Besides funny dog videos, Facebook feeds me tons of outfit-styling videos. Watching all these videos got me thinking about two things: how intelligent dogs are and how unique outfits are crafted. The videos I enjoy the most are the ones with dogs communicating with talking buttons and the ones with stylists combining contrasting items. Somehow, they go perfectly together like strawberry and cheese—the outfits, not the dogs and buttons. Although dogs do love strawberries and cheese. Sorry, back to the outfits.
Most people think incorporating different styles into one outfit is only for pro stylists, but it’s not as complicated as it looks. Yes, if you don’t know what you’re doing, your outfit will look like a random hodge-podge mess. But keep reading, and I’ll explain how it’s done so you can create cute and unique outfits. I’ve broken it down into three simple steps:
- Identifying the item’s style
- Understanding different styles: mild vs. strong
- Balancing the different styles
Identifying the item’s style
Every item has a distinct style, whether you realize it or not. Not every white t-shirt belongs under the basic or minimalist style just because it’s a white t-shirt. If the white t-shirt has distressing or holes, it’s probably more rocker/biker style. If the white t-shirt has ruffles or bows, it’s more of a cutesy/girly style. If the white t-shirt has a plunging neckline, it might be a more sexy style. You see? Not all whites are the same.
Once you pay attention to the details, most items’ styles are easy to identify. The confusing ones are the ones with elements from different styles. But don’t stress—you can always make up a style name if you don’t know what to call it.
Understanding different styles: mild vs. strong
Besides understanding the different styles, it helps to differentiate between mild and strong styles. Some styles are strong, meaning if you dressed from head to toe in this style, you’d stand out from the crowd. The mild styles are where even if you cover yourself in this one style, your outfit may not be the first thing people notice about you. Knowing if a style is strong or mild gives an idea of how much to infuse into your outfits if you want to balance the differing styles.
Below are some examples of different styles. This list only covers a handful of them; you may disagree with which ones are strong or mild, which is fine. Art is subjective, anyway.
Mild Styles
Basic/Minimal
What you might wear if you were a minimalist with a 33-piece capsule wardrobe. Examples: basics in neutrals such as white, black, grey, navy, beige, olive
Casual
What you might wear if you were going to school because you’re either a cute mom picking up your kiddos or a cute college student. Examples: striped tops, jumpsuits, jeans paired with most items from Madewell.
Leisurewear
What you might wear if you were running errands or lounging around but didn’t want people to think you were wearing your pajamas. Examples: joggers, loose cardigans, and just about anything from Vuori.
Classic/Traditional
What you might wear if you were going to lunch at a country club in the Hamptons or reincarnated as Coco Chanel. Examples: A-line dresses, chambray button-ups, cashmere, silk, pearls, and silk scarves.
business/Professional
What you might wear if you were going to an office job interview at a big law firm. Examples: pencil skirts, blazers, pleated slacks, suits, button-ups, blouses, and structured bags.
Sporty/Athletic
What you might wear if you worked out or wished you worked out. Examples: hoodies, sweatpants, sneakers, baseball caps, and anything with an athletic brand logo.
Strong Styles
Sexy
What you might wear if you were going to work as an escort or from your OnlyFans account. Examples: tight spandex clothes (that aren’t workout clothes), black lace, cleavage, short skirts/dresses, mesh, fishnets, and corsets.
Girly/Cutesy
What you might wear if you were going to a Hello Kitty-themed event. Your favorite color is pink, and you only wear skirts or dresses in the winter. Examples: ruffles, ribbons, bows, hearts, pastels, and pretty much anything pink.
Artsy/Boho
What you might wear if you were going to Coachella or doing a photo shoot in a big, grassy field where every photo looks like it has a soft, hazy filter. Examples: florals and paisley prints, long, flowy dresses and skirts, fringe, and feathers.
International/Ethnic
What you might wear if you were in another country where you can’t drink tap water and no one speaks English. Examples: multi-colored beading and embroidery, ethnic prints, silver/wood/semi-precious stone jewelry, and anything with elephants on it.
Funky/Fun
What you might wear if you were going to a party with all the up-and-coming new artists in Brooklyn. Examples: bright colors, colored fur, polka dots, whimsical jewelry, metallics, and funky accessories.
Rocker/Biker
What you might wear if you were headed to a Metallica concert or bar that only plays classic rock on a jukebox. Examples: black leather jacket, moto boots, rock band graphic T-shirts, distressed denim, pyramid studs, and grommets.
Balancing the different styles
Alexa Chung is a style icon in the fashion industry. I’ll use her to demonstrate the three levels of combining styles because she’s a true champ at it. Watch and learn.
Level 1: mild + mild
Let’s begin with level one styling. Alexa combines a minimal/basic style with a business/professional style. This, in my opinion, is a mild style paired with another mild style. The matching blazer and slacks could easily be turned into an all-business/professional look by simply swapping out her black top and sandals with a blouse and pumps. Alternatively, if she swapped out the jacket and bottoms with a denim jacket and shorts, it would transform into a casual outfit. Mild-style combos are the easiest to pull off, and I recommend you start here if you’re new to combining styles.
level 2: mild + strong
Next is level 2 styling: pairing a mild style with a strong style. At first glance, her outfit looks like something she threw on while rushing out the door, yet she still looks effortlessly stylish. I guarantee that her outfit wasn’t randomly thrown together. Notice how her beanie, coats, and boots are funky/fun while her shirt and overalls are very casual/basic. She even took it one step further by perfectly matching the crazy color combo in her beanie and boots. Alexa combined a mild and strong style (casual/basic + funky/fun) and then spread out the strong style items.
level 3: strong + strong
Lastly, check out Alexa doing some advanced-level styling: pairing one strong style with another. Her top half is giving Little-House-on-the-Prarie vibes, while her bottom half is a very sexy style. Looking at her top and bottom half separately, don’t they look like they belong to two different women with different personalities? Despite her outfit having a bipolar personality, it works because the two strong styles are balanced equally. Nice work, Alexa! Now, play my Taylor Swift playlist.
Tips and Tricks
Knowing if a style is strong or mild helps when combining different styles and trying to balance them. For example, if you combine a rocker/biker t-shirt and moto boots with a casual skirt and jacket, your outfit might still look more rocker/biker because the rocker/biker pieces are stronger. Here is my advice when working with strong styles.
Spread out your strong items.
Do not wear two strong items on the same body part, such as a funky hat with funky earrings. The outfit will look more balanced if there’s some space between the funky items instead of being concentrated in one area.
Use strong items sparingly.
Be careful not to wear too much of a strong style; otherwise, your “look” will become overpowering (unless that’s what you’re going for). There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look “ethnic” or “biker,” but if that’s not what you were going for, then go easy on the strong stuff.
Tie strong pieces together.
Balance your look by having at least two pieces from the same style. One item might look random (i.e., wearing an all-basic outfit with a funky purse), but two items from the same style will look intentional and well-tied together. For example, add a pair of funky shoes to that outfit, and now that funky purse doesn’t look so random anymore.
Final Words
My guideline is not a hard or fast rule. Fashion is a form of art meant to be fun and experimental, so if you mess up, oh well. You always have tomorrow’s outfit to try again. But when you get things right, you end up with a super special style like mine, “Basic Girly Granola style.” Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have A TON of doggo videos to catch up on.
