Spring Wardrobe: Colorful Dresses & How to Wear Them

Bright, vibrant dresses are in and are so much fun.  A lot of people are afraid of bright colors because they don't know what to wear them with.  Here are a few ways to wear your colorful dresses without freaking out about how to coordinate them with other pieces.

1. Bright dress + neutral shoes + neutral jacket/sweater

This is the easiest way to wear a colorful dress.  Start with the dress (this is the Tucker Panel Dress)...

Add shoes (these are the Stuart Weitzman Sashay pumps)...

Throw on your completer piece (this is the Banana Republic Textured Ruffle Jacket)...

Your jewelry, scarves, and belts can be similarly neutral- wooden beads or metallic pieces work well.

2. Bright printed dress + matching bright shoe + neutral jacket/sweater

This is a slightly bolder- and more fun- way to wear color, but it works best with a print.  Exact matching of your shoes to your clothes very often looks dated and matronly (or, weird as it seems, juvenile), so to avoid looking dowdy or just ill-informed, don't match your shoes to your solid colored bright dresses.  On the other hand, picking up a color in a printed dress is a great way to add even more color to an outfit.

Start with the printed dress (this is another Tucker dress)...

Add shoes (this is the Auri Footwear Layla sandal)...

Throw on the neutral jacket/sweater (this is the Banana Republic Ruffled Military Jacket)...

Jewelry, scarves, and belts can be equally colorful, when done the same way- not matchy, but picking up a color in the print.  In this case, I might add something orange, like a cocktail ring, to pick up the orange detail in the dress.

3. Bright dress + contrasting shoe + complimentary jacket/sweater

This is some of the boldest way to wear color, but it doesn't have to be scary. Employ a little color theory and you can wear an even more creative outfit.  I do not profess to understand the intricacies of color theory, but knowing a couple of simple ideas could expand your horizons, wardrobe-speaking.

Let's start with the Rachel Pally Goddess Dress in teal (it's only $110 and on my wish list):

Find the dress color on the color wheel: blue-green.  Check out the colors on the other half of the color wheel, the same distance from the center: yellow, yellow-orange, orange, etc.  Those are your shoe colors.

Add a contrasting shoe (these are from BC Footwear)...

Find the dress color on the color wheel again. Check out the colors next to it, the same distance from the center: blue and green.  Those are your completer piece colors.

Throw on a complimentary jacket/sweater (this one is from Old Navy)...

Let's try this with another dress, in a more muted palette:

Start with the dress (this is the Kimchi Blue Flutter Sleeve Dress at Urban)...

Find the color on the color wheel: Pink.  Check out the colors opposite it, but which are the same distance from the center: Mint, Powder Blue, Lemon.  Those are your shoe colors.

Add shoes (these are Sam Edelman oxfords)...

Find the dress color on the color wheel again.  Check out the colors next to it, also the same distance from the center: salmon and lilac/lavender/orchid.  Those are your completer piece colors.

Throw on a jacket/sweater (this is the Banana Long Sleeve Open cardi)...

Jewelry, scarves, and belts can be equally colorful or neutral, depending on your comfort level.

Some women put colors together like this instinctively, but relying on tools like the color wheel is a fine way to navigate wearing multiple colors.  It's a modern, fun way to put outfits together. And yes, this formula works with prints, as well as solids.  

4. Colorful dress + same color, different shade jacket/sweater + neutral shoe

A subtler version of #3, this is a fairly sophisticated take on wearing color, and one I try to use often.

Start with a dress in a color you love (this is the an Ellen Tracy cowl neck knit dress in vibrant red)...

Find the color on the color wheel: red.  Check out what is on either side of it, the same distance from the center AND what is in it's section of the "pie": red-violet, red-orange, pink, and maroon.  Those are your completer piece colors.  In this case, try to stick with tones that match that of the dress (if you are wearing a bold red, find an equally bold pink and keep the pastels for something else).

Add a jacket or sweater (this is the Banana Cashmere Ruffle Edge Cardi)...

Grab some neutral shoes (this is the Nine West Rocha pump in taupe)...

I like neutral accessories with this look, but you can spice things up with some contrasting colors in a similar tone, like cobalt blue or yellow.

And now, my lovely readers, go forth and wear dresses!