The 6 Expensive-Looking Colour Combinations You Have to Try

There's no denying that we love tonal ensembles and that they always look expensive, but that doesn't mean that more adventurous colours can't look equally as premium. The tricky part is knowing hues work together and which just don't. Discovering these Holy Grail colour combinations takes time and lots of trial and error but, if you see it through, you'll reap the sartorial rewards. 

Styling different (even unexpected) colours together is the ideal, cost-free way of giving your wardrobe a refresh ahead of the new season. However, should you find yourself too time-poor to do the leg work, fret not, for Instagram's most iconic dressers have done it all for you.

Stepping away from the beige-and-cream palette that largely dominated our wardrobes last year, the platform's biggest style muses have been experimenting with new colour combinations for 2021. So what should you wear with green? What's the perfect match to tangerine? Keep scrolling to discover the unique colour combinations 2021 is pairing together.

1. BROWN AND AZURE

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(Image credit: @slipintostyle)

Style Notes: Fashion become completely brown obsessed last year, with everything from accessories to outerwear being given the tonal treatment. Give your brown staples a springtime spin with the addition of a bright blue accessory, as championed by Ellie. 

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2. LILAC AND RED

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(Image credit: @hannasteffanson)

Style Notes: Lilac was one of 2020's biggest colour trends so, if you've already invested in it, then you'll be hear its sticking around for 2021, too. In need of some inspiration, we took to Instagram to find a fun new way to wear it. Turns out, red makes for the perfect, unexpected colour clash. 

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3. TAN AND DENIM-BLUE

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(Image credit: @lefevrediary)

Style Notes: Timeless, ageless and forever in style, the combination of tan hues alongside true denim blues is a winner. You can go casual or make the idea more work appropriate, but we're enjoying this middle ground exemplified by Amy here.

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4. SAGE AND WHITE

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(Image credit: @vikilefevre)

Style Notes: Fresh and slick, shades of white and green will always go well together. Take note of Anne-Victoire's soft fabrics and textural details—that makes the combination even more romantic for this year. 

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5. TANGERINE AND NAVY

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(Image credit: @monikh)

Style Notes: On its own, bright orange shades can be daunting to wear. However, grounded with a classic colour like navy, it becomes instantly easier to assemble a look with.

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6. ROSE AND BEIGE

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(Image credit: @styleidealist)

Style Notes: Beautifully delicate, this elegant colour combination is probably the chicest way to channel pastels we've seen. We love the addition of Karina's snake print shoes, too. 

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Next up, the key designer bags of 2021.

This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.

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Maxine Eggenberger
Deputy Editor

Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s Deputy Editor and has over fourteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and authoritative content for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, talent interviews self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their search and keyword planning, works closely with the fashion and beauty team on strategy and continues to pen many of her own articles. Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine's contributed to publications including Grazia, InStyle Marie Claire, Elle and Look, amongst others.