Victoria Beckham’s lesson in making colour-clashing outfits look ‘expensive’ in your 50s

Victoria Beckham may have rarely been seen without a little black dress in her Spice Girls days, but now her style choices are often a lot more colourful. And while you may shy away from bright colours or believe they’re not something you can pull off, a fashion stylist urges you to think otherwise.

From punchy green and purple tailoring combos to more subtle colour pop accessories, Victoria’s street style is a masterclass in how to wear colour. According to Rebekah Roy, a stylist and creative director, Victoria’s bold colour-clashing outfits should serve as inspiration for women in their fifties and beyond – and you don’t need a designer wardrobe to get the look.

We caught up with the fashion stylist to understand what makes the perfect colour clash, and why midlife women shouldn’t be afraid to try it for themselves. 

“Victoria Beckham’s colour-clashing outfits prove that bold styling doesn’t have an age limit. It can be incredibly flattering and modern for women over 50. Most women think wearing colour after 50 means toning things down, but it’s actually the opposite,” Rebekah says. 

“Colour clash is one of the easiest ways to look modern and confident without buying anything new.”

Victoria’s head-turning colour combinations

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Victoria Beckham gave a masterclass in how to colour clash

Purple and Chartreuse

Workwear just got a lot more interesting! You may not think to pair purple and chartreuse together, but Victoria made a strong case for this colour combination, particularly when pared-back with a grey tailored blazer and a complementary deep purple clutch bag.

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Victoria added pink heels to a chic green midi dress

Green and Pink

While it would be easy to pair this green midi dress with nude or black heels, Victoria’s punchy pink shoes add a stylish colour clash – and show how easy this look can be to try for yourself.

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This colourful look can easily be recreated with your wardrobe staples

Blue and Red

Victoria instantly elevated a plain blue knit by layering a sharp red shirt underneath. With the sleeves artfully styled to reveal the red cuffs underneath, it’s a look that can easily be recreated with your wardrobe staples.

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Victoria Beckham’s accessories add a bold clash to her patterned dress

Animal Print and Blue

Prints also get the colour clash treatment in this outfit, where Victoria styled her animal print dress with matching blue heels and a clutch bag. Accessories can be a great way to experiment with this look, using footwear, a handbag or scarf to add some extra colour to your outfit.

How to work the look

As the photos above demonstrate, Victoria has long been a champion of this look, using unexpected colour combinations and statement accessories to elevate her everyday style. From a sharp red collar shirt under a baby blue knit to brightening up camel trousers with a rust roll neck jumper, the fashion designer demonstrates lots of different ways to colour clash, but how do you know which colours to put together?

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According to Rebekah, there’s an art to perfecting the colour clash. “It’s about understanding your skin tone — choosing a colour that works well closest to your face, then building contrast or harmony through the rest of the outfit,” she says.

Thankfully, you don’t need to invest in lots of new clothes either, but simply rethink the way you wear them. “You already have some of these pieces in your wardrobe and you just need a restyle. The skirt or trousers can be either the opposite side of the colour wheel or the colours that sit on either side of your chosen colour. When it’s done well, it looks incredibly chic and expensive!”