Matching Colors......

[~Joanne~]

I wish shopping for my femme clothes were a bit easier. Unlike my drab side where you have basic colors and putting matching outfits together isn't very complicated, my femme clothing NEVER matches quite right.

For instance, I have a couple of pink skirts, that don't match to any of the pink blouses and certainly do not match any of my pink heels. If I chose one of the pink blouses and just wore a black skirt, if I chose to wear pink heels (which because the skirt is black I would probably go with a black heel) there is no chance of them matching because the shades on these colors is always off by a shade or two.

I think they do this purposely to women because they know they are the primary shoppers in the world and they will keep buying things until they match correctly, which I don't blame them because I like matching too :)

Do you find it hard to put pinks together? purples? reds? Do you think this is purposely done by the manufacturers just to make more money? How many times have you bought a skirt of some color only to have to buy five blouses to find one that matches correctly then have to buy other skirts to match the other 4 blouses that didn't match? How important is matching to you?

[natalie edwards]

It's not just pink. Blacks can be different too. Some have a blueish tint or a yellow tint when compared to each other. The same goes for grays.
I think shoes being slightly off from your blouse and seperated by a different color skirt or pants would look ok sincs there is some distance between them.

[GretchenJ]

Add to the fact that guys are more prone to being color blind than women, makes this effort even harder !!

[Michelle (Oz)]

I know what you are saying Joanne. I'm not a pink or purple girl but still have the same issues with other colours. After shopping on line I ended up with some legacy skirts without tops that worked. The colour wheel is helpful in understanding the concepts of colour, i.e. what goes with what.

It is very difficult putting, for example, two pinks together (termed monochrome). I tend to use a matching colour or the good old favourite, black.

Another suggestion. Call into some dress shops and get the SA's advice on matching. If they don't have anything they'll usually help with suggestions.

It is fun mastering the femme colour skills.

[Beverley Sims]

Joanne,
I can look like a rainbow one minute and a bloody awful chameleon at that.
Next minute a beautiful swan all color coordinated.

"In my dreams." :)

It take s time and experience to work out what works and the knack does not come over night.
Lots of luck with your experimentation.

[AllieSF]

Sometimes a good out fit has very few or no matching elements. A pink skirt would look great with a black top and black shoes. It is very difficult sometimes to match colors when the accessories are never the exact same colors. In those cases changing colors usually works better.

PS: Just read a following thread. Look at her gallery and some of her pics have .... a pink skirt, black top with black shoes. It looks great to me.

http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?204831-Piecing-Together-Outfits

[I Am Paula]

Please don't play matchy matchy, or you'll look like Betty White. Pink goes with orange, baby blue, and purple/mauve/lilac very well. Mix patterns and solids. A matching blouse and skirt usually does NOT work. Don't match shoes to anything other than black, silver, or gold. If you own a matching purse and shoes, please throw them out now, before the fashion police get you!
Remember the rules... there are no rules. If you care to match things, ignore the rules.

[mykell]

its funny as my male self Ive never cared about matching or put any thought into it but as mikell i put much more thought into it, maybe my girl me using it as excuse to buy more ?

[~Joanne~]

Please don't play matchy matchy, or you'll look like Betty White.

Well I guess that's better than Bea Arthur lol

Seriously though, I don't think a whole pink outfit (or any other color) would look that great really to begin with, or even a pink top/black skirt/pink heels. I was just perplexed that IF I did want to match a whole outfit, I couldn't. The same with some of my purple blouses, they go well with a black skirt but if the purple heels/flats/boots are a shade or two off, it just doesn't look right no matter how much distance is between my shoulders to my toes.

[Cheryl T]

Colors in the same family are very difficult to match. Try for complimentary colors and not monotones.
Even blacks or browns are not the same.


There are 50 shades of grey ... remember?


Get a color wheel and use it to find colors that go together.

[carhill2mn]

It is very difficult to match "same" colors. It is much easier to pair opposite (black/white) or complimenting colors. By paying attention, your skill at doing this successfully will improve (it also is fun to experiment).

[avant1465]

I think that black, white, Navy blue and khaki are almost universal.....