The Secret to Getting Dressed Faster? Start With Your Signature Colours

The world has fallen, yet again, for Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, whose mythically good style has been imitated with such panache in Love Story, Ryan Murphy's retelling of perhaps the most glamorised marriage in 20th century America, that her outfits are being referenced, and recreated, like never before. Consistency is one reason her wardrobe is not just iconic but something of a touchstone when it comes to the '90s. CBK wore a lot of neutrals, largely sticking to black, white, beige and denim. This is why her name is so often associated with minimalism and the concept of a capsule wardrobe, but it's also why her outfits were so good so much of the time. She found her signature colours—as well as cuts—and wore them religiously.

In 2026, a personal colour palette is something of a growing trend. At Copenhagen Fashion Week, the colours you see on the streets are diametrically opposed to what’s happening skywards (a rather uninspiring grey that feels very January). It’s common to see tomato reds, sugary pinks and cobalt blues, as well as lesser-spotted hues such as teal, chartreuse and turmeric, all flashes of brilliance that pair with the city’s personality (less polished than Paris, just as cool as London).

This colour theory was tested at the recent shows, however, by the sight of Ingrid Fagerli Edvinsen. A stylist and content creator, Edvinsen stood out precisely because her outfit did not adhere to bright colours but their opposite; a funnel-necked black coat, so long as to fall past her mid-calf, that was cinched with a white tasselled scarf around the waist. On closer inspection, she’d really nailed the monochrome brief, with four black pieces (the coat, trousers, shoulder bag and sunglasses) and two white (the scarf and point-toe pumps). It was an outfit of perfect balance—and not boring in the slightest. Edvinsen’s anti-colourful approach to colour, perhaps unsurprisingly, continues on her Instagram, where her first post is a carousel of 11 monochromatic outfits, the only exception being one that contains a biscuit suede jacket

This surely makes getting dressed easier, to have one predominant colour palette that dictates both what you wear and what you buy. Edvinsen agrees, telling Marie Claire: "I love how convenient it is to have a wardrobe that can be styled together when you focus on a few carefully-curated colours." She estimates that 70% of her clothes are black and white, while the rest comprises grey and brown. If that sounds rather one note, Edvinson has learnt how to add a point of difference to each look, something like the scarf tied around her waist that makes the black-and-white outfit seem layered with interest. "I love to play around with lace details, faux-fur, satin and leather to create more depth in a look," says Edvinsen. "Accessories are a huge part of my wardrobe. Lately, I have been really into adding one statement to my looks, whether it’s a statement hat, a cool ring, an interesting bangle, a tassel necklace, a different pair of sunglasses or a fun bag. I love the concept of wearing a really simple outfit with one interesting detail that stands out," she says.

How do you find your signature colour or colours, however? Perhaps you know the broad church of what suits your complexion, but how about colours that make you feel something. The artist, writer and colour expert Jenny Walton—whose book, Jenny Sais Quoi: Adventures in Vintage & Personal Style, is available from April—coined the phrase "colour paletting" years ago expressly for "that wonderful moment when a great color [sic] combination comes together".

She recently dedicated a newsletter to one such combination, red and blue, which has an inspiration that sounds unlikely but makes total sense: the bottle of her favourite spirit, Campari, which pits the garnet red liquid against a glass slipper blue label. Walton has the following advice for people still looking for their colours: "The truth is that when first building a wardrobe, you might still be experimenting with color and unsure of which ones speak to you. Over time, you’ll notice specific colors and color combinations that you continually gravitate towards. Eventually, you’ll have enough pieces to start mixing and matching them. After years of following your instincts about color, you’ll be able to create hundreds of combinations."

There’s also the so-called “colour pop”, a dash of a contrasting or statement colour that gives an otherwise neutral outfit not just a lift but something to say. Michelle Lin, digital creator, has a wardrobe that’s 95% neutral: "I’m mainly drawn to neutrals because they feel timeless and versatile. I try not to overthink my outfits too much, and minimal, neutral pieces are easier to pair!" She does, however, believe in micro-dosing bright shades into the mix. "I think red does this best without being too overpowering."