Dressing Between the Lines

One way to think about color in dressing is as a series of distinct, individual tones that can be mixed, matched, and contrasted to greater or lesser effect.  But, even ignoring its scientific qualities, another, in my mind more helpful, way to view color is as a spectrum.  There is a complete spectrum, from black to white with everything in between, and then there are sub-spectra between various pairs of colors.

One of my favorite of these smaller spectra is the range from blue to red; more precisely, from the deepest midnight blue to the most vibrant scarlet.  It is here that I find my favorite colors: royal purples, rich burgundies, inky blues, and countless others.  These colors tend to have a depth and richness to them that my eye just finds inescapable.

When dressing, try working within a given spectrum as an experiment.  I find that as long as you stay within color families, achieving contrast that is inviting rather than jarring is much easier.  And, while tonal dressing might be exceedingly elegant, it is also tough to pull off.  So, this weekend, pick two colors, dress between them, and let me know how you fare.