Good Summer Color Palettes for Outfits and Make-Up

It's hard to decide on color combinations for outfits and make-up. You want to balance respectable and bright, stylish and classic. Also, maybe you've tried to incorporate some color theory into your clothing or make-up choices but you find it hard to decide on how much of each color. For quick and easy color coordination, try these pre-made color palettes especially designed for summer 2009.

The palettes list both the colors' descriptions and the proportion of which it should be used in. For example if it were to list "one half blue," then half of your outfit should be some shade of blue. The more specific the description of the color, the more specific it needs to be to work in the color scheme. Be creative with how you incorporate the percentages. "One sixteenth orange" could mean an orange purse, or for make-up, orange eyeliner on just your top lid. Try different combinations and feel free to alter and experiment with the palettes.

Sporty Neon

Currently sporty fashion is trendy, but can be difficult to integrate without looking like you just walked off the track, you're colorblind, or both. This color scheme neutralizes the neon colors with mute complements, while still having bright splashes of color that defines the sporty look.

One half medium grey, one quarter lime green, one quarter dark, preferably desaturated (grayish), purple.

Swimming in Aqua

In the summer, the beach and pool is everything, Bring a little of the color of water to your outfit by trying out the color aqua. As a light greenish-blue, it can be hard to work into a color scheme without clashing, but this palette uses the richness of red and the softness of beige to coordinate and calm aqua's spunk.

One quarter aqua, one eight bright red, one quarter dull red OR medium brown, three eighths light sandy beige.

Blooming Flowers

Flowers are beautiful and everywhere during the summer. They have a natural prettiness and grace that is an excellent inspiration for a color scheme. Being overly pastel can wash you out or make you look like a little child, but this palette uses a combination of bright and pastel colors to bring the beauty of flowers in an adult and vibrant format.

One eighth bright dark pink OR magenta, one eighth forest green, one half cream, one eighth pastel pink OR pastel purple, one eighth yellow.

Groovy Flair

The 60's are in again and so are the bright, juxtaposed colors associated with it. Mismatching bright colors is hard to pull off and can sometimes result in a clown look. This palette brings a balance to bright and clownish by using coordinating colors and neutral bases. There are two versions, one based on red as the primary color, the other purple.

One quarter bright red, one eighth bright yellow, one eighth bright blue, three eighths white, one eighth gold OR yellowish medium brown.

One quarter bright purple, one eighth bright green, one eighth bright orange, three eighths white, one eight silver OR bluish medium gray.

You can choose to use the color scheme for selecting your outfit, clothes and accessories, and then have a neutral make-up, use it for just your make-up, use it for both, or some completely different use such as decorating a room, painting your nails, or dying your hair. The beauty of these color schemes is that they look good no matter their usage.