HOW TO WEAR RED IN SUMMER? RED ACCENTS & RED OUTFIT INSPIRATION

August 20, 2018

Summer isn't over yet! So, the question remains: what to wear in the remaining summer days? How about the colour of love? Red is the colour of love and passion. What better colour to end the summer with? If you want to infuse more red into your summer outfits, you've came to the right place. This year I've been crushing on yellow, but that doesn't mean that I have forgot about the power of colour red. We'll start with baby steps. As with any trend, starting small is always a good idea.

Check your closet and look for anything red. If you don't like red or you don't feel confident enough to rock a red dress, you can always accessorize. Red scarves, bags and other red accessories are a great way to add some colours to your outfits. Don't forget about make up! A red lip goes a long way. A red manicure always looks classical and elegant. If you want to try a new hair colour, why not opt for red? There is something special about redheads.

Just like with any colour, what matters is that we find a shade that suits us. This applies to both make up, hair colour and clothes- finding shades that look flattering on us is everything! To do this, you first have to define your skin tones and undertones. There is plenty of information on that online, and you can find great colour palette inspiration on pinterest. There are even colour specialist that you can hire. So, don't be afraid to give the colour red a chance.

1. RED ACCENTS (BAGS, HEELS, HATS, NECKLACES ETC)

Red accents are perfect if you want to add a bit of colour to your outfits. I, for example, often opt for red bags. Red bags are perfect for any season and look fantastic worn with any outfit. Bellow you can see two printed dress outfits I wore a while back. The first dress I paired with a red fringed bag is a polka dot dress. The second dress is super colourful, but there is no red among its colour. I didn't let that stop me from wearing a red bag, did I? Honestly, I wear red bags with anything. For me, red bags are like red lipstick, they go well with everything. Besides, why not contrast once in a while?

RED BAGS

Mini bags are in, but if you're the type to drag along a big bag, why not make it a red one? Bellow is an illustration of a pretty maxi bag I made a while ago. Bellow that illustration, you can see an outfit I wore featuring a red bag. I used to wear that red bag all the time, and I still have it. If you want to be more comfortable, opt for fabric or faux leather maxi bags. Leather bags last longer, but they are also heavier. I prefer to buy mini or medium leather bags. When I buy maxi bags, I usually opt for faux leather, straw, fabric and other lighter materials. Speaking of which, if you're good with DIY, you can also colour your bag red or add some red details. For more inspiration, check out these old DIY projects of mine here and here.

How to give an old bag a make over?

RED HEELS/ RED SHOES

Bellow is an illustration of a girl wearing red heels. Is there anything more feminine that a pair of red heels? Red heels make me think of Barbie dolls and red carpet events. Red shoes are a great way to add some glamour into our lives. If you don't like heels, you can always opt for short block heels or flat red shoes. Wear what makes you comfortable, but remember to have fun with your shoe choices. Alternatively, you can also wear shoes with cute red details, they don't have to be all red.

RED NECKLACES

The photographs following these fashion illustrations show me wearing statement red necklaces I made myself. Now, that I think of it, one of the first bags I ever made was a red bag. I even painted some of my shoes red. I guess that I always liked red accessories, and the fact that I also make them myself is the best proof I guess.

RED HATS

Red hats are another lovely way to wear more red. Usually when I wear this striped red cap, I make sure I add some other red details. This time it was another DIY necklace. I gifted this necklace (made of faux leather and satin cord) to a family member of mine.

RED DRESSES

Red dresses are probably the simplest ways to wear red in summer. You just thrown a dress you like on and there is that. The only thing you need to decide on is the shade of red you prefer. Crayon red has been in this summer, but you can also opt for lighter shades if that is what makes you more comfortable. When it comes to length, wear what you feel best in. Personally I wear all kinds of lenghts and cuts, but there is something about midi length that makes it my personal favourite. This summer I was lucky to find the perfect red midi dress for myself. Another thing I always advise is to look for vintage dresses. Some of my favourite red dresses are vintage, inherited from my mother and aunts.

RED PRINTED DRESSES

If a print lover, why not look for your favourite print? Be it stripes or a cherry print, there must be a red printed dress out there for you. Bellow you can see me wearing a striped red maxi dress that I accessories with a striped red cap and a red bag. It's all about red! If they could talk, I'm sure that the Barbie dolls I sewed for would love their red gingham dresses. The girls who got those red gingham Barbie outfits certainly liked them!

RED TOPS, SHIRTS AND BLOUSES

Red tops and blouses are always fun and eye-catching. You can try pairing them with black pencil skirt if you want to put emphasis to the upper part of your body. If you want to put emphasis on the lower part of your body, you can try pairing them with some bold prints. The possibilities are endless. Some of my favourite red tops are vintage. There simply is something special about vintage clothes, isn't it so?

RED SKIRTS

When it comes to red skirts, sometimes I like to pair them with matching red accents, such as a red necklace or a red bag. However, sometimes I also like to wear them on their own. I don't have many all red skirts. Most of the red skirts I have are printed skirts. Some of them, like the one bellow, have been hand painted by yours truly.

RED JUMPSUITS

Red jumpsuit is possible the only red item that I lack in my wardrobe. I have quite a few pants with red details (some of those red details I made myself), but I don't have a single jumpsuit in my closet. So, I'll share with you my fashion illustration of a jumpsuit. I illustrated a girl with blue hair because I think such a hairdo would look great with a red jumpsuit. Action hero vibes and all that.