TT: 3 Simple Steps to Color Blocking

I have a thing for color.

In fact, I'm pretty positive if I let my creative juices flow to their lil' hearts content, I'd probably end up looking like a mash up of:

Lisa Frank:

 

And Rainbow Brite:

 

Which, you and I both know would be awesome, but apparently not appropriate for the workplace.
So, instead, I color block. :)


Step 1:  Grab your handy-dandy color wheel:

I'm a visual person, so being able to actually see color pairings together helps me avoid raiding my closet.
(As a bonus, Mr. Wonderful doesn't come home to a house that looks like a clothes bomb went off inside.)

Just to give you a sneak peek into my nerdtastic color-obsessed self, in addition to my handy-dandy color wheel, I also have my side of the closet divided by color.  As crazy as it may sound, it really does help when it comes to putting outfits together.


Step 2:  Decide how you'd like to pair colors.
Some options are:

-Neighboring
This is a grouping of 3 colors found side-by-side on the color wheel, like red, orange and yellow.
-Monochromatic
This is one color in a variety of intensities.
*Neighboring and monochromatic tend to be calmer ways to color block.*
 

-Complimentary
These are the colors you find directly across from each other on the color wheel, like purple and yellow.
-Triads
These are 3 colors equally spaced apart on the color wheel, like blue, red, and yellow.
*Complimentary and Triads tend to give a more dramatic look.*


Step 3:  Try it on.
For me, color blocking is all about how the color makes you FEEL. 
Maybe you put together a super cute orange top and an awesome blue skirt, BUT once you've put it on, you realize you just don't feel comfortable rocking blue and orange that day. 
No worries!
You can always re-try that color combo later.
Green is an excellent example of this for me.  Some days I can wear it, but other days, green refuses to work with my skin tone.   As my mom always says, "work with what you've got instead of trying to fight it."
  

Life's too short to be in a bad mood, so use your favorite colors to help brighten everyday.

"I believe in pink.  I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.  I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.  I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.  I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.  I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

-Audrey Hepburn