Guest Post // Rouge & Whimsy

Hi Pie N' the Sky readers, I'm Erika of Rouge & Whimsy. I am so excited for the opportunity to guest post for the lovely Melisa!

I make & sell pretty accessories in my Etsy shop and write about life, fashion and all things creative on my blog. Come stop by & say hi :)

My tidbit I'm sharing today is in regards to fashion. One of the things I love about fashion today is that it really is more about what looks good on you and what you feel comfortable in than what's "in." 

When I was in junior high I was concerned about what I wore but even more concerned about what other people thought of what I wore. Thankfully I've grown out of that (a little bit) and have much more freedom to wear things that I like! 

I used to worry a lot about if things matched. I had these turquoise tennis shoes and I would wear them only with my dark jeans and a solid shirt-- I especially liked to pair it with a matching turquoise shirt... a little over board now that I think about it. :) I never would be caught dead in an outfit that had black and brown and mixing patterns? Unforgivable.

Today those rules don't apply. Now, if you want, you can wear black and brown and if you're really daring, mix and match patterns to your pleasing.

If you want to start mixing patterns, try it with an accessory. I personally love stripes combined with florals.

Try a striped top with a floral scarf like I did here, or vice versa--a striped scarf with a floral top. If you're a little more brave, try going further with a striped cardigan and floral top, or even a striped skirt with floral shirt.

Or, as I did here, a polka-dotted pattern skirt with a striped top. 

In both cases, make sure that the items go at least a little bit together. Although my shirt is orange-y and the skirt is blue, both patterns have a lot of white in them which makes it less of a clash. Both items are also in the same color family--bright, cheerful hues. These two things make my outfit more coordinated. :)

If you are really feeling daring, try mixing two of the same prints together. I suggest two florals, and if you want it to mesh nicely, pair a small ditsy floral print with a larger floral pattern.

In this case, I paired a navy floral sundress with a more muted floral cardigan over it. There are similar colors in both prints and by adding a brown belt, the entire outfit is more cohesive. Rather than try and go all out with patterned shoes, I chose a simple purple wedge which picks up the colors in the dress and cardigan.

If you're mixing patterns in your clothes-- keep your accessories minimal. Unless, of course, you're really going for a statement! :) The final thing you need to remember? If you feel great in what you're wearing, than that's all the matters. Confidence over clothes any day. :)

Thanks for letting me stop by Melisa! 

xo Erika