Color Aesthetics: How to Use Color Theory to Style Streetwear

In previous posts, we’ve taken you down the road to the minimalist streetwear aesthetic and beyond to trending TikTok aesthetics. Now we’re taking you on a journey into the theory of color and how you can use these rules to your stylish advantage. 

Color Theory and Your Wardrobe Choices 

You may think bold, vibrant fashion comes from an intuitive sense of style, but really it can be much more calculated and deliberate.  The Theory of Color uses a color wheel tool to break down pigments into a simplistic yet methodized manner. The color wheel consists of 3 tiers of colors: 

1. Primary colors: yellow, red, blue
2. Secondary colors: orange, purple, green (created by mixing primary colors)
3. Tertiary colors: amber, vermillion, magenta, violet, teal, chartreuse (created by mixing primary with secondary colors)

Color Wheel for Clothes Matching

The color fashion wheel creates a map of complementary colors (opposite colors) and is a general rule of thumb for pairing vibrant colors that work well together versus vibrant colors that clash. You can take it a step further by determining your skin tone as there are specific pigments that enhance various skin tones – but we’ll dive into that in another blog post soon! 

Analogous Colors Outfit For Fashionistas

If complementary colors aren’t your thing – no worries! The color wheel is still extremely useful in showing analogous colors (colors that sit right next to one another). So if you’re stepping into the realm of bold and bright for the very first time, this will be an easy way to get started with soft contrasts of colors. Analogous clothes might mix a pink top with purple pants, or yellow and chartreuse, orange and red.

Color Scheme Outfits: 7 Different Color Harmony Clothing Options 

By referencing the color wheel, you’ll be able to style your looks in many different ways called “color harmonies.” There are 4 common color schemes primarily used (highlighted below) but 7 harmonies to choose from that are as follows:

1. Complementary: Try complementary color outfits, using opposite colors that pair well on the color wheel
2. Triadic: For a triadic color scheme outfit, choose colors equidistant from each other in the form of a triangle on the color wheel
3. Analogous: colors that are side by side on the color wheel and that share a similar hue
4. Monochromatic: The monochromatic color scheme in fashion uses not just identical colors but the same color in various shades and hues
5. Split complementary: split complementary colors are one main color + the two colors next to the main color’s complement – creating a slimmer triangle formation 
6. Square: colors equidistant from each other in the form of a square on the color wheel
7. Tetrad (Rectangle): colors equidistant from each other in the form of a triangle on the color wheel

We’ve had fun breaking down all things Color Theory and we hope you are thoroughly inspired to add some pops of color to your streetwear heat. When you’re ready to take your look to the next level, shop new arrivals at RSO and don’t forget to tag us on IG! #rockstaroriginal