Dilemmas Of Man: The Golden Rules Of Colour

Just because winter is in full swing doesn’t mean you can’t rock out some bold shades. Here’s FHM’s guide to getting colour right.

01 Colour-blocking a no-no

Good style is all about looking like you’re not trying – as the saying goes, you should wear your clothes, they shouldn’t wear you. It’s important to appear natural and comfortable, whether in an interview or on a date. Colour blocking – wearing loads of one colour – screams, “I thought about this outfit for bloody ages,” which isn’t a good thing. Rather than donning colour like a uniform (see above), follow our simple rules and mix things up to pull off effortless cool.

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02 Accessory matching

Always match your shoes and belt. You should definitely match when it comes to formal wear – black leather shoes with a black leather belt. Wear a brown belt with black shoes to work and you’ll be the laughing stock of your peers. Probably.

03 When should I match?

There are lots of matching myths – but how many of them actually stand up? FHM investigates…

Matching Myth #1: Red and green should never be seen. Correct. See colour theory rule 4.

Matching Myth #2: Black and blue will never do. This one’s debatable. Get your tones right and you can make it work, but it’s a tough one. Not to be attempted by colour novices.

Matching Myth #3: Black and brown will make you frown. There’s no hard and fast rule, but if you’re wearing a suit, stick to black shoes to be safe.

04 Colour theory

First created by the man who invented gravity (sort of), Sir Isaac Newton, the colour wheel is used to show different colours’ relationships with each other. It’s super useful for knowing which shades go with which.

Five simple laws of colour…

01 Use complementary shades sparingly. Found opposite each other on the wheel, complementary hues are basically opposites (eg. red and green, blue and yellow). In small doses they work well, but if you OD you end up looking like an acid-house raver.

02 Harmonious colours = boring outfit. These lie next to each other on the wheel and because they’re so similar, they’re easy on the eye. But beware, without a flash of something else, you risk looking dull.

03 Stick to the basics. It’s a truism: black really never goes out of fashion – nor does grey and white. These shades go with almost any colour and make great building blocks for your outfit.

04 Avoid looking too seasonal. Make sure you stay away from colours with strong links to seasons. Drape yourself in red and green, for instance, and you’ll look like one of Santa’s little helpers. Not a strong look 364 days a year.

05 Focus on density. Colours with the same density – deep shades like navy, burgundy, burnt orange and hunter green – will co-ordinate together nicely. Other examples are neons, pastels or primary colours.

From the December 2012 issue of FHM India.