Do you prefer to create a high or a low contrast between the colours in your outfit?

I am 100% Team High Colour Contrast. There has to be a high colour contrast in my outfit in order for it to feel like me. I can achieve the contrast with accessories, clothing and footwear. When I wear black from head to toe, I’ll wear white pearls or a bright scarf to soften the harshness of the black against my face, and to create a strong contrast against it. When I create low contrast on top, like a red top with a red jacket, I’ll pair high contrast shoes, specs, belt or handbag with the outfit. My cream coats and jackets are low contrast against my blonde hair and pale skin, but wearing a black top underneath these items instantly creates the contrast. The black buttons on my cream jackets and coats also create strong visual contrast.

Another way I introduce contrast is with bright clashing colour combinations, like red with yellow, turquoise with red, fuschia with white, and purple with green.

When I do wear a low contrast outfit like ink blue with black, it’s always with white or cream in order to add back in the element of high colour contrast.

Team Low Colour Contrast prefers to wear a monochromatic ensemble and colours in the same colour family. For example, a black dress worn with a gunmetal grey necklace, pewter shoes and eggplant handbag is a low colour contrasting outfit. Wearing a white dress with pastel pink cardigan, silver sandals and white handbag is another example.

Swap out the pastel pink for fushia and throw in black shoes and belt, and you’re back on Team High Colour Contrast.

Note that contrasts can be created with both neutral and non-neutral colours. This is not a brights versus neutrals distinction at all.

It’s interesting to observe this style distinction between my clientele because there are clearly two camps. Importantly, there is absolutely no right and wrong here. The one you prefer depends entirely on your aesthetic preferences. And perhaps you like to switch between high and low contrast depending on your mood.

Over to you. Are you Team High or Team Low Colour Contrast? Although I’d prefer you to pick a side, I’ll allow batting for both Teams because it’s the last week of the year. But if you do pick both, then let us know what makes you decide between high and low contrast for any particular outfit.