Colour is the first thing people notice and the easiest thing to get wrong. A red, orange or green that looks great on a logo can be loud and hard to wear across a whole suit. The rule of thumb: a restrained base, with the brand colour as the accent.
Base and accent
- Base colours — navy, charcoal, grey, black or beige — for jackets, trousers and skirts. Refined, easy to coordinate, long-lasting and forgiving of marks.
- Accent colours — your brand colour — on ties, scarves, piping, lapels, linings and logo embroidery. One well-placed touch is enough for the brand to register.
When the brand colour is bold
If your identity is red, orange, yellow or bright green, do not make whole suits in it. Use it on shirts for certain roles, on front-line waistcoats or on accessories. For event polos and T-shirts, the brand colour can lead.
Screens are not cloth
- Approve colour on real cloth, not on screen or print.
- Compare under office light and daylight.
- Dyes vary slightly between lots. A team's uniforms — jackets, trousers and skirts — should be cut from the same lot.
Colour by role
In the "one palette, distinguished by role" model, shade can signal role: managers in deep navy, staff in grey; or one base with different accents.
Colour and climate
Light colours are cooler in the sun but show marks; dark colours are formal and forgiving but absorb heat. For outdoor staff, consider lighter neutrals and breathable cloth.