What is the column of colour?

Want an effortlessly pulled together look? Trying to balance out tricky proportions? Want an outfit of clean lines and no lumps and bumps? For these and a million and one other style dilemmas, the ‘column of colour’ technique has you covered.

What is the column of colour?

Exactly as it sounds, really, the column of colour technique is about wearing a single colour (or two colours that are very similar in hue - specific colour- and chroma - lightness or darkness of colour) to create the effect of a single vertical line of colour from top to toe. This might be trousers and a top, a skirt and jacket, a jumpsuit or dress, or any combination of clothing that creates a single block of colour along the length of your body.

We’ll talk a little more about inner and outer columns (t-shirt and trousers vs blazer and trousers, for instance), shoes, and how to do a column of colour for your colour palette in a moment, but first…

Why does it work?

Put simply, the column of colour creates an optical illusion. Rather than creating the effect of horizontal lines drawn across the body, which can (not always!) have the effect of making a body look shorter and wider, the effect is of long vertical lines, which can help balance out proportions, and giving a slimming effect.

Soft Yellow Petra Jacket | Periwinkle Karina Ponte Top | Periwinkle Claudia Culottes | Multi Pastel Sia Silk Scarf

Inner or outer column?

Usually when we think of a column of colour we think of a dark neutral top and bottom, with a brighter or lighter coloured longish top layer like a wrap or a jacket. But there are actually two ways of creating a column of colour.

The first is the inner column of colour, which is exactly as described above - a single coloured dress, jumpsuit or top and trousers, perhaps with an outer layer added in the form of a jacket or wrap in a different (lighter or darker) colour.

The second is the outer column of colour, which relies on a bottom half - skirt or trousers - and an outer layer like a jacket or cardigan, with a different coloured top on underneath the outer layer.

Both versions create very similar lengthening, narrowing effect, but in terms of helping to balance out proportions, they can be better on different body shapes. Hourglasses and pear shapes very often suit an outer column of colour best (going for an inner column can throw off their proportions, reducing an often already narrow top half further), while columns, inverted triangles and apples generally suit an inner column of colour.

Outer column (left) and Inner column (right) as demonstrated by Sanna in the Colour Club

Does the column of colour need to be dark?

Usually when we think of a column of colour we think of a dark neutral top and bottom, with a brighter or lighter coloured longish top layer like a wrap or a jacket. This creates the longest and most slimming vertical lines, and is an excellent place to start playing with columns of colour.

However, a column of colour doesn’t need to be dark. You might prefer a light column of colour with a darker jacket, or to use a bold colour as your column (with either a neutral or a contrasting colour as the additional colour).

This is really a personal style preference as much as it is a body balancing exercise, so experiment and explore what feels best!

Do my shoes need to be the same colour as my column of colour?

Shoes that match (or closely) match your column of colour will create the longest, most uninterrupted lines, but the difference with contrasting shoes really is very minimal, so don’t get too hung up on perfectly matching shoes. The biggest impact will be felt with knee boots and a skirt, where the colour of the boots can significantly extend that column.

If you are wearing a knee length or shorter skirt with ankle boots and either bare legs or nude tights, experiment to see whether you prefer boots that match your skirt or lighter boots to match your legs. Boots that match your skirt can be a brilliant way to visually extend that column, but not everyone loves it, so be guided by your personal preferences.

Is it always best to create a column of colour?

While knowing how to create a column of colour is a really useful styling technique, it’s absolutely not an essential for outfits to look their best. Most importantly, it’s not an essential for petites, who often feel that they should be doing everything to look as tall and elongated as possible (which a column of colour can do). Depending on your personal style, actually adding in those horizontal lines and embracing your more petite stature can create a higher impact, more flattering for you look than the traditional ‘make yourself look as tall and slim as possible’ approach to dressing, which can often trip us up.

Regardless of your height, you may also prefer to avoid a column of colour if you want to play with your vertical proportions. For example, trousers with a high waist can have a brilliant leg lengthening effect, but that effect is reduced if top and bottom halves are the same colour - instead, it works best to have some contrast to enhance the leg lengthening optical illusion. In short, choose your favourite optical illusion for any look, rather than trying to squeeze them all in!

Golden Spice Short Tie Wrap | Sultry Rose Flora Top and Athena Skirt

Can you create a column of colour with a print?

You can, of course, create your column of colour with a print, in the form of a dress or matching top and bottom. For best effect, stick to a print which ‘reads’ as a single colour from a distance - this is usually a print which isn’t too large in scale, and which has something of a blend of colours, rather than lots of contrast between light and dark.

And if you have a print top which reads as, for example, Royal Blue from a distance, you can pair that print top with a Royal Blue bottom half for a slightly lower impact, but still effective, column of colour.

Aqua Sea  Flora Top and Athena Skirt | Nightshade Short Cascade Wrap | Nile Blue Lara Waist Belt

Can I wear a belt with my column of colour?

While a colour pop belt can add a fabulous splash of colour to any outfit, it can also disrupt the vertical lines that a column of colour creates. If you want to wear a belt to finish off your look, try wearing a belt in the same or a slight variation on your column of colour, or at a similar depth of colour in a different hue (for example, a Navy belt with a Cassis column, or a Ganzi Purple belt with Royal Blue).

If you are wearing an external column of colour, the impact of a contrasting belt will also be lessened, as the vertical lines are carried up the outside of the outfit.

Read on for our favourite columns of colour for each palette (make sure you read the style notes for all four seasons for extra tips!)

Cara V Neck | Chloe Jacket |  Classic Leather Belt |  your blue jeans | Willow Scarf |  Sky Blue trainers from Celtic &Co

Column of colour for Springs

Style notes: This fresh, summery take on the column of colour shows that wearing a column of colour doesn’t necessarily mean sacrificing your favourite jeans! This inner column makes use of the fresh blues from your palette to create a pretty and fresh outfit.

Ruched Skirt | Shelley Wrap | Pippa Top | Pom Pom Earrings | Silver Feather Necklace |  grey court shoes

Column of colour for Summers

Style notes: A neutral can make for a super simple column of colour, but don’t forget to add one or two colour pops to your outfit to bring it to life! Following the same colour through to your shoes can help elongate that column of colour from a skirt all the way down to the floor, even if you aren’t wearing matching tights.

Cotton Weekend Skirt | Amelie Lace Scoop | Petra Jacket | Print Infinity Scarf | Milk Canvas Trainers from Celtic & Co

Column of colour for Autumns

Style notes: Remember, your column of colour doesn’t need to include a neutral! Autumn’s red, Rust, gets to be the star of the show in this column of colour, backed up by rich and warm Moss and Cream.

Short Ponte Skirt | Karina Ponte Top | Chelsea Blazer | Silver Dazzle Necklace | Navy heels

Column of colour for Winters

Style notes: Your column of colour might just be the work outfit you’ve been waiting for, even in bold, bright Neon Pink. And with a quick change to a Dark Navy Short Ponte Skirt, this outfit can transform from an inner to an outer column of colour!