How to Create a Color Palette for Your Wardrobe
How many times have you found a shirt that you like, and then bought one of every color because it makes it easier for you that way?
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Updated for 2024
How to Create a Color Palette for Your Wardrobe
If you are reading this post, then you are probably nodding your head because if you already had your wardrobe color crisis under control then you wouldn't have bothered to click on this post.Yep, I thought so.
That is okay though because, in this post, I will tell you exactly how you can create a color palette for your wardrobe. Don't worry! It won't take long. This method is super easy to follow too. :)
If you are trying to get your wardrobe together, you will want to read How to Easily Define Your Personal Style, too, which will help you when you are picking out clothing styles.
What is Finding Your Colors
So, what do I mean when I say, "Find Your Colors"?
I mean just that. There are certain colors that look better together, and there are certain colors that look better with your skin tone and hair coloring.
To start with, your colors are in two parts: a base color, and multiple secondary colors. You will have one base color which is a neutral color like black or white and it is going to be the base of your wardrobe. All of the other colors in your wardrobe will match this base color.
You will have five or six secondary colors which will add variety and color to your neutral base color.
The Steps to Finding Your Colors
1. Learn what colors you tend to like
2. Pick a neutral color as the base of your wardrobe
3. Pick secondary colors or sub colors
4. Putting it all together
5. Shopping tips for buying clothes using your new color palette
Find Out Which Colors Look Best on You
Before you can create your color palette, you have to know which colors look best on you. The first step to finding your colors is to know what colors you tend to like and you would feel confident wearing.
The best way to figure out what these colors are is to create a mood board. You can do this in multiple ways, but I suggest using Pinterest.
1. Create a new board called Wardrobe Inspiration or something that you will remember to pin your color ideas to.
2. Start pinning! What you pin, doesn't necessarily need to be clothes or wardrobe inspiration. As long as it has colors in it which you like, then you should pin it.
3. Pin to this board for around a month, so then you can see which colors appear more than once. Keep those colors in mind as you go through the next steps.
Picking Your Base Color
It is time to pick your base color. It should be a neutral color with which many other colors will match with. My base color is black.
Black, white, or a certain shade of tan works best, but a shade of grey or navy blue can be used too.
Now it is time to pull out a sheet of paper and answer the following questions. Answer the following questions to help you decide what your base color is.
1. Which of these colors do I look best in?
2. What color do I tend to buy?
3. Which color do I wear most often?
Note - If you are comfortable with doing so, you might also decide to ask a few family members or friends with what colors you look best in. Their feedback is often very helpful!
Picking Your Secondary Colors
Have you picked your base color yet? I suggest that you should before going onto this section because a base color is exactly what it is called, the base of your wardrobe. Your secondary colors or sub colors should all match with your base color. Your secondary colors can be any shade of color, but it must be specific.
If you just write down red, then you could buy orange-red shoes, and then a garnet red necklace to go with your black dress. Oh no! What happened! Now you can't wear that necklace with those shoes. Knowing your colors saves you time and money.
Red is one of my colors, but it is a true red; not a dark red, and not an orange red. When I go shopping, I always have this in mind and a little bit of help, which we will get to, nearer to the end of this post.
Picking secondary colors is harder than picking a base color because you also want to pick colors that match with each other. For example, my colors are light rose pink, true red, navy blue, royal blue, and black.
Now it is time to answer some more questions. Don't worry! You are almost done with finding your colors. :) Take some time thought when answering these questions though because if you don't, then your wardrobe will show it.
1. What colors are my favorite?
2. What color am I wearing when I get compliments?
3. What colors do I look best in?
4. What colors look best with my base color?
5. What colors did I pin most often to my Pinterest board?
6. What colors look best with the other colors I listed above?
Write down all of these colors in a list, and then it will be time to narrow them down.
Narrowing Down Your List of Colors
Now it is time to narrow down the list you made above.
1. Did you write down any colors two or more times when you answered the above questions?
This is a good clue that it is one of your secondary colors. If you are sure that it is one of your colors, then go ahead and add it to one of the circles below.
Still, have more than six secondary colors?
Follow the second step below to pare down your list of colors even more.
Make sure that each one of your colors matches at least one of your other colors, not counting your base color.
2. Go through each one of your colors and match it with one of your other colors.
You will want to have four to six different secondary colors so keep on eliminating colors from your list until you have four to six of them.
Creating Your Color Palette + Shopping Tips
Okay. Do you have your base color and your four to six secondary colors ready? Add them all onto one page where you can reference them often when buying new clothes.
1. And now for some handy shopping tips for when you are buying new items for your wardrobe.
2. When you see something, you like, pull out your handy color palette and match it to the item you like. If it is the same color, then it is fine to buy, if not, then keep looking. Searching online for something almost the same, but is in one of your colors, is always an option. :)
3. Start by buying the main pieces in your wardrobe in your colors and then go on to the smaller items and accessories. At least one of your main items should be in your base color.
4. Buy most of your main pieces in neutral colors, and then go bold on your accessories.
5. This is one of my favorite tips! When buying a piece, have in mind at least two outfits that you can wear with that piece and at least three other pieces in your wardrobe that it will match with. When you can see yourself wearing that piece in an outfit with other pieces you already own, then that is a great clue that it will work for your wardrobe. :)
How to Create a Color Palette for Your Wardrobe
If you liked this post, then you might also like these.
- How to Easily Define Your Personal Style
- How Many Items Should I Have in My Capsule Wardrobe?
- 4 Things That Make Your Outfit Look Less Stylish
- Your Guide to Purses + How to Add Them to Your Capsule Wardrobe
Well, there you go! I hope that you enjoyed reading this post. Leave a comment, telling me how it went for you.
Thank you for reading and for sharing this post!
6 comments
These are great ideas to help you pick out your colors! I love the shopping tips and finding your colors with a Pinterest board but I don't have a Pinterest account. Should I just use a Google Doc instead?
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie,
DeleteI am glad that you liked this post. If you don't have Pinterest, then you can use a Google Doc or something like it and copy and paste inspiration into it. Thanks for reading!
-Pixie
These are great tips! I hate it when I buy red and then it's not the shade that I like. Now that I know this is my problem I will correct it!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am glad you liked this post. :)
DeleteHi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you liked this post. If you don't have Pinterest, then you can use a Google Doc or something like it and copy and paste inspiration into it. Thanks for reading!
Thank you! I am glad you liked this post. :)
ReplyDelete