Colors & Textures & Patterns, Oh My!
I've always gotten questions about what colors go together, what clothing textures are appropriate together, and what patterns are the wrong patterns, and so on and so on. I have a deep dive on colors in a seperate blog, (which I should probably update because I have grown in my color choices recently) but I'm also going to add some tips on colors in today's blog. As for clothing textures, I'm sure you might have some questions. I promise I'll explain it the best way I can. The descriptive words in this blog are going to be so incredible (or at least that's my goal)! I hope you can see and feel these textures just based on my descriptions (and maybe a few pictures)! Patterns have just recently come back into trend and I will say that patterns are the hardest of these to work with! But, by the end of this, I hope that you can be a pattern wizard! And if you do become a pattern wizard, let me know, I could use some tips here and there too!
Colors
I love colors so much. All of them. Working with them. Picking them. Matching them. Everything about it. It is truly a hobby for me sometimes. But, for you, colors might be a challenge, or something you just overlook, or even something that you don't think matters. Let me tell you, though, colors DO MATTER! And they don't have to be too much of a challenge. We all have those colors that we think we look great in, as well as those colors that aren't our favorites. So, step number one of working with colors, find those colors and run with them. The outfits you create will make your life so much easier when you know your go-to colors.
For me, I love switching between all neutrals and bright colors. Neutrals have always been something that I have found easier to work with, but I do love the finished product of a colorful outfit more. Personally, I think the color red looks great on me, or maybe I just like wearing it, but for this example, let's use my red. I love working with red because it is such an easy color to be the main focus of your outfit, or even just a subtle side note. One way I tend to wear red is with sweaters with complimenting colors. On the color wheel, green is the complementary color to red. And I know red and green sounds like Santa is coming to town, but there's so many ways to change it up. Like a forest green and a bright red. I also like to wear red pants with a basic black top just to keep easy. Color matching isn't supposed to be difficult.
Textures
I feel like this is the one most people don't really know much about, but I'm here to give you a few details. Before I hop right in, I do want to preface by saying that it helps to picture these things in a formal dress or long skirt, instead of pants and a shirt. Let's take the fabric Silk for example. I love a straight silk dress!!! It's such a classic, simple way to have a elevated formal look. But, we want to fix textures... what do we do now? I'm going to have you use your imagination a bit here (I will add pictures just to give you a hint as to what I imagined), but picture a formal gown of your choice. Does it have shape to it, or is it straight? Does it have a pattern? Does it have multiple different fabrics? Does it have a different texture? Does it look like one of these pictured below?
These two dresses are very similar yet very different at the same time. It's crazy how much texture adds to the dress. The point of this to show how much adding a different texture within your everyday outfits can change them! And also, I know not everyone likes the dress on the right, same with the dress on the left. I'm sure everyone has a their own opinions on these two dresses. Any opinion is the right opinion. These dresses are on both ends of the texture spectrum. This is literally the two examples of texture vs. no texture.
Patterns
Man, oh man, have I grown to love patterns! You typically won't see me wearing many patterns, simply because I don't have very many articles with patterns. However, I many wardrobe is slowly growing. The simplest pattern to style is definitely stripes. A fun little, helpful tip; vertical stripes make your legs (when wearing pants, but it's the same with a shirt and your torso) look longer and skinnier than they really are. It's the opposite with horizontal stripes! Thicker, darker, horizontal stripes makes you look shorter and wider than you actually are. It's like an allusion. Pretty cool! Moving on to polka dots! I love love love this new trend of polka dots. Some people may say that polka dots feel a little to childish, or circus vibes, but I don't think that's the case. Polka dots can be portrayed in an elevated, sophisticated way and I do love it (I’m sure you’ve guessed that with me saying I love polka dots so much)! Another pattern that we’ve seen a lot recently is gingham! Especially red and white! I might be biased because I go to a red and white SEC school, but this is such a staple for gamedays!! I will say that it did take me a second to get on the cheetah print attire. I’ve just been so used to not wearing animal print that I did cast it aside a little too quickly. However, I’ve changed! I think it’s such a fun way to accessorize your outfit with something you would already be wearing (shirt, pants, shoes, sweater, etc).
I know that me just talking about colors and textures and patterns might not motivate you to think about these things within your own outfits, but I do want to encourage you to just try to incorporate new things into your style. I promise it's fun!!
with love always,
Charli