Warm Colors in Clothing
How about putting a smile on someone’s face? Or catching the eye of virtually anyone when you walk into the room? I’m sure this sounds pretty awesome to you. The best part about it, is it can be easy to achieve.
You may be wondering how you can do it. Well, I’ve got two words for you: warm colors.
Maybe you’re aiming for a conspicuous look or you want to go bold with your fashion style. Either way, warm colors should be in your go-to fashion arsenal.
But, first of all, you need to know what warm colors are.
What are Warm Colors?
To pick out the warm colors, the color wheel is split in half. As seen in the image below, warm colors are:
Yellow
Yellow-orange
Orange
Red-orange
Red
Red-purple
Warm colors all have red, orange or yellow hue.
Basically, yellow, orange, and red hues make up warm colors. On the opposite side of the color wheel, we have cold colors. These are more subdued hues and are less “in your face” than warm colors.
Psychologically, warm colors arouse attention, passion, excitement, and fun. There’s no doubt that they burst with energy, especially in their pure, fully saturated hues.
How to Use Warm Colors for Clothing
Let’s look at some of the ways we could use warm colors in clothing.
As a canvas color:
Though this is rarely done, it can be easy to pull off. As a canvas color for your outfit, you’d want to go with a shade or light tint of the hue. That way, it won’t come off as too shouty but will still be attention-grabbing.
For example, try wearing dark red or very light yellow. Beige or sand count as warm colors as well. They are excellent choices as canvas colors.
As an accent color
Using warm colors as accents is quite a safer approach for most men out there. An example would be a red-checked flannel jacket to accompany a gray or another neutral canvas color. This gives the outfit an overall “pop”. Stick to our 10 Golden Rules of Color in Fashion if you want to get the most out of such an outfit.
To inspire intimacy or create intensity
Did you know roses, especially red ones, are the most bought flowers on Valentine’s Day? Of course, you did!
One of the best times to put on an outfit with warm colors is when you’re going on a date. Red is usually the color that comes to mind first, but yellow also has a similar effect. According to a study published in the journal of Color Research and Application, red and yellow colors significantly increased the heart rates of participants. So, if you’d like your date to fancy you even more, you know what colors to work with.
Check out our guide on the meanings and interpretations of different colors for more information.
Spring and Summer:
To a large extent, seasons dictate the colors used in fashion. For warm colors, it’s usually spring and summer.
Spring is when flowers begin to bloom and color returns to the lands. Summertime is for the holidays and sunshine. Who doesn’t want to look bright and fresh in these seasons?
You can always pull off darker warm colors in Autumn. They go very well with the colors of the fallen leaves of trees and the elongated periods of dawn and dusk.
During winter it’s all a bit different. It’s not that warm colors in your outfit won’t look amazing then. It’s just that the obvious reason for why warm hues are not ideal then, is because they just don’t blend.
You can’t really go wrong with warm colors in your fashion arsenal. They are always exciting to work with and can help switch up your wardrobe – especially as accents. Whenever you see an opportunity to use them, go for it. If you’re unsure how to use warm hues to their full extent, read up on our articles. More information >
