Mixing patterns in outfits

I think this trend started with Mondo on Project Runway.  If you don't watch the show, Mondo was a master at mixing patterns - something that used to be forbidden in fashion.  But Mondo was a designer who could pair a top with one pattern and a bottom with a different pattern, and it looked great.  This spring, one of the trends is wearing 2 different patterns together.  It's amazing that we've been told for years that it looks terrible, yet some of the examples I've seen look great.  I don't own many bottoms (skirts or pants) that are patterned, but the few I do have make it pretty easy to mix them.  The reason is that they're black and white.

If you want to try mixing patterns, one easy way to start is by keeping the colors the same.  When you do this there is something unifying to tie the pieces together.  I couldn't get a picture of my example outfit from head to toe, but these photos should give you an idea of how this looks.  Both my dress and my jacket are in the black, white, and grey palette.  I kept the theme going by wearing black and white sandals as well.  You can do the same thing with any colors.  And if you can become comfortable with that, then you can explore mixing patterns and colors in the same outfit.  I'll try that once I get more of my spring and summer clothes out of their boxes.  Good material for a future post!

The bottom line, of course, is to be confident and comfortable with what you're wearing.  That makes you look great all of the time.

Dress by Merona from Target, Jacket by Charter Cub from Macy's (thrifted)