Due to the popularity of my post about fashionable color combining using beautiful photography, along with hopes from readers for me to do more, I decided to follow up this week with another post on the topic. Not that anyone had to ask me twice. You want me to look at gorgeous images and create outfits from them? No problem!
Wanting to add something new to the mix this week, I decided to come with a fun idea that I think you’ll really like. When I work with clients, it is important that they all learn how to become independent. As I tell them, “I can’t sleep in your closet and dress you every morning.” What I like to do is have them create outfits while I watch them do it. This way they have my guidance but learn to think for themselves. So this week I am giving you the opportunity to create your own awesome outfit using this photograph below as inspiration.
Create an outfit using photography for color combining inspiration
Using the photograph above, by architect Roy Hellwig, create an outfit using the colors found in the image. To make this challenge more exciting, I am going to sweeten the deal by turning this into a contest. Send your outfit creation to me by February 1st to get automatically entered into the running to win a one hour virtual style session with me.
How this will work is all outfit submissions sent to me by February 1st will be considered eligible for the competition. I will select five finalists and post their outfits in a future blog post. To keep it fair, I will let all of you vote for your favorite outfit, from the five finalists. The winner with the most votes will win the prize.
How to submit an outfit photo:
You can create your outfit any way you would like. You can use a tool like Polyvore (the site I use to create all my outfits for this blog), create a photo collage, put an outfit together from your own wardrobe, and more. However you want to create your outfit is up to you. Once your outfit is done, email a photo of it to me for consideration to info at bridgetteraes dot com before the cut-off date. To keep the playing field of this contest fair, if you are a fashion or style blogger or work as a stylist, I can’t accept your submission. I’m sorry, but it just wouldn’t seem fair to do so.
I really look forward to seeing what you come up with! How fun will this be?
To get some further fashionable color combining inspiration, I have five more outfits below using photography as my muses.
Fashionable Color Combining Outfits
Outfit #1
The first thing I found was this turquoise top from Modcloth. Being so in love with the color of the model’s hair, I knew I wanted to play up the rich burgundy and added this Kate Spade bag. The turquoise and burgundy are so unexpected together but harmonize beautifully. The next item I chose was a quite a find, this Boden skirt that picks up all the colors from the photo. Next, for a pop of that yellow, I added these yellow wedge sandals and finished the look with an aqua necklace from Stella & Dot to really create the different depths of blue.
Outfit #2
This next image, from Apartment Therapy, was, admittedly a challenge. While I loved the taupe walls and black and white duvet and curtains, I seriously wondered if I could pull this look off in a cohesive outfit. However, I then came up with a solution that I think is really easy to apply.
My solution was to work with taupe colored khakis, like these from Mango. Khakis are like denim, they usually go with everything. In this outfit, instead of it looking like I am forcing black and white with brown, the whole outfit works together just like it does in the photo. I used a black and white J. Crew top and, for layering, a black cardigan from Tory Burch. With such a neutral base, it was easy to add the pink and blue pop colors found in photo, and I finished this look with a pair of pink ballerina flats from Aerosoles, blue handbag from Elliot Lucca and pink, blue and gold earrings.
Outfit #3
You can’t help but stare at how gorgeous the combination of colors are in this photo by Jessica Jenney. With so many beautiful colors to choose from I was happy to find the below dress as a starting point.
It was sheer luck that I found this paisley Modcloth dress. However, the dress alone is not what makes this outfit look as good as it does. What the photo and print in the dress allowed me to do was use the colors to figure out pops and accents of colors to add in a balanced way. My favorite part of the photo was how the purple and shades of cognac worked together. Working with this, I added the cognac MICHAEL Michael Kors belt and boots from Anthropologie, in addition to the leather and gold bangle from Banana Republic and brown stud earrings. Next, what I liked was the way the teal accented the purple. This combination was enhanced with the purple infinity scarf from Nordstrom and teal handbag from ZAC Zac Posen.
Outfit #4
I wanted to ground the outfit with a neutral. With the stone shades, I added this basic gray cashmere sweater from Athleta and used these Nordstrom flats in cognac that pick up the warm brown touches in the photo. From there, I played with the bright green and teal shades. Few would think to mix such a warm, yellow based green with a cooler teal. It’s a surprising mix that can actually work in an outfit. Honestly, had I not seen this photo, I wouldn’t have immediately thought to put these pants from J. Crew with this grassy green handbag from Macy’s. This is the benefit of using photography to get color inspiration. To finish the outfit, I added this printed scarf from Nordstrom and earrings from Max & Chloe that contain all the colors in the photo.
Outfit #5
In this outfit, I created the same soft and washy look using this suit from Reiss, soft blue top from Calvin Klein, shell pink handbag from Rebecca Minkoff, taupe suede heels from Steve Madden and pink and blue earrings from Stella & Dot. There is a soft, unassuming power to this outfit.
I hope that many of you partake in my outfit contest that I am hosting, not for the free hour long virtually session with me, well that’s a perk, but because this exercise is really fun and creative. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
