obsession : red & royal blue

Perhaps it is from being surrounded by preppy, saturated tones at the Abercrombie design office everyday - or this bright red and royal blue plaid scarf I keep seeing - but I'm obsessed with this color combination right now.  Let's see how people are wearing it!

Source: Chictopia.com

My favorite way to see these colors together is in a print - or as solid garments worn together.  It looks best in fully saturated, rich, royal tones of these two colors - but if you aren't ready for that, try subbing in a navy for the blue, or a burgundy for the red!

trend : pale pink & coral

A new color combination popping up for spring 2010 is the unexpected mix of a pale European pink with an orange-tinted coral or red. Red with pink has always before been a sort of fashion "no-no" the way many think you can't wear black with navy or black with brown ... but like most of these "rules", they are meant to be broken because it is interesting.

Elie Saab Spring, Marc by Marc Jacobs; both Spring 2011


Matthew Williamson, Jenni Kayne; both Resort 2011


Derek Lam, Resort 2011; Tory Burch, Spring 2011

Why does it work? The same reason wearing black head to toe works - it's flattering. And by keeping your pink a pale nude and your red a poppy orange, the contrast is high enough to allow viewers to distinguish you from a Valentine's day card.