Maybe it was this movie that got me started. The use of blue and yellow in the poster immediately gave me pause because it's a color combination I would expect to find infantile...but I was enchanted by it. Throughout the film, whimsical colors continued to punctuate the washed-out scenery, with everything expertly and delightfully art directed: a pale yellow tablecloth, a kelly green car, turquoise sea water, and primary-hued 80's fashion that managed to look appealingly nostalgic instead of like a gaudy joke. 

I love color — but I'm always conscious of how and when I use it. In my wardrobe, I'm cautious of looking adolescent, like I'm on a permanent tropical vacation, and of purchasing things that I'll never really wear or quickly grow tired of.

I dug up a few instances where color in clothing is used boldly — but consciously — to create eye-catching outfits. If each color combination were described in words only, I might never imagine they'd look sophisticated and cool worn together, but these examples prove they can. Worn altogether as a brightly-hued ensemble, these looks are current and exciting. At the same time, each individual piece is classic enough to stand the test of time.

ORIGINAL IMAGES: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6