousers, your favourite slip skirts or white jeans (yes, white jeans in the winter are a good idea). They feel like a safer option than the brighter options and they’re much easier to wear all year round meaning more opportunities to get that cost-per-wear down.

‘Safe’ colours: Not sure you want to invest in a bright shade you may realistically never wear? Fair enough, we all want to shop more thoughtfully anyway. This is where the ‘safer’ colours come in. The things like navys, light neutral pinks, rich browns and even animal prints (leopard is a neutral, end of) give you the chance stray from the black/white/grey/beige path without having to venture too far out of your comfort zone. Opting for a pair of navy trousers over black can give a softer look to an outfit and will still go with just as many options. Animal print livens up literally any outfit whilst still remaining inside a neutral colour palette and being flexible within your wardrobe. Other good options here are deep maroons, rich browns and deep forest greens.

Accessorise: When in doubt, dip your toe in with a new accessory. Headbands are everywhere right now, as are scrunchies, and are a quick and affordbale way to throw a little more colour into literally any outfit, especially if you’re a firm member of the monochrome gang. Silk scarves are another huge trend, with beautifully delicate patterns they allow you to inject a bit of colour in a classic way, whether that’s in your hair, around your neck or just tied over your handbag. Fancy pulling it back even further? Go for a bright manicure, a vibrant lipstick or maybe even a coloured liner. They’re all low-cost non-commital ways of experimenting with a little more colour without having to invest too much or worry about how much you’ll actually wear something.

During this season where the top wardrobe priority tends to be ‘how many thermals are too many thermals?’ it’s not hard to loose inspiration. Endless hours of pinning and flicking through magazines can’t always offer you the fresh perspective you need. Adding in a little colour has given me that new excitment and so long as we’re all purchasing consciously, making sure we know how we’re going to get the most wear out of something and taking care of the things we buy sometimes a little treat is exactly what you need to help you look at the rest of your wardrobe with fresh eyes.