Intermix

     Before this year, I wasn't really the one who took risks when it came to fashion.  This year being my first of high school, I made a promise to myself that I would take more risks when choosing what to wear.   With that said, this past year I really did step out of my comfort zone in wearing vintage, mixing different patterns, and even wearing dresses!  It did take a lot of courage, but it was totally worth it.  Now I feel extremely more comfortable with putting outfits together and trying trends.
    So after that little introduction story, I would like to share with you something I learned this year about putting together outfits...mixing patterns! At first this can seem really scary, but it's actually simple and can make an outfit super fun!  When I put together outfits like these, I always keep in mind four simple rules.  Hopefully these will help you when choosing what your going to wear and give you the courage to step outside of your comfort zone!

picture

     1. Same prints, different color.  I love this outfit that Rihanna is wearing!  All it consists of is a cheetah print top, and a red cheetah print skirt.  This outfit totally works because of the similar print however the difference in color makes it really interesting.  This outfit will especially work this season because of how big the trend of color blocking is.

picture

     2. Large print, small print. You want to always make sure that if the prints aren't the same, that there is one small print, and one large print just like Whitney Port does in this picture.  If they are both large or both small, the outfit will not be easy to look at and the print will get lost easily.  By paring a large print with a small, you will create a balance within your outfit.

picture

     3. Keep color the same.  Another route you can take is pair two prints that are the same color like Rachel Bilson does above.  When wearing similar color prints, it creates a sort of 'flow' that pulls the outfit together.  

picture

     4. Stripes and florals.  Okay so for this one, I really don't know why it works but the mix of these two always seem to work.  Maybe it's the simplicity of the stripes mixed with a busy pattern.  Anyway, I always love putting a stripe sweater with a floral skirt in the spring time.  Olivia Palermo definitely shows just how great this pair looks!

     When it comes down to it all, I think you should just wear what you feel comfortable wearing and use your judgement when wearing outfits like these.  If you aren't feeling 100% confident in your outfit, don't wear it.  It defiantly took a long time before I was even comfortable with the thought of mixing prints.  I hope this has inspired you to take a risk next time you put together what you are going to wear.  Good Luck!

xoxo