Colour blocking is a fun and bold way to experiment with your wardrobe. Colour blocking became a prominent trend in fashion during the mid-1950s, largely influenced by the work of renowned painter Piet Mondrian.
Yves Saint Laurent’s 1965 collection famously incorporated Mondrian’s geometric, primary-coloured compositions into dresses, bringing the concept of bold, contrasting colour combinations into mainstream fashion. Since then, colour blocking has evolved into a popular technique in both high fashion and everyday style, defined by the use of distinct, often contrasting blocks of colour to create striking, visually dynamic looks. Today, it’s a design approach that continues to make a bold, energetic statement across various clothing styles and accessories.
When colour blocking, it’s best to limit your outfit to three colours. Here’s why and how to do it effectively:
Maintain Balance: Sticking to three solid colours is ideal because they create a clean, bold contrast that emphasises the design. This ensures the outfit remains visually appealing without becoming overwhelming. Too many colours can distract from the bold impact of colour blocking.
Choose One Dominant Colour: Select one dominant colour for the largest portion of the outfit, and use the other two as accents. For example, a bright red dress with black and white accessories.
Use Neutrals: Incorporate a neutral colour (like black, white, beige, or gray) to anchor the look. This helps balance out the bold colors and makes the outfit more wearable.
Some practical tips to master the trend
1. Start with Simple Combinations: If you’re new to colour blocking, begin with two colours, like a vibrant red paired with navy blue, or a bright yellow and black. This allows you to ease into the trend while still creating a striking look.
2. Use colour wheel guidance: Use complementary or analogous colours to ensure a harmonious look. Complementary colors (like red and green or purple and yellow) are opposite on the color wheel, while analogous colors (like blue, green, and teal) are next to each other and tend to blend well.
3. Balance boldness: When using multiple colours, balance the intensity of the shades. For instance, if you’re pairing a bright colour, balance it with a more neutral tone like beige or gray to avoid overwhelming the look.
4. Choose the right silhouettes: Colour blocking works best with structured garments, as the sharp lines accentuate the blocks of colour. Consider dresses, skirts, pants, boiler suits or blazers with clean lines to make the most of the trend.
5. Layer your colours: Don’t be afraid to mix colour-blocked accessories, like cardigans, shoes, bags, or scarves, with a simple colour-blocked outfit. These add layers of interest without overwhelming the overall look.
6. Focus on proportions: The placement of colour blocks matters. Larger blocks of colour on the top can draw attention to the upper body, while larger blocks on the bottom can highlight the legs. Play with different proportions based on what you want to emphasise.
7. Use accessories: If you’re hesitant about fully committing to a colour-blocked outfit, start with accessories. A colour-blocked handbag, shoes, or jewelry can introduce the trend without needing a complete outfit overhaul.
8. Experiment with prints and textures: Don’t be afraid to incorporate colour-blocked patterns or mix textures, like a satin top or transparent top with a matte skirt. This adds depth and visual interest to your outfit. You can also experiment with gradients (shades that transition from light to dark). These add depth without complicating the look, especially when paired with solid blocks of contrasting colour. If you want to add a twist to your look, consider incorporating subtle patterns like checks, stripes or geometric shapes. These should remain simple so they don’t overpower the solid colour blocks.
