Staying on top of the latest colour trends can be overwhelming, and once a particular shade has fallen out of the spotlight, it can be difficult to style it in a timeless way.
Fortunately, we've done the hard work for you, and have consulted fashion experts, colour analysts and experts on colour combinations that will work all year round, with some additional tips on how to pull off bold, eclectic outfits with ease. We might even manage to convince you that fuchsia pieces do deserve a place in any capsule wardrobe.
Of course, regardless of the latest fashion trends, the best colours (and combinations) for you will be the ones that make you feel most confident - and there are no hard and fast rules. But, if you need a bit of help finding your way, you can't go wrong with these foolproof pairings.
Amazing colour combinations to make any outfit pop
Head to toe black
It might not be a colourful combination, but an all-black ensemble is so effortlessly sophisticated.
“You can never go wrong with head-to-toe black. It’s timeless, chic and suits every complexion, but to keep it interesting, I always recommend mixing textures," advises JD Williams brand ambassador and fashion stylist, Gok Wan.
"Think a silky black shirt with matte black trousers, or a leather jacket layered over soft knits.”
Tomato red and neutral tones
“Tomato red is an amazing autumn/winter look, but it’s also fresh and impactful for summer, explains personal stylist, Bella Hignett. "It looks best when worn with neutral, earthy tones.
“It’s often paired with black but is less harsh when paired with chocolate brown or camel. Add gold accessories to really elevate.
“It looks best on warmer skin tones that have golden undertones and looks so good worn all year round.”
Blue and purple
“Sea-inspired blues offer freshness in the colder months,” says colour analyst and personal stylist, Sandy Lancaster. “They pair effortlessly with dark brown, chestnut, or even royal purple.”
For a fresh summer look, Sandy advises turning to “lighter aquas and peacock” and “saturated turquoise and lagoon blue” for a rich winter choice.
Navy and burnt orange
“For something modern and sophisticated, navy and rust are a winning combination. Navy provides a classic base, while rust or burnt orange adds warmth and depth.
"My golden rule? Start with a neutral base, then layer in one bold colour,” advises fashion stylist Gok Wan.
Chocolate brown and blue
“Chocolate/mocha mousse brown is bang on trend for this Autumn/Winter and looks sensational with baby blue,” says personal stylist, Bella Hignett.
“The pairing looks good on all skin tones and hair types, all year round. I also love chocolate brown worn with camel and ivory as I LOVE that tonal dressing look!”
This is also a great formula to turn to if you’re not sure how to style pale-wash denim jeans. We’re taking notes from actress and model Molly Sims, whose chic autumn outfit elevates a simple ‘jeans and white tee’ outfit with an oversized chocolate brown coat and chestnut-coloured leather bag.
Lilac and red
For a super vibrant and striking combination, pair soft lilac and bright reds together. To ensure it's cohesive and directional, pay attention to balance; we recommend choosing one dominant colour and using the other one for accents.
Grey and pink
“One of my favourite combinations is grey and pink," says personal stylist Susie Hasler.
"This works beautifully for people with very cool skin tones. If you don’t have a lot of contrast in your colouring - ashy hair, cool skin tones - and bright colours overwhelm you, grey with pink is a lovely, understated way to add colour."
Black, white, navy and red
For a royally good colour combination that suits most skin tones, try any combination of red, white, navy and blue.
“When in doubt, trust that pretty much anyone can pull off black, white, navy, and true red,” advises international fashion stylist Kelsey Noelle Norris.
Yellow and brown
“Golden yellows paired with chocolate or caramel shades are a match made in heaven,” explains stylist and TV presenter, Gok Wan.
“Warmer complexions shine in caramel, while cooler skin tones work beautifully with lemon yellow and espresso. The autumn palette really nails these earthy tones, making it easy to build a versatile look you can wear year after year."
Red and pink
It's ingrained in so many of us that we shouldn't wear pink and red together, but this advice simply doesn't stand anymore. It's just about choosing the right hues.
“Yes, they clash - that clash is what makes them work,” explains stylist Susie Hasler.
“But the colours must be vibrant. Fuchsia pink with an orange-red is a really lovely combination, especially for people with blonde hair and quite tan skin.”
Green and blue
Blue and green might not be the most obvious colour combination, but when styled right, this nature-inspired combination is cool, fresh, and striking. As ever, it's all about choosing complementary shades and ensuring the right amount of contrast.
Here, a pair of bright red shoes and pastel colour beaded handbag tie together the look harmoniously.
Bright yellow and azure blue
“Fluros are back,” says personal stylist, Bella Hignett.
“The neon yellow goes so well with azure and sapphire blues. WOW! I dressed a client in this combo for a wedding she was going to and she said she had never had so many compliments.”
If this combination feels a bit bold for a head-to-toe look, then you can also incorporate it into your look through accessories, like the example (pictured). The bright blue bag adds a pop of cool colour to the overall look.
Monochromatic looks are always chic
Monochromatic outfits are always a safe choice, but to really make your ensemble shine, add some accent accessories or play around with textures and silhouettes.
“Monochromatic is almost always chic: dress or suit, bag, and shoes all in the same colour family. The contrast here is in skin tones and hair tints, and the pop could be expressed through makeup and nails with a high or low contrast depending on the colour of the outfit,” advises fashion stylist Kelsey Noelle Norris.
Pink and burgundy
Call us biased, but pink is perhaps one of the most versatile colours. For a sophisticated, feminine look, pair it with burgundy and plum tones. This combination will work with softer, pastel shades as well as fuchsia.
“I’m a big fan of pink and burgundy together - any shade of pink looks fabulous with burgundy/red wine - and suits all skin tones, which is the beauty of it,” recommends personal stylist, Bella Hignett.
“It always looks very modern and elegant and romantic!"
