Note: Inspiration
Blue is a colour that is is so vast and contains so many moods. You can go into soft neutral blue or green greys, or vibrant indigo tones. I loved blue so much in high school that I dyed my hair peacock blue. I’m not entirely sure how I got away with it, being raised in a pretty strict immigrant household, but somehow my parents gave me a pass.
There is no shortage of inspiration when one is contemplating the many shades and moods that blue hues offer.
The film Days of Heaven was shot entirely at magic hour so practically each shot morphs from golden tones to blue tones. Days of Heaven is an absolute work of cinematic art and if you haven’t seen it you really should make the effort. I remember the first time I saw it that it made me realize that light is colour.
The Czech film Larks on a String uses blues in a neutral soft way to convey the lack of vibrancy during the communist regime in the former Czechoslovakia. The greens and greys are very close to the blues and throughout the entire film there are few contrasting colours if any. This is a great film about people searching for, and finding, happiness in the small things in life although they are stripped of their freedoms of choice.
Monet is a master of colour, the depth of these blues shows how rich it can be. I love how the red boat just pops right out of the painting. Blue can be a cheerful colour which this painting embodies. This sort of mood is so easy to translate into clothing, wear blue and a pop of red and voila, you have a nautical theme.
Degas’ Ballerinas are often donned in a soft Robin’s egg blue. This colour can come dangerously close to being too sweet, but when balanced with warm tones it becomes whimsical and fresh.
I’m not going to lie to you, as a Canadian it is almost impossible to talk about blue with out relating to the Group of Seven. It’s an art movement that one cannot escape learning about from grade school all the way into high school. It’s clearly the only art movement which the Canadian education system thinks has ever happened in Canada, so you just can’t get away with out the influence of Lake and Mountains from 1928 by Lawren S. Harris.
Blues for Women
S.N.S Herning Limbo Blouse ($264) for ladies is a fantastic stripe with marine blue and cream. It is made with 100% merino wool and is so soft on the skin that unless you are legitimately allergic to wool you wont feel itchy.
The By Malene Birger Nimmi Coat ($575) is made with 100% linen. Linen takes colour so beautifully as you can see from the rich indigo of this piece. The cream coloured buttons pop so nicely in contrast to the deep blue fabric. I would wear this shade of blue with softer more neutral colours.
Blues for Men
The Universal Works Angler Waistcoat ($145) is made from 100% cotton chambray. It is a great neutral blue that will look great with a variety of shirts and pants. This is one of my favourite pieces for men because it’s such an easy way to bring an outfit together and make it look just a notch above without trying too hard.
The Universal Works Simple Shirt ($148) is a great cobalt blue. This bold colour will bring out blue eyes that break hearts and shows confidence in the man wearing this shirt. The contrast buttons are cross stitched and the fabric is really lightweight. The simple shirt will be great in any hot environment and help keep you cool as a crisp cucumber.
be bold, be neutral, wear blue