Fashion Compassion: Basics

Hi Fashionistas!

  I have decided to launch a new post series called Fashion Compassion.  Have you always wanted to be fashion forward, but just find yourself at a constant and maybe even going backward a little?  Do you need a little help getting your keen eye for fashion focused?  Is it just plain frustrating to put together a cute outfit in the morning?

Well, in these posts I will start with tips and basics that will work for every shape and size that will result in stylish outfits, a passion for fashion, and great confidence!  Please, if you have any questions, concerns, or disagreement with something I suggest, leave me a comment and I will address them in the next post of this series.  Fashion can be fun, you just might need a little push to the road of mirth and off the road of misery.  Let's get started!

 Rules can always be broken with fashion, but, just like anything else, you have to know those rules before you can break them.  So!

One main rule in fashion is:  Prints can go with solids, but prints don't necessarily go with prints.  In some cases, prints can match prettily with others, but there is quite a fine line.  For starters, it is safest to go with the prints-only-go-with-solids rule.  If you get a skirt with a wild print on it, the best thing to do would be to find a color in the print/pattern that matches a solid shirt you own and wear the two articles of clothing together. (Look at the bottom of this blog page for pix) 

Another main rule in fashion is: Too much of one style or material is too much.  That means denim jeans with a denim skirt over the jeans and a denim jacket on top is a lot to take in for a passer-by.  Especially with denim, you might want to limit a certain material  to one article of it per outfit.  The same goes for all one-color outfits, with a few exceptions.  Wearing a pink blouse with a pink pair of skinny jeans, along with pink flats and a pair of pink earrings to match your pink headband can look silly.  You might want to change that up by wearing a pink blouse, black or gray skinny jeans, pink flats, black studs, and a  black headband.  That way, there is a nice mix of the two colors-pink and black.  One of the few exceptions of all one-color outfits is if the color is one of the neutral colors such as black or gray. (Look at the bottom of this blog page for pix) 

And lastly for today: Know your color palette. It is so helpful to know what colors go with what and which shades go with which shades.  Keep in mind, black goes with every color, as long as your chosen color is flattering (so neon green with black might not make the cut).  A good start for designing an outfit is to use black as your base, or neutral, color and add touches of another color throughout the accessories, shoes, and coats/sweaters.  Also bright and dark shades mix best with the lighter shades. So..

This color goes nicely with this color if you're going for a sunny look.

Or, this color blends pretty well with this color if you want an earth tone look.

And dark purple can match nicely with this pink or this peach-pink.

What might not work out so well is...

This shade and this shade.

This color and this one.

Or this one and this one.

This shade with this shade.

Or this color with this color.

Do you see how each one of those was either bright with bright, or bright with dark, or dark with dark? (Look at the bottom of this blog page for pix) 

That concludes today's Fashion Compassion!  I hope you all enjoyed it and found it helpful.  Please comment, answer the poll below, and keep this saying in mind:

"I don't do fashion, I am fashion!" -Coco Chanel