Structurally-colored articles and methods for making and using structurally-colored articles

A method, comprising:

• disposing an optical element on a surface of a polymeric layer of an article, wherein the polymeric layer has a minimum percent transmittance of 30 percent, under a given illumination condition at a first observation angle of about −15 to 180 degrees, in the wavelength range of 380 to 740 nanometers, wherein the optical element has a first side and a second side opposite the first side,
• wherein the optical element comprises a first stack and a second stack, wherein the first stack has 3 to 20 layers and wherein the second stack has 3 to 20 layers, wherein each layer of each of the first stack and the second stack are substantially flat, wherein each of the first stack and the second stack, independently, have at least one reflective layer and a plurality of constituent layers, wherein the at least one reflective layer comprises an intermediate reflective layer that is located between two constituent layers, wherein the intermediate layer has a minimum percent reflectance, under a given illumination condition at a first observation angle of about −15 to 180 degrees of about 60 percent or more in the wavelength range of 380 to 740 nanometers, a maximum percent transmittance, under the given illumination condition at the first observation angle of about −15 to 180 degrees of 30 percent or less in the wavelength range of 380 to 740 nanometers, or both,
• wherein the first stack of the optical element imparts a first structural color to the article from the first side of the optical element, wherein the second stack of the optical element imparts a second structural color to the article from the second side of the article,
• wherein the article is an article of footwear, an article of apparel, or an article of sporting equipment.