Are You Comfortable Wearing Mixed Prints and Patterns?

September 21, 2020

Many of you have expressed your reluctancy to mix and match prints when getting dressed. Wearing prints has always been a style staple of mine. I have never been afraid to add a splash of color or fun print here and there, but I must agree that there is a method to the madness. In this blog post, I will be giving a few of my tips and tricks for mixing patterns and prints.

First up, stick to the same tonal range and simply add florals, stripes, geometric shapes, animal prints or dots. One style rule that I learned early on in my career was to have only one focal point. Therefore, by wearing a consistent palette of tones and hues, the color would automatically blend together.
This will leave you the space to layer in whichever print, pattern or contrasting/complementary color you like. The viewers eye would only be drawn to one focal point, and you won’t have to worry about looking tacky.

Secondly, when it comes to wearing mixed prints (especially in 2 different color palettes) you should wear one large dominating print with a smaller accent print or pattern. This will prevent the two prints or patterns competing with one another, but instead offering more of a visual balance and fresh aesthetic.

So now for a quick lesson in color theory, complementary colors are those that are opposite each other on the color wheel. However, color inversion may be the same idea, but it’s not necessary about offering compliment, it’s simply providing opposites/negatives. This creates a lot of visual vibration, and can help create some much needed balance when mixing prints or patterns. So if you are wearing the same print, but inverted you would have on a red blouse with green dots, and green trousers with red dots. This type of color experimenting creates such lovely color harmonies.

Lastly, go for the gusto without any reservations. Wear all of the prints and patterns you want, as long as you are happy. Trust yourself your very own judgment, and we won’t even know the thought process behind the clash of mixing and matching those prints and patterns.

This post was featured on Links à la Mode fashion roundup by Independent Fashion Bloggers.

What are you wearing from home?? COVID Edition

May 18, 2020

Hiya guys, I hope all of you are well and in great spirits. Times are weird. Times are very, very strange. But let’s focus on the positive, and not harp on all of that. I am here to share how a random Instagram challenge led me to finding the fun in getting all dressed up during quarantine.

It all started with me scrolling aimlessly on my phone when I noticed someone that I follow wearing a very bright yellow outfit and tagging the post as the #instarainbowchallenge. I followed the hashtag and to my surprise, there were several dozen posts of women sporting beautiful bright colors topped with enormous smiles. I wanted in on the fun, so I got up and got dressed. Seeing fellow bloggers and stylists doing this challenge was exactly what I need.

(I later found out that this #InstaRainbowChallenge was created by a couple of stylish women from the UK using color on IG feeds as an effort to instantly lift people’s mood as well as show RAINBOW support and love for the NHS).

Although I have been quite busy with other avenues of my company, and doing quite a lot of writing for other publications, I have almost completely deserted my blog. Honestly, I felt like I had fallen into such funk over the past years when it came to getting dressed up and posting pictures here. Upon moving back to the States I gained about 25 pounds. Nothing really fit anymore, and my cheeks were so chunky that smiling became somewhat of a chore for me. The weight gain happened so quickly that I didn’t have the opportunity to fully adjust. I didn’t know my face, I didn’t know my body, I didn’t have the confidence to get dressed and pose it up. So instead of purchasing an entirely new wardrobe, I wore the few things that fit (ALL BLACK EVERYTHING). Thankfully now, since being home in self quarantined, I have been preparing all of my meals and working out regularly. As a result, I have dropped about 10 pounds, and I’m feeling better than ever. So back to the rainbow challenge, I hadn’t really realized that I had dropped a few pounds until I started to reach into my wardrobe styling outfits to post on social media in support of the challenge.

The outfit featured in this post is brought to you by my darling friend, Amanda over at Paulette’s Closet. The best vintage boutique in Memphis. How amazing is this vintage 60s day dress? The jeans are vintage Jordache from Paulette’s Closet as well. I wore the rainbow-colored dress to commemorate the challenge, and to celebrate me regaining self-confidence. It feels amazing to be back in front of the camera, highlighting so of my favorite vintage and thrift pieces from SOSNUThrift.

Over the next few days and weeks, I will continue to post the colorful outfits representing each shade of the rainbow.

A Day in Vintage

December 26, 2019

Sporting a little vintage on the blog today. Since starting the store and going full time with the business, I’ve had to become more and more intentional about avoiding the inventory, especially on the vintage side. Thankfully the team is there to do quality check, leaving me to do the pulls for any editorial shoots and e-commerce shoots.

However, on this day I couldn’t resist the urge to play dress up…which unsurprisingly turned into shopping. Against my better judgment, I took this beautiful vintage lookout for a spin, and boy am I glad I did. Initially, my eyes were drawn to the boldness of the houndstooth plaid pants. But the beautiful burnt orange color of the vest and trousers were tugging at my heartstrings as well.

I paired the set with an aqua oversized shirt (which actually has matching pants as well), and slid into my white mules creating the perfect complete 70s look.

outfit details — vest: vintage (here); pants: vintage (here); mules: F21 (here)(here); oversized shirt: (here)