Style 911: How to Wear Color

If my experience styling private clients has taught me anything, it is this: women of all sizes, shapes and ages struggle with many of the same exact wardrobe conundrums. From finding the perfect jeans to knowing when to choose gold jewelry over silver, their fashion emergencies have hatched my cures, which I call "Style 911."

This edition of Style 911 is by reader request: How does one mix and match colors with neither an over-reliance on black pants nor a likeness to Bozo? Click through for creative (but not cuckoo!) color combos to try at home.

1. Khaki + Olive + Orange
Sandy neutrals are a natural pairing; a punch of warm color is a great focal point. The key to wearing neutral-on-neutral is to make sure there's a visible difference in color from top to bottom, lest you look like a zookeeper.

2. Brown + Black + Gold & Teal
Black shoes with a brown dress? Yes you can. (Although I don't advise the reverse.) Because the biggest piece of this outfit - the brown dress - is warm in tone, gold jewelry is best. Teal and brown are always a winning combination.

3. Yellow + Purple + Grey
Yellow works with this orchid shade of purple because of the purple's yellow undertones. Temper the one-two punch of brights with a cool grey blazer. For the gun-shy, you could also opt for just one bright to pair with grey: yellow top under a grey suit, or purple skirt with white blouse and grey blazer.

4. Navy + Red + Camel
Navy and red are a tried-and-true pair. What brings this combo into 2012 is the unexpected pairing with camel. So rich, especially for winter (bonus points for camel-hued leather!).

5. Fuchsia + Black + Charcoal
In the case of a bright pink pant, the star of the show has been cast. Supporting roles should be quiet -- but not boring. A textured black, such as a lace top, and a bootie in charcoal (less expected than black) fit the bill nicely.

What do you think? Have you created a winning color combo? Do tell!

Image sets created on polyvore.com. Main image: Fuchsia jeans, Alice + Olivia, $185 at Nordstrom.com.

Tagged as: fashion trends, fashion, style and Nordstrom

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Erin Carpenter is a personal stylist who works one-on-one with professional women and brides-to-be to ensure they dress to feel their absolute best. She dishes out style tips, tricks, scoops and more in “Notes on Style” to help you achieve your best look.