The Vintage Color Wheel

The Color Wheel

Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. Since then, differences of opinion about color combinations have inspired much debate, particularly in the field of fashion.

Colors that balance are referred to as harmonious. They are pleasing to the eye, engaging the viewer and creating a sense of order or balance. There are two extremes here: colors that are so bland and boring that the human brain simply ignores it; and colors that are so chaotic that we reject its disorder and ill-conceived logic. Both can be difficult to look at. Some may say a mono-chromatic look is under-stimulating, yet others may prefer it. The same goes for a vibrant color combination which may be over-stimulating for some, and just right for others. It's obviously very personal.

So what happens when you are getting dressed? Do you find it easy to combine colors, or does it become an exercise not unlike high-school calculus? According to the spring/summer runway designs, it doesn't seem to matter much.

Primary Colors - Red, Yellow, Blue. These colors cannot be formed by any combination of other colors.

Secondary Colors - Green, Orange, Purple. These are the colors formed by mixing the primary colors.

Tertiary Colors - Yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green and yellow-green. These are the colors formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color. That's why the hue is a two word name, such as blue-green, red-violet, and yellow-orange.

I've been having a lot of fun playing with the color wheel, at http://colorschemedesigner.com/ . When experimenting with vintage clothing, don't be afraid to mix colors, but you may want to follow some kind of logic.

I think everyone should have a color wheel handy in their closet while getting dressed! It could save a lot of embarrassment!



What do you think of these combinations?