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I was walking downtown last week wearing a purple maxi skirt and some man on the street said to me “You’re wearing purple, you must be sexually frustrated.” I laughed and kept on my merry way, but his comment definitely stuck in my head. Mainly because it was pretty silly and whether or not I am “sexually frustrated” is not at all relevant to the way that I dress myself, but it also made me think about the colour purple in general.
Purple is a colour that is rare in nature, and also somewhat rare in the fashion world. Traditionally, the colour purple was worn by privileged individuals and is therefore symbolic of luxury. When someone walks into a room wearing purple, people really take notice and those in this hue tend to command the energy of the room. The reason for this is that it is an uncommon colour to see in the average person’s wardrobe, so people take note of it, either consciously or subconsciously. And as far as my research has shown me, wearing purple has nothing to do with your levels of sexual frustration. Which is good, because I don’t think that’s something most people want to advertise.
Purple is a colour that people tend to either love or hate. I’m personally in the love camp because I think the colour is gorgeous, it looks fantastic on basically everyone, and I like to stand out with my fashion choices. Maybe not for all occasions, but I think there’s definitely a time and a place where everyone wants to be a show stopper, so I put together a few looks that will hopefully inspire you to turn some heads.
Subtle Colour Play
Bag: Gap, Skirt: Matthew Williamson, Shirt: OASAP, Necklace: The Limited, Shoe: Lovely People
You can try this colour out in a more subtle way by choosing something like this ombre top. You still get a nice pop of fun colour, but it’s not taking over the whole look. It’s a semi show stopper, if you will. Another way to achieve this would be to choose a neutral top, and pick out a few purple accessories instead to jazz up the outfit.
Contrasting Colour
Top: Alexander Wang, Belt: Pocketo, Skirt: Dorothy Perkins, Bag: Celine, Shoes: Madeline, Watch:Nixon
For those who don’t know, contrasting colours are colours that are directly across from each other on the colour wheel. Some people seem to think that these colours clash with each other but boy, are they wrong. I absolutely love the way contrasting colours look together. Pair a purple item with some yellow accents, purple’s contrasting colour, for a really bold look.
Monochromatic
Top: BHS, Ring: Yves St Laurent, Hat: Ali Express, Shorts: Drykorn, Bag: Celine, Shoes: Just Fab
The most common form that monochromatic dressing is typically found in is all black, but sometimes a monochromatic outfit in a fun colour can have a really dramatic effect. Pair two separates in the same shade of purple for a very fashion forward look. An added bonus of monochromatic outfits is that they are typically slimming. The solid colour of these shorts contrasted with the texture in the top adds a little more interest to this ensemble.
Casual and Trendy
Sweater: ROMWE, Shoe: Aldo, Pants: New Look, Necklace and Glasses: Urban Outfitters, Bag: Etsy
For a look that is more subdued but will still be stylish and noticeable, pair a comfy purple top with some nice skinnies. Go for a really casual look with a simple pair of jeans, or try out a trendier casual look by pairing the sweater with some fun camo print pants. The muted colour of the pants will act as a neutral against your brightly coloured top.
Menswear
T-Shirt: Bugshop, Watch: Nixon, Dress Shirt: JCrew, Shoes: Spencer Hart, Jeans: Old Navy
I don’t know what it is, but men look sexy as hell in purple. It probably has something to do with purple being rare, it is definitely an unexpected colour on men. It takes a certain level of confidence for a man to wear purple, and confidence is always attractive.
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