https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:44:02 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742972 Sat, 22 Oct 2016 09:13:19 +0000 approprio 1742972@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b></b>Ok, now please indulge me while I go full art school science geek...<br /><b><br />Sisi, Diane,</b> thanks for confirming that. It makes a certain logical sense that our eyes would fix on these harmonies when we see colour combinations, but the relationships between them are complex and there are many factors at work.</p> <p><b>Staysfit,</b>&nbsp;I'd love to see some of your DD's work. I was in The Hague yesterday for an exhibition by Op-art painter <a rel="nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridget_Riley">Bridget Riley</a>. Her works are filled with optical effects and illusions that challenge our perception. The exhibit gave a fascinating insight into the way she uses colour theory and geometry to generate an optical response. Her methods are very technical and rooted in science but the impact is pure visual poetry.</p> <p>They used this quote from her in the show: </p> <p><i>"Sensation of colour is a different thing, it takes in attendant qualities so to speak, such as glitter and sombreness, buoyancy or weight, dull glow or full brilliance, impalpability or density, softness or hardness - in short, a surprising variety of sensual relationships."</i></p> <p><b>Janet:</b> those are really beautiful. They'd make amazing textiles. Are you going to print them?</p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742576 Fri, 21 Oct 2016 12:10:44 +0000 Janet 1742576@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love it! That jacket and scarf are totally gorgeous, and your hair looks amazing. </p> <p>I am always fascinated with how colors play together, and I'm taking special note of it as I have been working with patterns made from my photos. Color combinations that work in a stand-alone photo can be overwhelming and garish when that photo is made into a pattern. (I've attached a couple that are a bit more bold combinations but still seem to work well.) I want to read up and refresh myself on color theory as a result! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742526 Fri, 21 Oct 2016 09:44:00 +0000 Staysfit 1742526@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My DD is in Australia but when she returns I plan to show her this post. She will love your color sense and how you mapped it out. While she is a painter, she is also a scientist, and things like this greatly appeal to her, plus she loves anyone and anything with wonderful color! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742519 Fri, 21 Oct 2016 09:21:30 +0000 Sisi 1742519@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Approprio, it is very fascinating. Yesterday I wanted&nbsp;to add (but was in a hurry) that I&nbsp;always choose my colors instinctively, and sometimes something seems to work together particularly well and I&nbsp;don't know why. Now I know that it's&nbsp;color theory!</p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742511 Fri, 21 Oct 2016 08:34:01 +0000 Anonymous 1742511@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ooh this is fascinating. I've never really studied colour to that extent but what you say makes perfect sense and I see it so well now that you've pointed it out. This sparks off my interest now </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742500 Fri, 21 Oct 2016 07:38:55 +0000 approprio 1742500@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Suz</b>: thanks! I love VW's tailoring, but she can skew too bombshell glam for me if I don't toughen it up a bit. I think you're right - this look is all about binary oppositions.&nbsp;</p> <p>Welcome back from the writer's retreat by the way. I trust it was productive. And I've been meaning to thank you for the encouragement you gave me on my Big Man Pant project. You swung that decision for me and it's working out. :)</p> <p><b>rachylou</b>: now that's a good question! The colour wheel doesn't say 'no' to anything in particular, rather it gives some insight into why things might feel a bit off, and what you can do to bring some harmony. I've used it occasionally on colour palettes in graphic design but I don't think I've ever used it on an outfit before.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742464 Fri, 21 Oct 2016 03:39:58 +0000 rachylou 1742464@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yummy!</p> <p>But you've made me wonder now: what colors does the color wheel say 'no' to? And why? Hmm... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742388 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 23:58:37 +0000 Suz 1742388@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is sensational on you! Wow. And it's not just the colour (although that is part of it). There is something about the tailored but slightly ladylike jacket along with the drapey scarf and your bold specs and hair and the oxfords --- these feminine/ masculine elements play well with the colour juxtapositions.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742260 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 19:28:40 +0000 approprio 1742260@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Aliona</b>: thanks! Honestly, this outfit seems so "right" I can't imagine why I didn't think of it before. Maybe I needed purple hair to inspire me.</p> <p><b>Angie</b>: I agree, we should always intuit first and overthink later. I do believe that anybody who is visually aware will pick up on these colour harmonies and find out for themselves what works and what doesn't. But&nbsp;I like knowing how things work. As you say, once an engineer, always an engineer ;)</p> <p><b>tulle</b>: it's entirely possible that all colours can work together, but I know for sure they can be made to look pretty terrible if you're not careful. It's a delicate balance, one I don't think I appreciated until I started designing websites ;)</p> <p><b>Murph</b>: I'm not sure if I have an inner geek. It's all geek front and centre with me. Maybe there's an inner normal person waiting to be found.&nbsp;</p> <p>And <b>Sisi</b>, isn't it just? Colour theory is fun. I like colour theory. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742226 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 18:41:24 +0000 tulle 1742226@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Another color-obsessive here, but, like Angie, an intuitive rather than scientific one.&nbsp; Playing with color, especially with the added dimension of texture (weave, nap, luster, pattern) in fabrics can literally make my mouth water! Sadly, I can't wear lots of my favorite combinations without washing out my cool, muted coloring. Love to see them on those who can wear them with flair, though.<br />I remember one of Martha Stewart's television programs:&nbsp; She was in Mexico, in one of those amazing little shops selling giant paper flowers in the brightest colors.&nbsp; Martha asked the proprietors which colors looked best together, and he answered gently,&nbsp; "ALL colors look good together, Martha." </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742132 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 14:24:57 +0000 Angie 1742132@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fun scientific analysis, Liz. That's the engineer in you.&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm not a colour nerd, but I DO have a high affinity for colour and pattern mixing. I feel my way through all of it. And the person's complexion, specs and hair colour play a large visual role too.</p> <p>I think th<b></b>at <b></b><b>all</b> the colours can work together somehow.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742102 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 13:11:21 +0000 Murph11 1742102@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My inner art school geek LOVES this explanation on why your outfit works so well! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742101 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 13:10:15 +0000 Sisi 1742101@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's very interesting, thank you Approprio. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742074 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 11:45:39 +0000 Anonymous 1742074@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>OMG, that outfit looks AMAZING. I love the colours with your hair. How did I miss this beautiful combo the first time around? </p> <p>I know nothing about colour so no wisdom there. Just wanted to gush about your look ;). The McQueen scarf is jaw droppingly lovely. So glad it found you. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/more-fun-with-colour#post-1742058 Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:41:27 +0000 approprio 1742058@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>While we're talking about&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/neutrals-or-color">colour,</a> I posted <a rel="nofollow" href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/maximal-challenge-london-romantic">an outfit with lots of it</a> the other day. I thought the colours worked well together, but I couldn't quite say why. Judging by your reaction, you all thought so too. Thanks again for being so very generous.</p> <p>I'm a bit of a colour freak myself. I have a reasonable intuition for what works, but it's far from infallible so as a designer I use <a rel="nofollow" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_theory">colour theory</a> to help me understand it. I took a look at the colour wheel to see how the combination I wore that day played out.&nbsp;</p> <p>Surprisingly enough, it's a&nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="http://paletton.com/#uid=70D1q0k7L+cz-RkuErtcHlzCOfe">perfect polar tetrad</a> - two pairs of complimentary colours in opposition. The pale blue sings with salmon pink, orange and cognac. The greenish gold plays well with the mauve taupe in my shirt and purple hair. The two pairs align at right angles on the colour wheel. That explains my hunch that I should have gone for a pink lip.</p> <p>Colour nerds, have at it. I'm definitely wearing that outfit again. </p>