Does this season’s colour blocking trend have you wishing that you’d paid closer attention to the colour wheel in art class?

While colour blocking – the combining of harmonious, complementary colours – is an dynamic, age-old way (remember YSL’s Mondrian?) to breathe life into your closet, accentuate areas of your body, and add some punch to an otherwise pedestrian outfit, it also presents the a risk of being mistaken for a circus performer if we try to throw too many colours together at once.

We’ve sought the fashion counsel of Alexis Honce, on-air fashion expert for CTV’s "The Marilyn Denis Show", to give us tips on how to best pay homage to our inner Rubik’s Cube.


Whose runway should be we looking to for colour blocking inspiration?

Marc by Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Philip Lim, Derek Lam, Yves St. Laurent


Who would you nominate as this season’s Colour Blocking champions?

• Katy Perry – She graced the cover of the American
ELLE in one of Gucci’s famous colour blocked outfits, rocked Roland Mouret’s blue coloured block dress at a recent event (the Katy Perry Eyelashes by Eylure launch) and always pops on the red carpet in the brightest colours.


• Emma Stone
– She looked fabulous in Giambatista Valli at the "Friends With Benefits" premiere. She turned heads in this one when she paired red and pink together (and
rocked a peplum!).

• Solange Knowles – She loves colour and pairs it well. She always wears the latest trends and has really embraced the colour-blocking trend.

Fill in the blank: Colour blocking is most effective when _____________.

"Colour blocking is most effective when dressed up. Don’t mix more than three colours into your outfit and add gold accessories to highlight your look. Don’t forget to keep it simple with a nude coloured shoe."

Our tips on how to wear the best hat for your face shape.

Read on for more expert tips on how to wear the colour blocking trend, on the next page…
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What are the top three dos and don’ts for successful colour blocking?


Dos:

• Pair solid colours together.

• Mix contrasting colours for maximum impact.

• Go bright – the brighter the colours the better.

Don’ts:

• Don’t overdo it. Maximum three colours at once.

• Don’t mix and match colours of the same shade (dark pink with light pink).

• No patterns allowed.


Is there anyone who should stay away from this trend?

What’s great about this trend is that anyone can wear it and look fabulous. If you love colour, wear it head-to-toe in colour blocks. Those worried about looking like a Popsicle can rock this trend by sporting a piece like the neon satchel bag from The Cambridge Satchel Co. (cambridgesatchel.co.uk).


How versatile is colour blocking?

Colour blocking can be worn day, night or even on weekends.

For day, pair a bright pink skirt with a yellow blouse; add a white blazer to complete the look and keep your shoes a nice neutral colour.

For after work drinks, take off the blazer and put on a Dannijo brightly coloured necklace (dannijo.com) and a neon clutch from Aldo (aldoshoes.com).

For the weekend, grab yourself a pair of neon denim from Rag & Bone and pair with your favourite coloured tee. Accessorize with a Rebecca Minkoff cross-shoulder bag in a bright hue and
metallic flats.

Number one must-have colour-clocked piece for the season?

A beautiful
summer dress in a neon colour, accessorized with a bright envelope clutch.

Read more:

The best runway colour blocking looks

Chic colour blocking pumps

10 colour block street style looks