Putting colors together is one of those things that can feel way more complicated than it actually is. You look at a shirt, then your pants, then your jacket, and suddenly you're wondering if any of it actually works together.
Here's the good news: you don't need to be a color expert to dress well.
The goal isn't to make every color in your outfit match perfectly. In fact, trying too hard to match everything can make an outfit feel forced. Instead, you want the colors to feel like they belong together.
Start With Colors You Already Trust
Blue is your friend. Seriously.
Navy, medium blue, light blue, and denim work with an enormous range of colors. If you're trying something new and aren't quite sure where to start, blue gives you a safe foundation.
Take a navy sport coat, for example. You could wear it with gray, tan, olive, brown, burgundy, or even muted pink pants. Underneath, a white or light blue shirt keeps everything grounded.
Now you've got options without making things complicated.
Neutrals Give Your Outfit Some Breathing Room
Not every piece needs to be the star.
White, cream, gray, navy, tan, and brown are great supporting colors. They give stronger colors and patterns room to stand out without competing for attention.
Let's say you have an olive green pair of pants you really want to wear. Instead of searching your closet for something else equally bold, keep the rest simple.
Try the olive pants with a white shirt, navy blazer, and brown shoes.
Done.
The green gets attention, while everything around it helps the outfit feel balanced.
Repeat a Color — Don't Copy It
One of the easiest ways to make an outfit look intentional is to repeat a color somewhere else.
Maybe your tie has a little burgundy in it. You don't need burgundy pants and a burgundy jacket. A pocket square with a small burgundy detail is enough.
Or maybe your sport coat has a subtle blue windowpane. A blue shirt underneath can pull that color forward.
You're creating a connection between the pieces, not trying to make them identical.
Patterns Are Easier When You Look at the Colors First
Plaids, stripes, checks, and patterned ties can look intimidating when they're sitting by themselves.
Instead of looking at the whole pattern, break it down.
What colors do you actually see?
If your plaid sport coat has navy, brown, cream, and a little green, you already have four directions you can go. Choose one or two of those colors for the rest of the outfit and let the jacket do the heavy lifting.
A cream shirt and navy pants might be all you need.
Give One Color the Spotlight
If you're wearing a color that makes a statement, you don't need three more colors fighting for attention.
Maybe it's a rust sport coat.
Maybe it's a pair of green pants.
Maybe it's that pink shirt you've owned for six months but haven't been brave enough to wear yet.
Let that piece lead.
Build the rest of your outfit with quieter colors and suddenly that "difficult" piece becomes really easy to wear.
Your Closet Should Give You Options
A great wardrobe isn't one where every piece looks the same. It's one where your clothes can work together in different combinations.
If everything you own is navy and gray, getting dressed might be easy—but eventually, it's also going to get boring.
Add some green. Try burgundy. Bring in rust, pink, cream, or brown.
You don't have to change your entire style overnight. Start with one new color and learn how it works with what you already own.
The more you experiment, the easier it becomes to look at two pieces and know whether they'll work together.
And if you're standing in front of your closet completely stuck, send the UWM guys a text. Show us what you're working with, and we'll help you put it together.