Your Color Style

How To Create
A Custom Color
Palette

This guide will show you how to

create a custom color palette that
you can use as a blueprint for
creating a mix-and-match wardrobe
that you LOVE.
 How To Create
A Custom Color
Palette

Copyright © 2020 by Fifty Minus Twenty LLC

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used
in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Introduction

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Dear reader,

It is a lot of fun to play with color. You may love color as

much as I do. I study it on a daily basis. The idea of pulling
color into your wardrobe is exciting! And it can also be
overwhelming.

Do either of these scenarios describe your wardrobe?

Scenario one: your wardrobe consists of mostly black

and a couple items of color that you rarely wear.

Scenario two: your wardrobe consists of several colors,

but the items are one-offs. Meaning, they only have a
neutral to pair them with or they only create one outfit.
Plus, you only wear about 20% of the many items you
have, most of the time. The rest were fun to buy but are
rarely worn.

Or maybe you’re somewhere in between?

No matter how you describe your wardrobe now, my goal

is to help you create a wardrobe of clothes and colors
that all work together in fun and stylish ways. A collection
of clothes and colors that expresses who you are. Getting
dressed should be fun and creative!

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Wearing colors in new ways can be a little scary. We can
be so worried about what other people may think that we
tend to revert back to what we’ve always worn.

Don’t be afraid to stand out and let your creative spirit

shine. Be true to you. Choosing certain colors and
combinations can help you express your truth.

I’ve broken this book into small chunks of information.

Each chapter building on the previous concept. You’ll first
learn how to create individual outfits with color. Then,
we’ll pull it all together to create a color palette that will
become your blueprint for shopping and mixing and
matching.

I challenge you to try something new. Add in a color you

wouldn’t normally have done based on what you learn.
See how it makes you feel. Play. Experiment. Have fun.

Your closet is your canvas and your clothes and

accessories are your paint. Be as creative as you want and
express who you truly are.

*HUGS*

Jen Thoden

5
Ratio

6
There is a magic ratio to consider when pulling your
colors together. 50:50 is easy and it’s what most people
do.

Wearing a pink sweater with jeans is a 50:50 outfit.

There’s nothing wrong with this but you can do better.

For a more stylish and interesting outfit, aim for three

colors, unless you’re wearing a monochromatic color
scheme.

You will have one main color. That main color should take
up at least 60% of your outfit. The second and third colors
are considered accents.

For example, let’s say you have a red blouse and you want
the red to be the main color of the outfit.

7
Adding black pants and
shoes is an easy pairing
but it makes the black
become the main color.
It is over 60% of the
outfit instead of the red
top.

You can leave it as is, or

you can make some
changes to make the red
the main color of the
outfit.

8
Adding in red shoes and
a red bag will tip the
balance back to the red
being the main color.

This outfit is already

more interesting than
the first one.

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Now, for the creative
part!

Using the skills you’ll

learn in the color
combination section of
this book, you can add in
a third color.

When you wear the

lavender trench coat,
the lavender becomes
the main color. The
black and red become
accents.

When the coat is off,

you’re back to the red as
the main color.

You could even try a red

jacket to focus on the
red.

There are tons of ways

to mix things up and
wear your colors. This is
just one example of how
to use the ratio of 60%
main color plus 2 accent
colors.

10
 How To Create
Stylish Color Combos

11
In this chapter, I’m going to show you how to use the
color wheel to create stylish color combinations. Sure,
you could wear a color with a neutral, but where’s the fun
in that? My goal is to help you creatively express yourself
through color. It’s a fun and creative process to play with
pairing different colors.

I will show you how to create fours stylish color

combinations. Each type of combination conveys a
different message and energy. For example, if you want to
create a bold look, you may choose to play with
complementary color combinations.

I give you some examples for each type of color

combination to inspire you.

12
Choose Your
Color Wheel

13
 The Color Wheels
In Your Color Style, there are two color wheels. A bright
color wheel and a soft color wheel.

The bright color wheel has the clearest and brightest

colors in the center ring. Then black is added to darken
the colors outward and white is added to lighten the
colors inward.

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The soft color wheel starts with the colors muted or
greyed in the center ring. Then black is added to darken
the colors outward and white is added to lighten the
colors inward.

When you’re creating your color palette, you will be

selecting colors from one color wheel. You will not be
mixing bright colors with soft muted colors. This is true
whether you’re creating a color palette for your
wardrobe or for an interior color scheme.

15
You’ll want to choose the color wheel that flatters you
best. You may know that you look great in brighter colors
and soft muted colors are blah on you. If so, you would
choose the bright color wheel to work with.

Or you may know that you look better in the softer

colors because bright colors seem to be too much. If so,
then you would choose the soft color wheel to work with.

If you don’t know which color wheel to choose, select the

one that you gravitate to. Or, take my color analysis quiz
to help you figure this out. Step 1 of the quiz is all about
determining if you wear bright colors or soft colors best.

