How To Pick Your Colour: Allow Us To Let You In On 8 Designer Secrets To Looking Awesome

Our school uniform was grey and yellow. I know. The colours look brilliant separately but when combined…yuckk. My complexion always fell flat in that uniform but now, with a vibrant wardrobe, the compliments I get are different.

It happens.

Colour is one of the most overlooked weapons in a man’s style arsenal. Wear the right one and you’ll look fresher, sharper and effortlessly more attractive. Wear the wrong one? Well, even the best outfit can make you appear dull.

The world’s top designers know that picking the right colour isn’t about trends—it’s about you. So here are some tips to help you discover your power palette.

Learn the language of colours

© Instagram/Vedang Raina

Colours communicate. The ways a colour is displayed and the combinations we choose become a language. Most artists, designers and scientists are aware of this language. The colours we choose to wear and the ones we repel are not random.

They’re shaped by what we see and the kind of people we hang out with. Once you learn to “speak” through colours, you can mingle with people of any group, status and culture.

Think of colour as something personal, but equally social. Whether you aim to or not, everything you wear sends a message. The same beige trousers that shout confidence in a boardroom may project a boring vibe at a party.

There’s no universal rule, of course. What makes you fiery may be calming for somebody else but you must start thinking about your colour choices when you enter a room.

Colour time > colour season

© Instagram/Ishaan Khatter

Limiting your style to the seasons—Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall—is a relatively old trick. Try thinking about colours based on the time of the day.

A winter palette won’t translate well for the countries witnessing sunny climates at the same time. However, following the sun and its colours might be a more relatable approach to fashion.

The colourtime system coined by Eiseman in the ‘80s remains useful here. It’s based on three colour palettes: sunrise, sunlight and sunset. Each contains both warm and cool palettes to suit everyone’s style.

It’s a less boxed approach than the four seasons colour analysis.

Use secondary colours to add depth

© Instagram/Ranveer Singh

Secondary colours such as orange, purple, green and brown, which are a mix of two primary colours, add depth and are usually more wearable and unpredictable than primary colours.

You can use these colours to add a bit of playfulness to even the most boring look of yours. The more detailed feelings that are tough to exhibit through primary colours can be easily expressed through secondary colours.

Oranges, greens, browns and purples can be bold or subtle. Based on the event and mood, you can go as vibrant and as pastel with them as you want. Just a bit of accent in a tone of these colours and you’ll have something stylish at hand.

Take classes from nature

© Instagram/Rohit Saraf

We think about syncing, balance and contrast so much while dressing up but the right colour combination might be growing right inside your garden or over your head in the sky. Nature never picks unpleasant matches, even if that means mixing a thousand colours.

Ground your colour choices with the natural world. For that nutty brown shirt you’re struggling to style, look to the desert. The oranges or blues you can’t find a match for, take a cue from the sky.

Always try to put the colour nature has aligned with your favourite shade and the chances of you going wrong with mixing and matching will dial down to zero.

Skip a few colour trends

© Instagram/Siddhant Chaturvedi

Just because a colour is trending doesn’t mean it belongs in your closet. It’s cool to keep a watch over colour trends but there’s no need to rush into buying each one of them.

What colour you wear and how you wear it have nothing to do with what’s trending. It's about what works for you.

Know about eventful colours

© YRF

Some colours just work. For example, darker greens pop really well on and off camera. Other greens, too, appear fresh on all skin tones. If you have a wedding to attend or an event where people will remember you, an emerald or forest green outfit will be a bold and sophisticated alternative to the commoners like black or navy.

The teal family also has a good habit of looking good on every skin tone. It’s a crossover colour palette that pairs wonderfully with a wide spectrum of shades—from pinks to blacks.

Try colour analysis

© Instagram/Ayushmann Khurrana

When was the last time someone complimented your style or told you you look good? Remember those times. Remember the colours you wore. Those are your shades.

Choosing colours based on received compliments will naturally make you feel more confident.

Now, comes colour analysis. Prepare a spread of colours you have or wish to wear. Take your phone's camera and compare each against your hand. Some colours will make your skin appear darker, while many might make you look brighter. Choose from these colours based on how you wish to appear.

Some black > all black

© Instagram/Sidhhant Chaturvedi

All black looks don’t hide you as well as you think they do or as they used to. People aren’t exactly looking at what size or height you are anymore. They’re judging you purely based on your style. So, all black looks don’t work.

Even if you love wearing black, which most of us do, do it with a bit of colour styling. Pair your black outfit with a bright green sock, a pink floral pin or a chunky yellow watch. These little accents of colours will prove to be more impactful because they’re placed in the neutral setting of a black outfit.

Experiment a little and you’ll figure out what works and what doesn’t.