While waiting for an appointment the other day, I was flipping through a fashion magazine and was immediately drawn to the many featured teal clothes. It seemed like everywhere I looked, celebrities and models alike were all showing off this bright and bold color. This made me want to add some pops of teal to my own wardrobe and wonder what colors go with teal clothes?
Teal combines different ratios of green and blue to make one color. Because of this, teal clothes pair well with shades that match both blue and green. This includes metallics like gold and silver, neutrals like black and white, and other shades of blue and green.
If you’re like me and want to explore adding teal to your wardrobe, this article is here to help. I’ll give you tips on which colors you should match with your teal clothing and which ones you should be careful to avoid.
Why Are Teal Clothes So Popular?
Teal has been a popular color choice since the early 1900s, though it reached the heights of its popularity during the 1990s. During this decade, varying shades of teal quickly began being blended in patterns with bold purples and pinks, and many sports teams began adopting this unique shade as part of their official colors. Given that clothing and styles from the 1990s are back in popularity in 2022, it’s no surprise that teal clothes have quickly risen to become wardrobe staples.
Beyond its appeal as a current fashion trend, teal has remained a popular choice because it is a versatile “jewel-toned” color. Jewel tones are any colors seen in natural gemstones like sapphires, emeralds, and rubies. They tend to be very bright and intense colors, helping them to be both eye-catching and to appear luxurious and expensive.
Because of this, jewel-toned clothes have long been a popular choice for anyone who wants to add a bit of elegant flair to their wardrobe. With all of these things in mind, it is no wonder that teal clothes are currently such a popular choice to wear for any occasion.
Teal and the Color Wheel
The color wheel has long been used to help determine which colors work well together and which clash with one another and should not be paired. Typically, the wheel is arranged in a traditional rainbow pattern, and individual colors are thought to pair well with the ones immediately to their right and left and those directly opposite them on the wheel.
By using this wheel, we can figure out exactly which colors and shades will work well when paired with teal clothes and which you should avoid altogether. This makes coordinating colors much easier and, overall, more straightforward. It also makes it easier to avoid pairing together colors that will almost certainly clash.
Before we can discuss where teal falls on the color wheel, we need to consider the color or shade we are talking about. Teal goes by many names, depending on who you might be talking to or what company you purchase clothes from. Shades like aqua, aquamarine, cerulean, cyan, seafoam or turquoise are all commonly considered shades of “teal.”
If you look up each of these colors separately, you’ll see a lot of differences between these shades. Some, like aqua, are very light and contain a lot of blue in their makeup. Others, like seafoam, contain much more green. Even within these colors, there is a lot of variation since they can each come in light, medium, and dark tones.
Regardless of which shade comes to mind when you think of “teal,” what is important to remember that each is made by combining blue and green. Because of this, each shade of teal will always fall between blue and green on the color wheel. It will pair well with colors that blue and green pair well with and will also clash with colors these two shades clash with.
What Colors Go With Teal Clothes?
When choosing colors that go with teal clothes, you need to pick options that go with both green tones and blue tones. Doing this guarantees that you can match any shade of teal, no matter how light or dark it might be. Below is our top recommendations for colors to pair with teal.
Blue
Like green is a great choice to pair with teal, blue is also an excellent option. When you pair blue and teal together, the blue will help to emphasize the blue tones the two colors share. Just like with green, you should also try to match your darkness of blue to the darkness of teal you are wearing to ensure the best match.
For the best look, consider pairing a medium blue with a medium teal to play heavily on the jewel tones of each. This is a great way to look regal and elegant for any occasion.
Black
It’s hard to go wrong with pairing bright and bold teal colors with neutral accents. Black is a great choice to pair with teal since colors will always pop against a darker background. This will help your jewel-toned teals to appear even more intense and eye-catching.
You still want to be cautious not to create too much contrast in your outfit. Try not to pair black with very light shades of teal and instead stick to medium or dark tones for this pairing. If you want to style an outfit with a lighter shade of teal, consider wearing a softer shade of black or even a gray tone.
White
White is another safe neutral to wear with pretty much any shade of teal you might have in your closet. Where black doesn’t always work with lighter shades of teal, white almost certainly does. Because of this, white is typically one of the best options if you’re trying to style lighter shades of teal, including aqua or seafoam hues.
Gold or Silver
Metallic accents of gold or silver are an excellent pairing with teal, especially if you’re looking for something eye-catching and more luxurious. Gold is a warmer color and tends to draw out green tones when paired with teal. Silver is a cooler color and will emphasize the blue in your teal clothing.
Either of these colors is a good option with teal, and you can choose which you want to wear based on your own preference. If you know you are wearing a shade of teal with a lot of green, gold may be the best option and vice versa. Otherwise, you can decide based on the undertones of your skin – gold if you have warm or olive undertones, silver if you have cool undertones.
Green
Green is an excellent choice to wear with teal, especially since it is one of the main colors that make up this unique shade. Pairing teal and green will emphasize the green tones of the shade you are wearing since the eye will naturally pick out similarities between the two. For the best look, try to pair a cool-toned shade of green with your teal instead of a warm one since most teals tend to be on the cooler end of the spectrum.
