Choosing kit colours that work

How to pick two or three colours that look sharp, stay readable in matches and never clash with an opponent.

Colour is the first thing anyone notices about a kit, and the easiest thing to get wrong. Here is how to choose colours that look good up close and still work during a match.

Start with two colours, not five

Almost every memorable kit is built on one main colour and one second colour. A third colour can work as a thin accent on the collar, cuffs or socks. Once you go past three, the kit starts to look like a flag collection.

A simple way to start:

1. Pick the colour you want people to remember. That's your main colour, used on the shirt body.
2. Pick a second colour that contrasts strongly with it. Use it for the sleeves, the pattern or the shorts.
3. Optionally, pick a small accent for the trim.

Contrast beats "matching"

Colours that look "nice together" on a swatch can disappear on a pitch. What matters is light against dark:

• Navy and white, red and white, black and gold, and green and yellow all have strong contrast.
• Navy and black, red and maroon, and light grey and white have very little.

A quick test: imagine the kit in black and white. If the pattern vanishes, the two colours are too close in brightness.

The game adds shading

The game puts shadows and fabric creases on top of your kit, so every colour looks a little darker during matches. In practice:

• Very dark colours (near-black navy, deep maroon) lose detail. Lift them slightly.
• Very pale colours (cream, pale grey) can look dirty. Use a clean white or a stronger tint.
• Bright, saturated colours survive the shading best.

Think about the numbers

Shirt and shorts numbers sit on top of your design. Choose number colours that contrast with whatever is behind them. If your shirt is half white and half black, a number in a mid colour like red or gold reads on both halves.

Use colours that mean something

Many teams pick colours with a story: a town's colours, a school's colours, or a national flag. KitLab's starter designs include colour schemes from several African national flags, such as Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Cameroon, which are a good starting point if you want that feel.

Plan your second kit at the same time

If you choose a dark Home kit, make your Away kit light, and the other way round. That way at least one of your kits always stands out against an opponent. Designing a full team set covers this in more detail.