2015 fashion is all about bold colors and patterns, so throw out every old notion you have about “matching.” Heed the wise words of Stacy from What Not to Wear: pieces in your outfit don’t have to ‘match,’ they just have to ‘go.’ If you don’t know exactly what that means or how to put together your own trendy outfits, never fear. There are still some guidelines you can follow to get yourself on the right track, and once you grow more comfortable with pattern mixing, feel free to break those rules too!
Scale
If you forget every other rule, remember this one. Take a look at some fashion blogs or celebrity stylists and you’ll notice that they achieve proportion perfectly in their outfits. It may look effortless, but you should definitely put some thought into it. If you are going to wear a trench coat with large-scale stripes, don’t also wear a dress with large polka dots. Find a dress that has a smaller scale, less flashy pattern so both pieces aren’t competing with one another. One of your prints should be larger and serve as the focal piece, and the other pattern should be the accent piece.
Find Something in Common
The patterns you choose can be starkly different, but you still want the overall look to be unified. One way to achieve this is to simply choose a color that you want to be included in each of your prints. It can be small, such as the green leaves on a floral print and the green hem of a striped tank top. Its the little details that make the biggest differences. Another method you can try out is to choose prints that all belong to the same color family. You can don a geometric crop top, faux leather skirt, and herringbone scarf, but that combination would probably look messy if you chose hues from all over the color spectrum. Instead, stick to a few basic colors, such as navy, gray, and black, and your outfit will be instantly chic.
Break It Up
If you feel like your pattern-mixed outfit is too busy, break up those patterns (they’re not attached to each other). This is especially easy if you are wearing a printed top, such as gingham, and also a printed skirt, perhaps floral. Simply put on a wide belt where those two pieces meet and they’ll no longer look like they’re fighting each other. Wrap style belts are hot this season, so more points for you if you don one of those! Another safe bet is to wear one patterned piece of clothing and top off your outfit with printed accessories, such as leopard print flats or a paisley scarf.
