Color Blocking over 40- How to get the Look
You’re going to be hearing the term color blocking a lot this spring. There’s a great post about it at Sandra’s closet that sums it up perfectly.
Basically, color blocking is wearing 2 or 3 chunks of strong solid color. Think lego, or building blocks of color!
You know we’re big on color after 40, and solids always look chic, so naturally we think color blocking is great look. Just keep these few things in mind:
1. Don’t mix too many colors together. The more chunks of color, the more you cut up your body, and the shorter and wider you will look. Keep in mind that all the gorgeous photos of color blocked outfits that we are seeing in magazines and on the the runway are being worn by 6 foot, skinny minny Glamazons.So keep it to 2-3 colors.
2. Wear modern color combos- Just look at the photo we have posted above- terra cotta and purple, orange, chartreuse and silver. These are very new and unusual color combos and the colors are vivid. That’s what makes you look modern and youthful.
Wear an old, tired color combo, like chunks of pale pink with chunks of pale blue, and you will look like you missed the mark.
Color blocked clothing is just starting to roll into the stores. Here’s what we have been seeing so far:
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Wow and Wearable! Color blocking as it appears on the runway is often over the top, but here’s a great example of how it can work for the mainstream. A bright, lemon yellow top is combined with a bright purple sweater and gray pants. This looks fresh and modern, but not so out there that you feel like a clown. ( Spiegel) |
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| If Bright colors scare you..
you can get in on the trend by combining black and white. This black and ivory racing stripe style dress is a great example of color blocking without the rainbow effect. This dress reminds us of a dress we posted last year, so you see trend was already starting then. ( Saks) |
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| Use Color Blocking to shape your body In this dress, and the previous one there’s an illusion at work. Black makes the body look smaller. White makes it look larger, especially when white sits next to black. See how the racing striped dress (above) with its black side panels makes the model look narrower through the hips?. Notice how this ponte knit sheath dress (right>>) makes the model’s look extra curvy because of the way the black cuts in and wraps around the body. (Spiegel) |
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| Blocking doesn’t have to be Straight Lines
Here the chunks of color appear in waves giving this dress a more whimsical feel. We could see this dress on a grown up gal, minus the shoes. If they make this young thing look like a prisoner who got loose from her ball and chain, imagine how they’ look on a gal twice her age. A less clunky, more refined version of this sandal would look classy, instead of trashy over 40.(Saks) |
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| Let your Accessories do the Color Blocking.
Sometimes a little touch of a trend is all you need or want.This bag from Prada keeps it simple. (Saks)
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| Put the brightest Colors where you want the Eye to Go!
This creative color combo of a rose and acid green focuses all the attention up top by your face, where you want it. (Spiegel) |
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| Looks like these are “The Colors”
Coral, navy, yellow, gray, all seem to be hot colors this spring from what we are seeing. They give this dress a nautical feel. (Saks) |
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| Mod Squad
Color blocking often projects a mod 60′s look. I ( Deb) tried this Milly dress on and loved it but didn’t buy it because it felt a bit too short! Normally, I would have let down the hem a bit but with the banding it would have ruined the look. I have long legs; maybe it will work for you. What I liked about it was the navy with cream and coral was so refreshing and it had sleeves, which is hard to find in a dress. ( Saks)
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| The last word on color block.
Nothing says color blocking better than this fashionable footwear from Fendi. Perfect for shoe-aholics who love to have their feet take center stage. Just don’t make these shoes compete with anything else. Keep your outfit simple and a solid color, preferably a neutral.(Saks) |
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i love wearing purple..what are the best colors to match it? thanks!
I particularly like the “Wow and Wearable!” look. Thanks for the fashion tips!
I’m hearing what people are saying with regards to color blocking, not sure myself but the outfits look stunning, nice pics.
Hi Zahara,
Oh we hear ya….we just used that photo to give you an idea of what the fashion world is showing. Unfortunately, we have a hard time finding over 40 models that are wearing outfits that you can go out and buy. So….we have to make do with what we have. Examples of outfits that we are sure that are age appropriate, classy and fun! Next time, maybe we will crop the heads off or photoshop some laugh lines in.
Can we please see the color blocking on ladies who are 40 plus instead of the skinny minny models. Looking at the young models doesnt really give me an idea of how it would look on an older woman!
Hi Linda,
Welcome and we went to your site, Cothesbefitting…. great idea! Keep us posted on updates!
Hi Eden,
Great question!! See how the one dress is using the color blocking, vertically! BINGO…more illusion of height!
I like this look, but I am a bit petite (5.2) and not sure if the blocking will make me look shorter. How can I elongate my height using this look?
Hi Girls,
Love your site (blog).
As far as color blocking. It can be great with the right colors in the right places. Wrong colors and places can be a disaster. For Example, An Apple shape wearing a light color across her belly with dark above and below. That
would be a mess. So, Please take your body type into consideration when you bare this new very fun trend!
Love the whole color blocking trend. I’m afraid that it just isn’t meant for us petites though. Do you think at 4ft.11in. there would any way for me to incorporate this fantastic trend? Of course shoes and pocketbooks would be ok but what about dresses?
Hi Memaw,
There are lots of ways to try color blocking… with just a top and sweater or scarf. It is really just combining fun colors! Looking through a recent Oprah magazine, I notice that many of the women in the magazine, including Oprah are dressed this way and it looks wonderful!
I’m having flashbacks to the 90′s when my teenaged daughter wore color blocked sweaters. Don’t know if I can rock this or not. Might be worth a try though.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for your kind words and welcome!!! We hope you will join our mailing list (top right) and keep the comments coming, we LOVE to hear from our readers and want to know what your thoughts are and how we might help!! Great to hear your voice on our blog!
Didn’t think I would like any of these but the colours and styles of the pictures besides ‘Wow and wearable’ and ‘if bright colours scare’ like really nice. Even the ‘looks like these are the colours’ picture looks fabulous. Thanks.
Just found you beautiful ladies. Thank you for your blog! I love everything about it, fashion, beautiful, looking youthful but yet appropriate. Life begins after 40!!!