One of the most empowering things I’ve learned about colour is that you don’t need to memorise a long list of ‘don’ts’ to get it right. You just need to start noticing what you’re already seeing.
Understanding undertones removes so much of the guesswork. Ask yourself whether a shade feels warm or cool. Is that green slightly yellow-based or does it lean blue? Is that pink peachy and soft or chalky and cool?
Warm shades tend to have yellow or brown running through them – rust, mustard, tomato red, camel, olive. Cool shades carry blue or grey – cobalt, fuchsia, lilac, icy pink, charcoal. Once you recognise that, unexpected pairings begin to feel surprisingly harmonious.
If you’re ever unsure, there’s an easy test:
Hold the item next to gold jewellery and then next to silver. One of those will instantly feel more natural against it. That’s your clue. You don’t need a colour wheel, just a little observation.
The more you practise this in natural light, physically holding pieces together, stepping back, even taking a quick photo on your phone, the more confident your eye becomes.