Using color theory to style outfits is new to me. I guess I always figured I’d wing it and see what works and what doesn’t. After spending too much time staring at my closet and wondering what pieces would work well together, I decided to get some help. That help came in the form of ChatGPT. I used AI to help me use color theory and how dressing with the color wheel would help my style come together.

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There are several ways to use the color wheel to help you pick out outfits. I’m sharing five ways I have found helpful to me. Here they are ~

Monochrome

This idea isn’t new, monochrome dressing has been popular for a few years. It makes creating outfits super easy if you are going all one color. I learned this with black back in 2023. I did find recently though that not all monochromatic looks are easy or the same. Different shades of the same color don’t always look good together.

I have found the best way to handle this color theory is to buy one outfit all together at the same time. Sounds simple, right? Well, nope. My past self would buy a pant here, a sweater there, and then wonder why exactly I struggled to create a monotone look? Whether buying online or in store, mix and match pieces together right then and there.

I purchased this sweater monochrome look from Target, same brand so the color matches perfectly. So simple!

Analogous

This theory involves colors on the color wheel that are side by side, creating a calming effect. For autumn this involves those earthy tones we all cling to when the leaves adjust for the end of the year. I decided brown/beige and olive green would be my analogous style this fall.

Complementary

Now we are going with opposite colors on the wheel. I decided to go with taupe/beige and soft blue for an outfit. Soft blue is also, in my mind, denim, giving me a multitude of options for fall style with my jeans. This outfit you’ve seen before, in my love for wide legs blog post (here), and will be one of my soft blue options this fall.

Triad

Make a triangle anywhere on the color wheel and pick the three colors the points hit. This is triad dressing. For autumn, I’m going with beige, olive green and burgundy. I have on the outfit below right now! The beige/tan of my hat and sweater go well with my olive green pants and burgundy bag. I added my leopard print sneakers for a fun touch (have been wearing the sneakers a ton this autumn!).

Neutral and Accents

I’m preferring neutrals more often and therefore leaning into earthy tones as my base and using another color as an accent to create a pop of color. A leopard print or metallic can stand in as the accent as well. In my monochrome outfit above I’m wearing leopard sneakers as a pop of interest to the neutral outfit. Below I’m using the blue of my jean jacket to give the outfit some interest (as well as a red lip!).

Below I’m wearing my fav red flats and a red lip to bring interest to this outfit. I was so comfortable that day! These Amazon jeans are amazing.

What do you think of using the color wheel to plan your outfits?