Dressing in the morning seems to take ages. You stare at your wardrobe, pull out a few outfits, switch your top, try a different pair of trousers, and nothing seems to look right.
It's not that you are poor in clothes, it's that you have too many options!
But fear not! There is a solution to your morning despair, called the 3-Color Rule, a rule that makes it so much easier to get dressed, and makes your outfit look so much more stylish without investing in a whole new wardrobe.
So let's get started!
What is the 3-Color Rule?
The 3-Color Rule consists of having no more than 3 colors, or less, when putting together an outfit. Here are some examples:
- White top + navy trousers + brown shoes
- Black top + beige trousers + white sneakers
- Blue top + grey trousers + black shoes
- Cream sweater + dark jeans + brown boots
Of course, accessories can complement the outfit in the same color family.
It's a simple way to make sure your outfit looks put together and well thought out. It does not restrict you to only neutral colors to have a boring and bland look!
Why will it make your life easier?
The 3-Color Rule will make it so much easier to get dressed in the morning.
First of all, it will reduce the number of decisions you have to make!
You have hundreds of different, colorful clothes in your wardrobe, making it very hard to decide what to wear, especially when you are already running late for work. The 3-Color Rule asks you one simple question: "Will this work with 3 colors or less?" If the answer is yes, then it's a perfect outfit!
Secondly, you will start to see which color combinations work well together.
If you have mastered the 3-Color Rule, you will no longer spend hours upon hours in your wardrobe trying to find the perfect outfit. Instead, you will be able to easily piece together an outfit in no time at all!
Start with neutrals
If you are new to this whole color thing, here is some advice: start with neutrals. Black, white, grey, navy, beige, brown, cream, denim, are all very versatile colors that go well with most other colors. Let's take navy for example. Navy + white + beige. That's already 3 colors that will look great together. It will create a very stylish outfit, without the need of a big statement accessory.
Once you're confident and comfortable with neutrals, start playing with bolder colors such as burgundy, green, blue, red, etc. Again, the 3-Color Rule says only three! Think of it as one bold color and two neutrals.
What about accessories?
Believe it or not, your shoes, belts, bags, and even watches, can have a big impact on your outfit. So do not forget about them!
Say you wear a black top + blue jeans + white sneakers. However, you also wear a bright red bag and a green coat. All of these items look nice on their own, but together they can clash and make your outfit look messy.
Instead, stick to the same color family when adding accessories. For example, brown shoes + brown belt = perfection. It doesn't have to be all the same color, but try to have certain items match up.
Patterns? Are we allowed?
PATTERNS are not off limits! They're actually a great way to play with the 3-Color Rule. Look at the colors in the pattern and stick to those shades.
If you have a checkered shirt with white, navy, and light blue, your pants, shoes, and accessories can all follow those colors. This will make your pattern pop, without clashing with other colors.
Make a few staple color combinations
Now that you know all the rules, it's time to experiment and have fun. I always recommend starting with a few staple color combinations for different occasions, such as:
- Navy + white + brown (for work)
- Black + denim + white (for a casual day)
- Cream + beige + brown (for a soft, cozy look)
- Black + burgundy + grey (for a bolder outfit)
This way you know you have a few good outfit combinations and you won't have to spend ages staring at your wardrobe! Remember, you do not have to start with these combinations, you can use any colors you like as long as you stick to 3 or less!
You will have more clothes in your wardrobe
You might not realize it, but the 3-Color Rule is a great way to make the most out of your wardrobe. So instead of browsing through new clothes thinking "I really need this", take a look at your existing wardrobe and think "How can I use this?" That black blazer you hardly ever wear can be paired with your white top + beige trousers. Your old brown shoes can go with lots of different outfits! A small wardrobe with a few staple items can actually be much better than hundreds of different items that never seem to go together.
Make your fashion a little less stressful
Styling your wardrobe does not need to be so hard. The 3-Color Rule is a great way to have a stylish, put-together outfit without spending too much time trying to figure it out. It mainly boils down to 3 simple steps: choose three colors you like, experiment and see which colors go well together, and make the most out of your existing clothes.