Color Combinations in Fashion – JSS1 Fashion and Garment Making Lesson Note (Second Term)

Colour combination is the skill of choosing colours that look good together in an outfit.

When you understand how colours work, you can look stylish without spending a lot of money on clothes. The tool we use to make these choices is the colour wheel.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Name the primary, secondary and tertiary colours.
2. Draw and colour a simple six-part colour wheel.
3. Explain complementary, analogous and monochromatic colour combinations.
4. Group colours as warm or cool.
5. Suggest a suitable colour combination for a given outfit.

What is the colour wheel?

The colour wheel is a circle that shows how colours relate to one another.

• Order: the colours sit in a fixed order around the circle: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
• Use: it shows which colours are opposite, which are neighbours and which are mixed from others.
• In fashion: a designer or tailor uses it to choose fabric, thread, buttons and accessories that go together.

What are the three families of colour?

There are three families of colour: primary, secondary and tertiary.

Primary colours (the “parents”)

Primary colours are the pure colours that cannot be made by mixing other colours.

• Red: a primary colour.
• Blue: a primary colour.
• Yellow: a primary colour.

On the art colour wheel, every other colour is mixed from these three.

Secondary colours (the “children”)

A secondary colour is made by mixing two primary colours in equal parts.

• Red + Yellow = Orange: the colour of ripe oranges and fire.
• Blue + Yellow = Green: the colour of grass and leaves.
• Red + Blue = Purple (Violet): a rich colour often used for special occasion wear.

Tertiary colours (the “grandchildren”)

A tertiary colour is made by mixing one primary colour with one secondary colour.

• Blue-Green (Teal): blue mixed with green.
• Red-Orange: red mixed with orange.
• Yellow-Orange: yellow mixed with orange.

What are tints and shades?

A tint is a colour made lighter by adding white, and a shade is a colour made darker by adding black.

• Tint: light blue is blue with white added.
• Shade: dark blue (navy) is blue with black added.
• Neutral colours: black, white, grey, brown and cream go with almost any colour.

How do we match colours in fashion?

There are three simple colour rules: complementary, analogous and monochromatic.

Rule 1: What are complementary colours (the “opposites”)?

Complementary colours are colours directly opposite each other on the colour wheel.

• Examples: blue and orange, red and green, yellow and purple.
• The look: bold and bright, so it makes you stand out.
• Outfit idea: a blue dress with an orange bag looks very “sharp.”
• Tip: use one colour as the main colour and the other in small amounts, such as a bag, belt or scarf.

Rule 2: What are analogous colours (the “neighbours”)?

Analogous colours are colours that sit right next to each other on the colour wheel.

• Examples: blue, blue-green and green.
• The look: calm and pleasing to the eye, “safe” and elegant.
• Outfit idea: a green top with a teal skirt.

Rule 3: What is a monochromatic combination (the “one-man army”)?

A monochromatic combination uses different shades and tints of just one colour.

• Example: a light blue shirt with dark blue trousers.
• The look: neat and simple. Many people say it makes the body look taller.

How do the three rules compare?

What are warm and cool colours?

Colours are grouped by the “temperature” they suggest, as warm colours or cool colours.

• Warm colours: red, orange and yellow. They remind us of the sun and fire, and feel energetic and happy.
• Cool colours: blue, green and purple. They remind us of water and grass, and feel calm and relaxed.

Tailor’s tip: bright warm colours such as yellow or orange often look very good on people with a dark skin tone.

What is the quick reference table for colour groups?

Class practical exercise

1. Draw: in your notebook, draw a circle and divide it into 6 parts. Colour the parts in the order of the colour wheel: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
2. Design: you are designing a traditional Iro and Buba. The Iro (wrapper) is purple. What colour should the Gele (headtie) be for a complementary look?
3. Identify: look at what your seat partner is wearing. Are they wearing warm or cool colours?

Evaluation

1. List the three primary colours.
2. What colour do you get when you mix blue and yellow?
3. Explain the meaning of “monochromatic” fashion.
4. Why is it important for a fashion designer to understand the colour wheel?
5. Name two warm colours and two cool colours.

Assignment

Design three outfits for a school event, one for each rule: complementary, analogous and monochromatic. For each outfit, name the colours of the top, the bottom and one accessory, and say which rule you used.