How to Build a Wardrobe That Mixes and Matches in Your Best Colours

Do you have plenty of clothes in your wardrobe, but still find yourself standing there thinking, "I've got nothing to wear"?

Often, the problem isn't that you need more clothes. It's that the clothes you already own don't work together.

You might have a lovely top that only goes with one pair of pants, a jacket you rarely wear because the colour never seems quite right, or lots of individual pieces you like but very few actual outfits.

This is where knowing your best colours can make such a difference.

When your wardrobe is built around colours that suit you and also work beautifully together, getting dressed becomes so much easier. You can create more outfits from fewer pieces, shop with more confidence and stop wasting money on clothes that end up sitting unworn in your wardrobe.

Start With Colours That Actually Suit You

Before thinking about creating a capsule wardrobe or buying more basics, I believe the most important thing is to know which colours make you look your best.

We can all wear colour, but we don't all suit the same colours.

Some shades can make your skin look brighter, your eyes stand out and your whole face look fresher. Others can leave you looking tired or washed out, even when you've had a perfectly good night's sleep!

This can become particularly noticeable as we get older. Our hair colour changes, our skin changes and the colours we wore years ago may not be the colours that flatter us most today.

A personal colour analysis takes away that guesswork.

Choose Your Core Wardrobe Colours

Once you know your best colours, the next step is choosing a few that can become the foundation of your wardrobe.

These are usually your more versatile colours – the ones you can wear repeatedly and combine with several other shades.

And they certainly don't have to be black.

Depending on your colouring, your best wardrobe neutrals might include navy, charcoal, taupe, camel, chocolate, cream, stone, denim or softer shades of grey.

For example, if navy is one of your best colours, you might choose navy pants, jeans or a jacket. You can then add tops, scarves, jewellery and other pieces in several of your complementary colours.

Suddenly, instead of one top working with one bottom, you have lots of different combinations.

Create Your Own Colour Palette

This is the part I love.

Imagine opening your wardrobe and seeing a collection of colours that not only look beautiful on you but also work together.

You might have three or four core colours and then another four or five colours that you use for tops, dresses, scarves, jackets and accessories.

The exact colours will be different for everyone.

One woman might look wonderful in teal, rust, camel and warm sage, while another might shine in steel blue, plum, soft pink and charcoal.

There is no one wardrobe colour palette that works for everybody – and that's exactly why finding your colours is so helpful.

Make Sure Your Tops Are Doing the Hard Work

If you're gradually changing your wardrobe, you don't need to throw everything out and start again.

Concentrate first on the colours you wear closest to your face.

Tops, shirts, jumpers, jackets, scarves and dresses have a much bigger impact on how your complexion looks than a pair of pants or a skirt.

So if you already own black pants that you love, you don't necessarily need to get rid of them just because black isn't one of your best colours. Instead, wear one of your most flattering colours on top.

It's a much more realistic way to transition your wardrobe.

Shop With a Plan Instead of Buying Random Pieces

One of the biggest benefits of knowing your colours is that shopping becomes much more focused.

Instead of seeing something on sale and thinking, "That's nice, I'll find something to wear with it," you can ask yourself:

Does this colour suit me?

Does it work with at least two or three things I already own?

If the answer is no, leave it behind.

This one little habit can save you a surprising amount of money.

It also helps stop your wardrobe from slowly filling up again with random colours and pieces that don't work together.

Don't Forget Your Accessories

Scarves, necklaces, earrings and other accessories are an easy way to bring your best colours into an outfit without buying a whole new wardrobe.

They can also help connect different colours within an outfit.

If you're wearing a neutral top and pants, for example, a scarf in two or three of your best shades can bring the whole look together.

Even small touches of the right colour near your face can make a difference.

Why a Mix-and-Match Wardrobe Makes Life Easier

A wardrobe built around your personal colour palette isn't about having strict rules or only being allowed to wear certain colours.

It's about making life easier.

You know what suits you. You know what works together. You can walk into a shop and quickly rule colours in or out. And when you open your wardrobe in the morning, you have far more combinations to choose from.

The aim isn't necessarily to own fewer clothes – although many women find that happens naturally.

The aim is to own more clothes that you actually wear.

Ready to Find the Colours Your Wardrobe Should Be Built Around?

At Colours By Sue, my personal colour analysis sessions are designed to help you discover the colours that genuinely suit you – not simply place you into a broad seasonal category. You can see pricing here or get in touch if you have any questions.

Using more than 75 colour swatches, we look at which shades brighten your complexion and enhance your natural colouring. You'll also discover beautiful colour combinations you can use when putting outfits together.

And you'll leave with your own personalised colour guide and colour samples that you can take shopping with you, so you don't have to rely on memory when you're standing under those lovely shop lights!

I offer personal colour consultations from my studio in Currambine, north of Perth, as well as mobile sessions across Perth.

If you're ready to stop guessing and start building a wardrobe where your colours actually work together, book your Personal Colour Analysis with Colours By Sue.

Your wardrobe doesn't need more clothes. It needs more clothes that work beautifully together – and beautifully on you.