COLOUR THEORY: Jewel Tones

What are jewel tones?

Jewel tones are colours and tones that are derived from gemstones such as Sapphire, Ruby and Emerald. Typically, jewel tones have a high level of colour saturation which makes them dynamic and eye-catching. 

Historically, precious and semi-precious gemstones have been used to signify wealth, status and royalty (think crowns etc) and so when we see these jewel tones interrupted into modern design, they instantly give a sense of distinction and regal-ness.

Do jewel tones suit me?

Especially when it comes to shoes and accessories, we believe that jewel tones suit everyone! They can add vibrancy to any outfit without feeling too overwhelmingly bright. Obviously there are many different shades under the umbrella of jewel tones, but when are talking about shoes and accessories, that are not usually near your face and hair, you have much more freedom to experiment with colours you tend to steer away from in clothing. 

How should I style them?

The easiest way to start playing around with jewel tones is to pair them with more neutral outfits. Take a pair of black jeans and cream jumper for example - you may normally reach for a black boot but instead you could try a burgundy or olive green boot that would add a bit of something special but still "match" with your neutral look.

 Another way if you are feeling a bit more comfortable, is to take a patterned item of clothing and try to pick a jewel tone that picks up a tone in the print. So if you have an autumnal toned printed dress that has deep reds, browns, oranges and blacks in it , you could try matching a copper or burgundy boot with it to make the colour in the print pop out! Or even match a block a jewel toned item of clothing - this gives a fun, bold monochromatic look!

If you have items of clothing that are in jewel tones, sometimes it can be fun to go a little rouge and pair a different jewel tone accessory with it. For example, Deep green looks amazing with copper.