Color Trend: cheering for team blue and orange

Last week I donned my blue and orange scarf and headed out to watch the New York Mets win there first ever home game at Citifield.  As I walked around the stadium awash in a sea of NY Met’s signature orange and royal blue- I couldn’t help but think about the use of complimentary colors in making a visual statement.

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Color theory tells us that when we see a hot color  ( like orange ) our eye naturally seeks out it’s cooler- across the color wheel compliment color ( in this case blue ).  The colors live as equals next to each other, balancing out and intensifying each other’s hues.

The Met’s shades of blue and orange are indeed intense next to each other- almost hard to look at.  Luckily the team’s uniforms are tempered by white ( home games) and black ( away ) backgrounds.  I’m pretty sure If the team hit the field in head -to- toe equal values of orange and blue I would have trouble focusing on David Wright as he hit a homerun or Jose Reyes run towards 2nd to steal a base.

Yet if attention is what you seek without clashing… than by all means nothing will achieve it quite like mixing together equal valued complimentary colors,  Funny enough as I sat at the game and looked over the crowd I realized how the Met’s team colors were so fashionable ‘in’ for summer 09.

Totes with a twist of color from Tory Burch and DKNY, polka dot dress by Monkee’s of Irving Park, blouse from Viktor & Rolf, shoes by Siergio Rossi

Notice how the gray, black, brown and white balance out the intense blues and oranges on the totes and shoe, while adding a lighter shade of blue and and introducing pink into the color mix have the orange and blue battling it out for your attention on the blouse.  Meanwhile the dress’s slightly lighter shade of blue allows the brighter orange dots and belt to take center stage.

The colors remain intense even though Dries Van Noten breaks up the pairing with neutral gray, golden tones and black, as does Marc Jacobs ( shown above)

Cameron Diaz hits the red carpet this spring in her own versions of the blue and orange trend. This time keeping the orange bright and the blue faded- black and white again balance out the scheme.

If bright orange and blue is too intense for you… than the classic pairing of a greener/blue with a reddish orange ( like the oh-so popular turquoise and coral ) may be more up your colorway this year.

greenish blues and orange are a knockout together when paired with brighter blues, paler oranges and gold

Runway looks from Jonathan Saunders and Pucci… bracelet from Intermix.com

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Drew Barrymore , always a fan of trendy colors, hits the red carpet last week in a white gown with accents of turquoise blue and coral beading

A current ad for Target uses a similar color scheme

And if you are in the market to go really bold this season, then pair the complement of blue and orange in an all new direction-

There really are some amazing color palettes with blue and orange happening out there, this runway look from Marni and a bench from Antropologie are two of my favorite schemes- I just love them paired with the unexpected shades of violet and green!

Hmmm, I wonder if the Met’s would ever consider adding just a little dash of purple to update their look?

Images Elle.com