You Can Wear a Great Look with More than 3 Colors

Were you taught to not use more than three colors in an outfit? Well, this post shows that you can create a great look with more than three without looking like a box of crayons. Read about the secret of wearing more than 3 colors.

Contents

Old-fashioned Color Style Rules Leave out Great Style Options
Just 3 Neutrals Can Be the Recipe to Become Invisible
Don’t Become Invisible
Fashion Rules Are Guidelines to Reduce Anxiety of Dressing
Even Obeying the Fashion 3-Color Rule Can Lead to a Hideous Look
Just Wearing Two Colors per Outfit Fails to Be Safe
The Secret to Wearing More than 3 colors
Conclusion – on Wearing More than 3 Colors

Old-fashioned Color Style Rules Leave out Great Style Options

There is this style rule that your mother might had taught you too-to never wear more than three colors in an outfit.

As if this restriction isn’t enough, there is, of course, the addition “for women at a certain age”. Namely, wear no more than two neutral and a bright colors in one outfit when you are over 40. Or even more restrictive, make all three colors of your outfit to be neutral colors. Don’t get me wrong, you can style non-boring looks in neutrals.

Just 3 Neutrals Can Be the Recipe to Become Invisible

You may disagree with me on the following. But in my opinion, the advice to just use three neutrals is the perfect recipe to be invisible at any age. What I mean is this white, gray plus navy, or camel, winter white plus brown sort of combination of the typical work clothes in corporate life that everybody wears. Or just sludge brown and beige with sage combinations you see in many senior living homes.

over 50 years old fashion blogger in color blocked outfit of black, turquoise, green and fuchsia — Look with three fashion colors grounded by one neutral.

snow outfit in bold colors — Back view of the look above.

Alaskan woman wearing 4 colors in one outfit — Standing on my toes in the melt water in the snow covered neighborhood. Outfit details: GNW tight, Salamander shearling booties, Oliveo leather skirt, Sofia cardigan.

Don’t Become Invisible

There is nothing wrong to

love, love, love colors.

So why not wear them? I rarely wear an outfit with just neutrals. When I do, it’s because I have to go to a meeting where Business Casual is required because the attendees are more on the conservative side. Even than I try to put at least an edge to it.

fashion blogger in posh winter outfit with wool skirt, beret and scarf — Winter outfit with Pendleton glen check pleated wool skirt, GNW tight, Sofie cashmere cardigan worn as top, DIY pendant necklace, Louis Vuitton logo print scarf, LeatherCoatsEtc wool beret.

Fashion Rules Are Guidelines to Reduce Anxiety of Dressing

Of course, every rule was made for a reason. The only three solid color rule, especially, with the above additional requirement is a safe bet for anyone. It’s hard to look like you dressed in the dark wearing two neutrals and only one fashion color.

Even Obeying the Fashion 3-Color Rule Can Lead to a Hideous Look

This doesn’t mean you still can. Just think brown with gray and neon yellow. Yuck. Another example how things can go wrong is the following. Despite red, black and white fulfill both rules, this color combination is tricky. Put the colors at the “wrong” spots and you look like Mrs Santa Claus.

style blogger in midi skirt, beret, and ducks with heels outfit of more than 3 ccolors

Side view of multi color look with Winter outfit with Pendleton midi skirt, GNW tight, Sofie cashmere cardigan, DIY necklace, Louis Vuitton scarf, beret

Just Wearing Two Colors per Outfit Fails to Be Safe

And yes, only two colors can make you look odd too. Just think orange and black stripes anytime and anywhere except when dressing for a Halloween party. Pink and violet together make everyone look like Ms Piggy. Even a monochromatic head to toe outfit in greenery is a style crime and makes everyone a fashion victim. It’s only chic on Kermit the Frog, and the gecko of Geicko. Read how to create an ageless monochromatic look.

posh winter outfit with denim coat and glen check skirt — Winter outfit with Max Mara denim coat, Yes Sait Laurant bag, Pendleton glen check pattern wool skirt, GNW tight, Sofie cashmere cardigan worn as top, DIY pendant necklace, Louis Vitton silk printed scarf, wool beret, LeatherCoatsEtc taupe leather gloves with cashmere lining.

The Secret to Wearing more than Three Colors

Start your outfit with a printed piece from a high end designer. In the example outfit for this post, I took the Louis Vuitton scarf as the lead. I found this scarf for $20 in a consignment store two years ago or so. The scarf has a brown background. To ground the look, repeat the brown. In this example OOTD, it re-occurs in the glen check of the skirt, the tights and boots. The flowers of the print have fuchsia accents. This color is picked up by the cardigan. They also have white accents which I repeat with the white of the glen check and white beret. The blue accents of the scarf ties to the brown and blue booties and the blue and white necklace that I made in a recreational class when I was in graduate school. More on color combination.

stylist wearing more than 3 colors in a skirt sweater and scarf winter outfit — Zoom-in on the multi-color outfit with Winter outfit with blue Max Mara denim coat, Yes Saint Laurent Y bag, brown-white Pendleton glen check wool skirt, brown GNW tight, fuchsia Sofie cardigan, DIY blue-white pendant necklace, Louis Vuitton silk fuchsia, white and blue printed brow silk scarf, white beret, LeatherCoatsEtc. gloves.

Conclusion – on Wearing More than 3 Colors

You can use more than three colors in an outfit when have one piece in the look ties all colors together. Use one color for grounding and repeat colors of the multi-color piece in the outfit plus accessories at least two times. This means every color of the multi-color outfit occurs at least three times including the piece that ties all colors together. Of course, you can use analogous colors for great looks.