Four Easy Ways to Add Color to Your Outfit

This might be the first time I've worn color in 2018. Okay, that's a lie because I wore a pair of burgundy pants in mid-January, but still. I had to go through my Instagram feed to remember that. My closet has been overtaken by blacks, greys, tans, really all things neutral. I was never a very colorful dresser to begin with, but in the past few years, I've really stripped my closet of all of its personality and replaced it with some relatively simple pieces.

I can wear color, I just choose not to. I'm not necessarily afraid of it because we've all seen some of the lipsticks I put on myself and the heinous outfits I still manage to put together with the neutral clothes I have. I just...don't own it. In my head, it's easier to match neutrals and keep them around for longer. But believe it or not, somedays I do indeed like to inject a dose of color into my outfits to prove that I own something that isn't fifty shades of black and grey. If you don't want to go all in and wear head to toe color, there are four really easy ways you can add some color to your look without fully committing to a, say, bright red sweater and royal blue pants.

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Bold Shoes

Clearly, that's the way I decided to make my pretty standard outfit a little brighter. I've styled this exact same look with black boots, silver boots, and even Adidas sneakers, but a pair of bright red mules fit the bill just right. I tied in the red from the t-shirt, but it'd work just as well with a plain white or black t-shirt. Even if your whole look is neutrals or monochromatic black or white, a color works seamlessly into the mix because, well, you don't have to worry about it clashing with anything! In fact, neutral and simple looks like a t-shirt and jeans are the perfect foundation for adding colorful pieces to spice it up.

Colorful Lipstick

So, this is obviously not a clothing item, but lipstick is my go-to to spice up an outfit without even having to add on another piece of clothing or accessory. Just exfoliate and moisturize your lips and find yourself a color that isn't a nude or rosy pink. For this look, I would've absolutely put on a siren red lipstick to tie in with the shoes and lettering on my shirt. You can also cater the colors to the seasons if you want. It's typical for brighter colors, like pinks, violets, oranges, and corals to be more common in the spring and summer seasons while the darker more berry and purple tones tend to work better in the winter. Reds, though, transcend all seasons depending on the undertones. Brick toned reds tend to work better in the winter while blue-toned reds can work all year round, in my unprofessional opinion.

Accessories

This is a more umbrella term, but the two I'm mainly thinking of are jewelry and handbags. Statement earrings especially are a great way to add a pop of color (or even to colorblock easily) and give you an excuse to pull your hair back and let the earrings do the talking. Another great way to add some color to your look is to pop on a printed or a colored handbag that is out of the ordinary. Step aside black, tan, and brow handbags! Bonus points if it's a fun fabric other than leather, like a velvet or suede bag to add another texture!

Standout Text

This one requires almost no effort. Just find a t-shirt that has some color on it and boom! Your outfit now has color. I got this shirt from Forever 21 for like, ten bucks and it's one of the most colorful pieces in my wardrobe and it's an effing t-shirt with "Don't Say Diet" on it. I don't even know what that means, but it was cheap and I needed t-shirts to wear when I was in California back in October, so thus, it was purchased. A printed or graphic shirt like this is also an easy way have a color that can tie in other pieces to match. So, how I matched my shoes to the slogan on my shirt and would have matched a red lipstick to those three pieces. It's an easy place to start, whether it's the only color you want to have in your look or the key to introducing other coordinating pieces!