There are new trends coming up in fashion every now and then, but most of them get ridiculed by critics or just miserably fail to garner attention. But then there are some other trends that come in like a hurricane and take the fashion world by storm. Colour blocking is one such trend. When it hit the fashion world a few years ago, everybody from designers to fashion magazine editors to the general public were intrigued.
Colour blocking may seem daunting and maybe even a little absurd. I mean honestly, can you imagine pairing a bright orange top with purple pants? Of course not, that will be a disaster, right? Well, not necessary. Take a look at these celebrities and how they have colour-blocked their outfits.
Source: wordpress.com
While it might seem jarring and wrong at first glance, once you allow your eyes to take in the entire look, you will realise that colour blocking is something akin to modern art—seemingly nonsensical and pointless at first glance, but then, once you get the art form, you cannot help but appreciate its brilliance. You realise that there is harmony in all the chaos of colours. Something about it works and that is why colour blocking has not just been a passing fad. No one’s in any hurry to let go of this trend.
What exactly is Colour Blocking?
Simply put, colour blocking is the art of pairing two or three very different or very similar colours with one another to create a very compelling look. If done right, colour blocking is a visual treat and can create some very unusual and interesting colour combinations.
Tips to Get it Right Every Time
Visualise the entire look:
The basic premise of colour blocking is to create interesting colour combinations. So bright pink and red are a perfectly acceptable combination in the world of colour blocking. There is no hard and fast rule of which colours you should and should not combine. After all, colour blocking is the rule-breaker that states that there are no right or wrong colour combinations. You just have to visualise the entire look. While colour blocking can be done with three colours, all three colours must complement each other to complete the look.Here’s an example of a colour-block look that works. With a simple red top and bright pink peplum skirt, Emma Stone makes her look work.
Whereas here, while the colour combination is still pink and red, a third colour black is being introduced into the look. This is fine as black, grey, and white are usually used in colour blocking to bring an outfit together. But here, the black does nothing for her outfit except make it look dull. And the weird structure of the skirt makes it unflattering. This is an example of colour-blocking gone horribly wrong.
Play with pastels:
Although bright colours are in right now, you can experiment with pastel shades to create a soft, gentler colour-blocking look. Do not underestimate the power of pastels. They can be used to create some awe-inspiring colour-block looks. So start with pastels and when you’re confident that you’ve got the hang of it, move on to neon colours.
Check out this very effective colour-block look achieved using only pastels.
Incorporate the look with the right accessories:
Colour-blocking does not start and end with just your outfit. Your accessories also play a very crucial role. This is where most people go wrong. They carefully pick their outfit, paying attention to the colours and how they’re going to put it together, but lose focus when it comes to accessories. If your accessories clash with your outfit, or if they stand out and look like they do not belong with that outfit, then your colour blocking effort is incomplete. The accessories need to go with the outfit, better yet, they need to accentuate the colour-blocking. So pick up interesting pieces that add some value to your outfit, be it a belt or a necklace or even a watch.
Get inspired with this look. See how the accessories seamlessly go with the outfit? This is what you should aim to achieve.
Source: pinimg.com
