Choosing colours when buying online

Short answer: Colours are the hardest thing to judge on a screen. Black and navy look alike, and grey can change appearance depending on which screen you are looking at. The safest route is to read the colour name and choose colours you already know.

Colours are the hardest thing to judge online

You can measure size, and you can read about the material. Colour is different, because you only see it through a screen. Phones, laptops and large monitors show colours differently, and brightness plays a part too. The same colour can therefore look warmer, cooler, lighter or darker depending on where you view it.

Black and navy are hard to tell apart

On most screens navy looks almost black. The difference is clear when you hold the fabric in daylight, but in a photo the two colours can be nearly impossible to separate. This applies especially to basics, where both colours often come in the same model, such as bamboo T-shirts for men.

Read the colour name in the text

The colour name is more reliable than the image. If it says navy, the item is dark blue, even if it looks black on your screen. Always read the colour name before you add something to your basket. If in doubt, compare it with a photo of the same model in the other colour.

Grey comes in many shades

Light grey, mid grey and charcoal look almost the same in a photo, but they work very differently in a wardrobe. Light grey feels fresh and relaxed, while charcoal sits close to black. When you buy a grey top, such as a men's bamboo sweatshirt, it pays to read the colour name carefully.

Studio light is not living room light

Product photos are taken in a studio with strong, even light. At home you see your clothes in daylight by the window, under a lamp in the evening or under the bathroom ceiling light. The same colour can look quite different in those three settings. The photo is not wrong, the light has changed.

Choose colours you already own

If you buy a colour you know from your drawer, you know it goes with the rest. You also know how it looks in your own light and how it behaves after washing. This matters most for basics you wear every day and like to own in several identical pieces, such as bamboo underwear for men.

Think about what the colour should match

Before choosing a new colour, think about what you will wear it with. A T-shirt needs to go with your trousers, and a sweatshirt with your jackets. A colour that matches nothing you already own is rarely worn, however good it looked in the photo.

Try a new colour in a single piece

If you want to try a new colour, buy one piece first. That way you see it in your own light and find out whether you actually wear it. If it fits in, you can always order more later, without filling your drawer with colours you never reach for.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the colour look different in real life

Because screens show colours differently, and because studio lighting is not like the light at home. The same colour can therefore look a little different where you are.

Which colours are hardest to judge online

Black and navy, and the different shades of grey. They look alike on almost every screen, so always read the colour name in the text.

How do you get it right

Choose the colours you already own and wear. Then you know the new item goes with the rest of your drawer and that the colour looks as expected.