Been style blogging since who-knows-when and through the years, I've already gathered knowledge on the essentials of an outfit. As this post title suggests, I am going to show you how an outfit should (and maybe shouldn't) be.
There might be a handful kinds of outfits but let's focus on the big picture, shall we? The big picture, meaning, how a good outfit should be in general. We'll talk about the different styles and techniques on how to look good and feel good about it. *wink*
DETERMINE YOUR 'UNIFORM'
What kind of style do you feel like wearing? Laid back or casual? Edgy? Street style? Something chic? Or, what errands are you going to do on that day? A girl's night out? An interview? Or just a simple hanging out with friends? Make sure to pick your base and settle with what you like first (and what needs to be) before picking pieces of clothing from your wardrobe. Your choices depend on your personal style and/or level of comfort.
REMEMBER THE TOP + BOTTOM RELATIONSHIP
Don't forget your top and bottom should maintain a healthy relationship. This has to be the basic and essential thing to consider for an outfit. For example, don't wear a cropped top along with a pair hipster jeans.
Cropped tops work best with high waisted jeans/pants/skirts. They perfectly compliment as they are basically made for each other.
Got a patterned top and a patterned bottom? Wearing them all at the same time might not be a very good idea. Chances are, you'll end up too adorned and it might be distracting to look at as there are too many prints on your outfit. So start pairing your patterned top or bottom with something plain and simple (preferably solid colors) for a perfect matched outfit.
THE THIRD PIECE
An outfit doesn't necessarily need a third piece but having one can improve how you look. A third piece is basically your finishing touch and will pull your outfit together. A simple tote bag or your favorite hat/cap are just some of the common third pieces you might wanna try on.
COLOR BLOCKING
According to our good ol' friend, Wikipedia, color-blocking is the exploration of taking colors that are opposites on the color wheel and pairing them together to make interesting and complementary color combinations. Since most of my clothes don't possess color, I normally color-block white and black. In the image above, I've tried combining navy blue and cream colored clothes to achieve a somewhat contrasting look.
Adding a pop of color is a good idea too! Whether add an elegant red clutch to your all white outfit or simply wear neon colored arm candies to your all black outfit can make an awesome fashion statement.
TRY ADDING LAYERS
Since I live in a tropical country, layered outfits commonly don't come that easy. I only managed to wear a second layer of cardigan or denim jacket to complete my looks. However, layering doesn't only make you look more fashionable and cozy at the same time, it also improves your sense of combining different types of clothes creating (and eventually discovering) different types of styles. You can add a layer of knitted sweater on your button down polo or put on your favorite jacket on your cozy turtle-neck top.
THE STATEMENT PIECE
If you want to be known for having a signature style, make sure to add a 'statement piece' in most, if not all, of your outfits. I often wore round caps before and it kinda became my statement piece. Think of something that is interesting or something that you can actually wear on the long run for it to become your statement piece. They don't necessarily have to be bold or eye-catching. You can start with scarfs, or chokers, or even just maintain consistency of a specific color or group of colors to your looks.
ACCESSORIZE
If you feel like your neck area is too empty or your arm need to have a party, consider putting accessories. Just make sure not to get it overdone. A single piece of jewelry is enough already to complete your look.
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Remember to always dress the occasion but still maintain your poise. We dress to look good and to feel good so as much as possible, wear what's comfortable but still keep the style. Always have in mind to create a visual balance to your look and don't just wear something that only flatters you but also flatters your body shape and size.
I hope you learned something from this 'anatomy' and apply it in real life as well. Let me know through your comments down below your thoughts, suggestions, or tips about how an outfit should be.
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