Judging by the excitement about my recent post on fab finds in shades of dark red, many YLF readers are glad to see the return of dark red for Fall. Although it’s not my favourite shade of red, I’m excited to help clients combine the colour in ways that feel current and fresh. So I hopped back onto my Fall & Winter 2014 pinboard for inspiration. 

Thinking outside of the box when wearing dark red is fun. Unexpected clashing colours work in perfect harmony. Matchy-matchy outfits look thoroughly modern. And there is no such thing as too much dark red. Let’s take a peek.

1. Dark red with dark red. WOW. Wearing a subdued non-neutral from head to toe looks ultra fresh.
2. Casual dark red from head to toe.
3. Combine dark reds with tomato red and shocking pink. One of my favourites.
4. Or choose one blinding bright to match with dark red, like shocking pink.
5. Wear dark red in a pattern with a mid-tone blue, black and pumpkin accents.
6. With burnt orange accents, if adding warmth to the palette is your thing. My next favourite combination.
7. Use dark red as an accent with graphic black and cream to create a clean and crisp effect.
8. Wear it with shades of chocolate brown and a dash of shimmer.
9. Dark red with white accents looks super fresh and is another personal favourite.
10. A psychedelic colour blocked feast of dark red with hints of mauve, coral and neon orange.
11. A little more traditional when combined with tan and black, although the shimmer adds a fresh touch.
12. Royal and rich with gold.
13. More gold with dark red and a touch of black.
14. Another classic with black and hints of white and light grey.
15. Dark red with ink blue, denim and lots of texture.
16. More ink blue and texture, plus shine.
17. A little tomato red goes a long way.
18. Combine dark red with blush and black.
19. Keep the palette cool with lilac and purple.
20. Shades of denim blue dress down dark red sparkle.
21. Textured red with textured charcoal.
22. Equal parts cobalt and black with dark red.
23. A smidgen of emerald green, tomato red, purple and light blue liven up the dark red.
24. Classic charcoal and black are always good.

I didn’t see any outfits that combined dark red with chartreuse and cream, or dark red with aqua and cream. But those combinations are gorgeous to my eye and I encourage you to try them too. And if you don’t mind looking a little ‘Christmassy”, pairing dark red with forest green is another way to go. 

Classic colour combinations are always great, but unexpected combinations pack more punch. So if you are creating outfits with dark red, consider going beyond neutrals like tan, brown, black, grey and white. The colour is a lot more versatile than you might think.