I found myself today telling my daughter the Three Colours Rule. This was a rule I was told as a teenager and I believe it is true, though I don’t know the history behind it.

The Three Colours rule is: “You look best if you wear three colours”.

It’s that simple. Less than three colours and you are too matchy matchy. More than three colours, and the outfit looks wrong. It often explains why some outfits work, and some don’t.

I found this interesting article on it over at A Pair & A Spare.

One colour (way too matching):

Two colours (she looks great, but a bit too matched):

Three colours (the magic three. I love it):

Four+ Colours:

I use this rule every day, even if it is only to decide that I don’t care and to ignore it.