How To Wear Red And Green Together Without Reminding Everyone Of The Holidays

The pairing of red and green is an iconic color combination, but it instantly brings up images associated with the holidays: pine trees, holly berries, garlands, and festive decorations. Since people don't want to look like they're on their way to a holiday party in the middle of summer, they tend to stay away from this color combination.

However, red and green sit across from each other on the color wheel, making them complementary colors. That means they naturally pair well together and create a bold color pairing. Not wearing them together would be missing out on an opportunity to create an eye-catching look.

Knowing how to wear red and green extends the life of some of the pieces in your wardrobe and creates a vibrant, poppy outfit. Here are a few tricks to make red and green your new favorite color combination that you wish you would've tried sooner.

Adding a third color to the outfit breaks up red and green. This split-complementary outfit features pink pants and a red top, which pair well together. The green bag as an accessory sits across from the color wheel, adding the split element. Plus, red and pink and pink and green pair well together, as well. Each color pair works together, which makes the trio look great overall. Other combinations include orange, yellow, or blue buffering red and green. It works together as a trio of colors without conjuring images of the holidays.

Another way to wear red and green together is to play with the hue. Holiday red and green tends to be very bold and saturated. However, if you choose more muted shades, it won't look like the holiday season. This outfit features earth-toned red and green, which looks down to earth and natural rather than holly and jolly. Similarly, you can go for pastel versions of the colors for a softer look. Or mix pastels with earth tones for a visually interesting look.

You don't always have to look for two pieces to pair together. This green jumpsuit with a red floral print doesn't feel like the holiday season at all. Embracing patterns is a great way to effortlessly pair the two together. But here's the trick: Make sure one color is more present than the other. A green background with red details or vice versa looks much less like a holiday print than if green and red were equally present. Similarly, be cautious of prints like stripes and plaid, which are often associated with the holiday season.

Make a statement with one color and use the other as an accent. This monochrome outfit with matching green trousers and button-down is the centerpiece of the look. The red bag acts as a pop of color without being an overwhelming detail. This method is also a versatile way to wear red and green together. You can swap which color is the main color and which is the accent. And you can even play around with what piece you're using as an accent. It could be jewelry, shoes, or a hair accessory!

This is the perfect example of wearing red and green in another season. These colors are close to the true tones and, when paired together, feel more like spring than the holidays. Sometimes you can embrace the true tones of red and green, but by using pieces made for warmer weather, it doesn't feel like the holidays. These light and casual trousers paired with a t-shirt make the perfect outfit for the spring or summer day.

There's no rule that a red and green outfit has to be completely red and green. You can make both colors accents in one look. This classic jeans and t-shirt outfit is accented by a bright green bomber jacket and bold red tassel earrings. The red and green on the sunglasses, plus the red bracelet also sprinkle the colors throughout the look. Since neither of the colors is the focus of the look, it won't look like a holiday outfit.

As we mentioned earlier, playing around with the hue and saturation of red and green can ensure the outfit doesn't feel too much like a holiday look. This outfit demonstrates spectacularly. The pastel green pants, especially in this gingham print, feel fun and springy. So, when a bold red sweatshirt is added to the look, it feels like a vibrant accent rather than like you're celebrating the holiday season. Making either color lighter or darker will take it away from the traditional wintery feeling.