When wearing them together, you should also try to match the overall darkness of your greens and teals. Pair light greens with light teals and dark greens with dark teals. This will help to further emphasize the similarities between the two colors without creating too much contrast.
Other Jewel Tones
We’ve already discussed that teal is considered to be one of the jewel tones. Because of this, teal clothes tend to pair well with most other jewel-toned clothes. This includes dark shades of sapphire blue, deep emerald greens, bold amethyst purples, and dark ruby colors.
The key to pairing all of these shades is to choose options with all of the deep intensity jewel tones are known for. Lighter shades of red, for example, don’t tend to pair well with dark teals. It’s important to always picture what natural gemstones or “jewels” look like and choose options that resemble them.
Colors to Avoid With Teal
Because teal is a color that comes in many different shades and intensities, there are relatively few colors that it cannot pair with. As a general rule of thumb, however, you will want to avoid pairing teal with colors that clash with either green or blue. This is where referring back to the color wheel comes in handy.
Orange
In general, orange is a tricky option to pair with since many different shades on the color wheel clash with this bright color. Green is one of those pairings that just doesn’t work very often. Because of this, orange and teal don’t always make a great combination, especially if the teal leans more toward green than blue.
If you are a huge fan of the color orange, there are some similar shades you could turn to if you are trying to coordinate with teal. Teal pairs well with shades of pink, so you could opt for a coral or salmon-colored garment instead of a true orange. This will still give you some brightness that you might associate with the color orange while also making a more attractive outfit overall.
Brown
Brown is technically a darker shade of orange, though many people consider it a separate color altogether. While brown often pairs well with green, it does not typically work well with the color blue, because of this, teal and brown do not always work well together.
If you’re looking for a neutral color to wear with teal, turn instead to shades of black, white, and gray. These tones are cooler and won’t clash with the blue hues of your teal clothing. If you absolutely must wear brown, try to pair it with a shade of teal that is closer to green than it is to blue.
Certain Reds
Red pairs well with the color blue but doesn’t always work well with green for various reasons. Because of this, some shades of teal can work well with red and some can clash very strongly. This makes red a very difficult color to pair correctly with teal.
Green and red are opposite of each other on the color wheel, meaning that they should, in theory, be complementary. However, most people associate red and green with Christmas, which isn’t the look you’re probably going for throughout the rest of the year. Additionally, many colorblind people cannot see these two colors when paired with each other – making them an overall bad combination.
If you want to wear red, stick to true jewel tones. Consider a dark ruby red or maroon paired with a dark teal to emphasize the intense, bold colors for which jewel tones are known.
If you’re looking for another option, consider pairing either a shade of pink or a shade of purple with your teal. Purple is a mix of red and blue, which will draw on the blue tones in your teal. Pink is also a good match for teal and less likely to look like a Christmas ensemble.
What To Wear With Teal Shoes
Teal shoes pair well with all sorts of outfits, especially ones in the colors we’ve already discussed. If you’re looking for pants suggestions, any black, white, gray, or blue pants are generally safe options. This includes blue jeans in most cases, especially if the jeans are similar darkness to the teal.
In terms of other common pants colors, the ones you’ll want to avoid are brown pants or other shades of tan or khaki. While these colors typically pair well with shades of green, they don’t always work as well with shades of blue. Brown colors are very warm, while blues and greens tend to be much cooler in tone.
What Color Shoes Goes With Teal Dress?
If you are looking to style a teal dress, there are quite a few colors of shoes you could choose to wear. A pair of decorative gold or silver shoes could be an excellent option, particularly for more formal events. You’ll also be safe with a pair of black or white shoes and matching shades of teal, green, or blue.
If you’re looking for a pop of color to add to your teal outfit, consider wearing a pair of pink or purple shoes with your teal dress. These colors strongly contrast to the teal and will be eye-catching without clashing with your dress. In general, other jewel tones will work well with teal clothes.
Just be cautious with shades of brown, tan, orange, or bright red. These warmer colors can be challenging to pair correctly with teal and may clashing if you try to do so. It’s generally safer to stick to the other colors we’ve discussed.
What Color Pants Goes With Teal Shirt?
Adding a teal shirt to your closet is a great way to introduce this bold color to your wardrobe. But you’ll need a pair of pants that pairs well with it to make the outfits work. Generally, neutral colors are the best options for pants in situations like this.
Even then, you want to avoid warm-toned neutrals when wearing teal. This means that you should not immediately turn to your favorite pair of brown, tan, or khaki pants. Instead, try to choose cooler-toned neutrals to pair with teal.
Black, white, or gray pants are all excellent choices for teal shirts. Another good option is blue pants, including a trusty pair of blue jeans. We typically recommend choosing a shade of blue that compliments the teal and doesn’t create too much contrast.
Don’t be afraid to consider bold patterns when styling a teal shirt. Look for floral, geometric, or other designs that contain pops of teal within them. You’ll just want to be careful to match the shade of teal to the color of the shirt you have since there is so much variation between different teal tones.
Conclusion
The bright jewel tones of teal clothes are an excellent addition to any wardrobe. Keep in mind the advice we have given here as you style your outfits and you’ll have no difficulty deciding which colors to pair together. In no time, you’ll be just as fashion-forward as all of the models in the style magazines you love to read.