Once you have decided on your color wheel, you can

move on to Step 1 of the Color Combinations.

16
 Step 1
Choose the main color
of your outfit.

17
 Example
You have a pink sweater.

18
Copyright © 2020 by Fifty Minus Twenty LLC

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used
in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. 19
 Step 2
Choose the type of color combo
that expresses your style
statement.

20
 Color Combinations
Monochromatic = Quiet, Elegant, Sophisticated

Analogous = Edgy, Trendy

Triad = Fun, Interesting, Stylish

Split Complementary and Complementary = Bold,

Dynamic, Eccentric

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 Monochromatic
Use the shades and tints of only that color.

22
 Example
Pair your pink sweater with a red skirt or with a
pair of pants that are slightly darker than your top.

23
 Example
Here is an outfit I found that demonstrates the
Monochromatic color combination perfectly.

24
 Example
Pair your lavender sweater with a pair of lighter
purple pants.

25
 Example
Here is another outfit I found that demonstrates
the Monochromatic color combination perfectly.

26
 Analogous
Use the colors that are next to the main color. Go 2 to 3
colors left or right of your main color

27
 Example
Pair your pink sweater with a pair of orange pants
or with a pair of peach.

28
 Example
Here is an outfit I found that demonstrates the
Analogous color combination perfectly.

29
 Example
Pair your lavender sweater with a pair of
blue-purple pants or with a pair of dusty rose.

30
 Triad
Use the colors that form a triangle with the main color.

31
 Example
Pair your pink sweater with a pale yellow blouse
and olive green pants or with a pair of cyan pant.
Pop in a bright yellow bag.

32
 Example
Pair your lavender sweater with green-yellow
pants or with a pair of dusty orange pants.

33
 Split Complementary
Use the colors just to the side of the color directly
opposite the main color.

34
 Example
Pair your pink sweater with a yellow-green pair of
pants or with a teal tank. Pop in your split
complementary color with your monochromatic
look.

35
 Complementary
Use the color directly opposite the main color.

36
 Example
Be bold. Pair your pink sweater with a pair of true
green pants.

37
 Example
your lavender sweater with a pair of olive green
pants or with pale yellow shorts.

38
 Practice
What types of color combinations can you create with
what you have in your closet right now?

Start to think about what colors would be fun to add to

your current collection of clothes to create the statement
you want.

Get your Bright or Soft Color Wheel to help you create

different color combinations. It’s a great tool to have on
hand.

Bright Color Wheel Soft Color Wheel

39
 Creating A
Color Palette
Step-by-Step

40
Now that you know the basics of creating color
combinations, let’s take it a step further and create a
complete color palette that you can use to build out your
mix-and-match wardrobe.

The best way to show you how to create a color palette is

by example. In the following pages, I walk you through
creating my spring color palette. You’ll quickly get the
idea.

On the next page are the general steps you can follow.

41
Step 1: Start with one complete outfit that you absolutely
love. If you own the outfit, great! Or you can piece it
together from magazines or shopping sites. The outfit
should include top & bottom or dress, shoes, an accessory
(ex. bag) and another layer (ex. jacket).

Step 2: Take note

of the colors of this
outfit. This is the
start of your color
palette.

Make sure all the

colors are colors
you absolutely love
to wear.

42
Step 3: Swap an item out with a different color or pattern
based on the color combination rules you learned.

43
Here’s my color palette so far.

Keep playing with

your colors and
different pieces.

I found a navy blue

sleeveless blouse
in my closet and
represented it here
with the navy
rectangle.

44
I swapped out the
blazer for a coral
pink cardigan. I
love this color. So, I
added it to my
color palette.
Turns out, it’s just a
slightly darker
version of the light
pink.

45
I love this
monochromatic
look. I added navy
blue flats and then
I found this fashion
scarf. I love the
colors and the red
trim.

46
I could go on for pages and pages. And this process can go
on… all the time. This is where you can creatively express
who you are.

Is there anything in your closet or drawers that you

haven’t tried pairing up with another item of clothing?
Maybe a scarf in a color that you hadn’t thought of
before?

Do what I did and take images from clothing sites and

start piecing things together. Look for other clothing
items in the same colors. Or maybe accessories like a bag,
scarf, shoes, bracelets, hats and jewelry.

With the outfits I just created, I could add in a navy blue

bag or a red bag. I could find a cream top to go with the
red pants and navy skirt. I’ll very likely pull in jeans and
shorts for the warmer weather. Coral pink bottoms would
be a great add. Love me some white sneakers.

Try working with the color palette you have before

adding another color. When you do add another color, be
sure that new item can help create at least two new
outfits.

47
Most importantly, have fun. This process is for you and
only you. If you love it, wear it. Period.

Join the Your Color Style Facebook group and share

your color palette. Inspire others to try something new!

*HUGS*

Jen Thoden

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