How To Wear Color, According To These 3 Stylish Women
Whether you prefer zingy citrus shades or all-out powerful primaries, this season is all about letting an abundance of color into your wardrobe
Patricia Zhou, ballet dancer
Patricia Zhou is a professional ballet dancer and choreographer of her own films, including the award-winning Orange Tree. Loved by fans and brands alike for her playful sense of style, Zhou has recently found herself gravitating towards cornflower-blue, red and green– “the colors of summer and warmth”, she says – and loves vibrant accessories, especially by Ganni, JW Anderson and Loewe.
“Wearing color makes me feel radiant, confident and ready to take on anything. Even when I’m not feeling the most confident, there’s no way to hide in a color, so it really pushes me to embrace the day and put myself out there,” says Zhou. “I definitely wear color to reflect my mood, but more importantly, I wear color to show what I’m inspired by around me. For example, the ballet-pink of my pointe shoes next to a bright-red resistance band in the studio; or the bright-yellow poles and electric-blue signage on the London Underground.”
“My personal style is pretty classic, but I always like to wear something fun or quirky to add a bit of individuality – and color is a great way to implement those elements into an outfit. I love a matching accessory – be it my dusty-blue Adidas Originals ‘Handball Spezials’, worn with a matching Victoria Beckham Beauty eyeliner, or a pair of bright-green metallic heart studs, paired with a neon-green JW Anderson bag. If I’m going out for dinner, or it’s a special occasion, I tend to wear more statement pieces – it’s a way of differentiating how I feel, which is celebratory and bold, versus the usual day-to-day.”
Thandi Maqubela, legal director
London-based legal director Thandi Maqubela moved from South Africa to London 10 years ago to pursue a hugely successful career in commercial law. Alongside her full-time job, Maqubela is also a content creator and shares daily outfit inspiration – plus her musings on style, travel, work and motherhood – with her followers on Instagram.
“I’m having a love affair with green right now – particularly olive green. Something about verdant tones in the summer just works really well,” she says. “Buttermilk-yellow is another color I find myself drawn to – it’s such a calming, happy color. As is cornflower-blue – I recently bought a gorgeous Simone Rocha dress in this shade and I’m itching to wear it out.”
“Outside of color being incredibly evocative, in terms of mood and mindset (given how uplifting it can be), I also think that it can do wonders to improve how I feel about a work day – particularly when I know I have an important meeting or presentation I want to feel good for, from a confidence perspective.
“If I’m on holiday, I’ll most likely go for the softer, paler colors – like a buttermilk-yellow Tove dress that I love. Whereas in the context of work – either in the office or at a work event – I’ve found myself reaching for bolder colors. I think this must be some sort of sub-conscious attempt to stand out and perhaps not shy away from being different. I also work in a fairly male-dominated industry – particularly at leadership level – and so I quite like to lean into my femininity at work, as that lends gravitas; and I feel the use of color allows me to do this.”
“If playing with color is entirely new to you, then I’d recommend starting small with perhaps a few bold accessories – like a statement bag or shoe – so that you don’t feel overwhelmed or self-conscious, and then slowly build from there. Have a look through your existing wardrobe, or accessories drawer, to see if there are any recurring colors or themes – because that’s pretty indicative of what you’re naturally drawn to and most likely feel confident in.”
Hanna Stefansson, digital creator
Digital creator Hanna Stefansson is a based in Copenhagen, which serves as the perfect backdrop for her chic and vibrant outfits. Whether she’s mixing sherbet-lemon and chocolate-brown or wearing a single shade of blue, Stefansson’s eye for color has made her a street-style favorite. A quick scroll through her beautifully curated Instagram feed will no doubt leave you feeling inspired.
“Red has been ‘my color’ for so many years now,” she says. “It kind of escalated in 2019 when I would wear all red. Clothes, accessories, even my bike was red. I needed a little break from [wearing it] top-to-toe but, after a couple of years, my love for red is back. I’m also a big fan of light-yellow, brown and matcha green.”
“I love to match colors and often have to stop myself and mismatch a little to get the balance that makes me happy. I feel happier when wearing colors,” adds Stefansson, who counts Loewe, Jacquemus and Christopher Esber among her favorite brands for color.
“I’m really into color analysis right now. I believe I’m a Light or True Spring. It’s really fun to find out which colors highlight my features. And it’s easier to invest in colorful pieces when you know you’ll love them for the way they make you feel, rather than because they’re the color of the season.”
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