Pair primary colours with unusual secondary shades
Admittedly, this isn't a specific colour combination, but a brilliant rule to follow if you're not confident with colour blocking.
“Be the opposite of boring and pair a primary colour with an unusual secondary colour. For example, wear a bold red dress with a satin lilac bag. This creates a combination that reads exciting and confident,” advises fashion stylist Kelsey Noelle Norris.
Bright emerald and pink
Fuchsia pink and emerald work beautifully together for a glitzy, glam jewel-toned look.
We adore this bold, OTT Carrie outfit from Sarah Jessica Parker; however, you can also introduce this pairing in more subtle ways, choosing one colour for your base and using the other as an accent tone for accessories.
Blue and orange
“Cobalt blue with orange is a great colour combination," explains stylist Susie Hasler.
"These are opposite sides of the colour wheel, so they naturally contrast, and that contrast makes them really striking. It might surprise you that they work so well together, but they absolutely do!”
If you want to go a little less bold, light blue also pairs well with a super-bright orange.
Soft pink and mint green
For a fresh and vibrant combination, pair pastel pink and mint green. These hues work particularly well in the summer but can be worn through autumn/winter, and also look brilliant with more muted tones.
Stylist and colour analyst, Sandy Lancaster, is a massive fan of soft pinks. "Pair them with chocolate brown, terracotta, or mint green for a dynamic update," she advises.
Try 60% one colour, 30% a contrast and 10% a pop
If you're looking for a failsafe formula for putting together cohesive, colourful looks, try the 60:30:10 rule.
“Start with the parts that make up the whole,” advises fashion stylist Kelsey Noelle Norris. “When I’m building an outfit for myself or my clients, I typically follow something like 60% one colour, 30% a contrast, and 10% a pop.
“This balance keeps the look harmonised, gives the eye movement through contrast, and finishes with just enough surprise to make it memorable.”
Red and forest green
Red is eternally on trend, and it's no surprise why. A versatile colour that ranges from paprika to deep berry leather to bright tomato hues, there is literally a red for everyone.
“They come alive when grounded with forest green, chestnut, or light sage,” explains stylist and colour analyst Sandy Lancaster.
This combination is best for warm undertones, explains Sandy, adding, “geranium and poppy work beautifully on warm skin, while brick red flatters deeper warmth.”
Saffron and sage green
Colour analyst Sandy Lancaster recommends pairing warm tones of “pumpkin or saffron” with “light sage or lime”. These combinations work particularly well for autumn palettes and medium to deep skin with warm undertones, she adds.
If you're not keen to commit to a head-to-toe green and yellow look, you can also incorporate these colours through accessories - like this moss-green sequin dress and yellow leather bag combo.
Chestnut brown and vivid red
A colour combination that works particularly well in autumn is soft brown and bright red. Warm, cosy and beautifully understated, introduce red tones through accessories like Hollie Mercedes Peters (pictured).
“A colour combination that works really well is chocolate brown with a chilly red, warm tone red, an orange red, and mustard,” explains stylist Susie Hasler.
Khaki and beige
Soft beige tones and khaki pair beautifully together - just ensure you introduce different textures and patterns to avoid looking like GI Jane.
We love this outfit from Eva Chen, which brings together green leather trousers with a soft beige duster jacket and beige heels.
Soft grey and deep brown
This classic colour combination looks so chic, especially if you really prioritise good tailoring and materials, like German blogger Füsun Lindner (pictured).
Her classic black sunglasses and structured leather bag add an understated and cool finish to her outfit.
Soft blue and dusky pink
We love this beautiful, ethereal outfit from Victoria Beckham, pictured at the Jacquemus show in June 2023 in Versailles, France.
Her dusky pink dress and pale petrol blue shoes look super feminine, but her futuristic shades add a tougher, fashion-forward edge.
Plum and brown
While we believe you can wear whatever colour combinations you like all year round, there is something about plum colours and brown that screams autumn. And, no one knows the power of that pairing better than the Princess of Wales, who was pictured in October 2024 wearing a wine-red polka dot blouse with a brown blazer.
Honey and ochre tones
“Yellows have deepened from the buttery yellow of summer into ochres and honey shades - rich, vintage tones that glow against dark brown or forest green, and look electric with violet or royal purple,” explains stylist and colour analyst Sandy Lancaster.
For a more subtle way to try this pairing, opt for a warm yellow-toned look with khaki or forest green accessories.
Combine a bold primary colour and muted neutral
Trying to incorporate more colour into your wardrobe but not sure how? Or perhaps you have a few statement pieces that you're unsure how to style. Then here's a handy, easy-to-remember formula.
"Combine a bold primary with a muted neutral, then accessorise with eyewear in a deeper shade,” advises fashion stylist Kelsey Noelle Norris.
Gold and green
Earthy green and brown tones look brilliant with gold shades, particularly on anyone with warm undertones.
We love this monochrome look from Leonie Hanne, which brings together six complementary green tones, accessorised with gold earrings.
Warm neutrals
Brown and beige pair perfectly together for a chic, understated look that will always be on trend. We're huge fans of this look, which brings together a few well-chosen capsule wardrobe staples - a beige trench coat, brown wide-leg trousers and a white shirt.
The key to getting this just right is to invest in some great staples and to stick to either all-warm or all-cool tones for your separates.
Pink and yellow
This fun, tropical outfit, pictured on Dame Helen Mirren at a screening of The Duke in 2022, shouldn't work on paper - but it's so impactful. What really brings it together for us is her glitchy emerald clutch bag.
Soft blue and lavender
Bright, vibrant blues and purples pair well for a cool, fashion-forward combo, but so do pastel shades. We particularly love this combination during spring and autumn; think boiled wool coats, soft knits, and heavy trouser suits.
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