Talking about color sucks. I can write anything and everything about selecting palettes, but the truth is it’s all about personal taste. Start with the basics: earthtones look damn good on anybody (yourself included), buy clothes that will work with multiple outfits, and if you’re wondering if a color works or not — wear it. Gauge the results on other people’s compliments/reactions.

Now. Enough of that. Below I’ve designed three basic color palettes based on earthtones with examples from my Instagram. If you’re interested in more analysis and my personal color theory, you can find all that below the images. If you’re not, I don’t blame you. Here’s some pretty pictures.

The Palettes

A a good place to begin is with a pair of leather boots and raw or darkwash denim. They’re both extremely versatile, and give a strong basis for any palette. Here I’m wearing a forest green jumper over an off-white OCBD (not pictured), and dressed it up with a very dark-green wool blazer. This style is perfect for autumn; cooler temperatures allow for more layering, which means more color combinations. In general, you want to avoid pairing the same color on top as you have on bottom: the contrast in color lengthens you, and is a lot more visually interesting than similar colors that don’t quite match.

When the weather warms up, I tend to lean towards brighter, pastel colors. Pink is really fun but you have to be careful with it: opt for a muted pink over a bright one, and let the subtly do the work. Olive and khaki are wonderful spring staples, along with sky blues and sleek tans. I highly recommend a pair of white sneakers as well, they work with practically anything.

I’m a winter man, I love the cold and the snow. In my experience, the best way to play off the muted colors of the winter is to play along with them, and let yourself contrast with the snow (where applicable). Desaturated browns and greys play well with my beloved 21 oz raw denim, which keeps me warm during Montana’s sub-zero days. The key here is making sure that your outfit works with any combination of layers being on or off. A navy shirt with raw denim is all fun and games until you’re not wearing your jumper anymore … then it’s too matchy matchy.

Learning from Nature

The best way to improve your understanding of color is just to use your eyes. Keep a lookout for what pairings you see in the world work well together, and which ones simply don’t. It’s not uncommon for my outfit to match my surroundings – and that’s for good reason. Mother Nature has done so much of the work for us, it would be foolish not to take advantage of the combinations she’s created.

Once you’ve developed a wardrobe that will do the work for you, you can start playing to the seasons as well, picking pieces that work with the current state of the trees, the weather, etc. Remember that a big part of fashion is ensuring that you’re dressed appropriately for the setting, and I’d argue that the current season is a big part of that. This doesn’t always mean matching either, complimenting your surroundings can have even more exciting results.

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this post, it’s that you need to experiment. I’ve spent many a day wearing a blazer that didn’t match my trousers whatsoever, and that’s important to learn what doesn’t work. Nobody’s perfect. Make choices, and learn from them.