Style Help: How to build an outfit and style it on the fly

It seems to stump a lot of people how to build an outfit, so they just kind of reach for the same old top, same old cardigan and same old bottom.

Well, here are some ideas of how I build an outfit & style it on the fly, and what goes through my head when I do it.

Let’s say you see this incredible knot blouse and love the pleating but can’t figure out how to wear it other than.. just with some pants or a skirt, all in black or neutrals.

BR Knot Top

HOW YOU MAY INITIALLY WEAR IT…

BR Top / Cardigan / Pants

So it works, and it looks FINE.. but it is missing something to finish it but you can’t figure out why.

You also are covering the prettiest part of the blouse, that lovely pleat on the left shoulder!

And black? Ugh. So typical.

So.. what to do.

Dilemma, dilemma.

STYLING SUGGESTION #1: WEAR SLEEVES UNDERNEATH

To show off that pleat, don’t wear a cardigan to hide it.

It’s the best part of the blouse, and you should highlight it and show it off by leaving it open.

This of course means you can’t really wear anything over it, so if you’re cold, the best you can do is wear a long-sleeved shirt underneath but it’d have to be a super thin cotton one, in a neutral shade that “goes” with the olive green, something like this:

BR Top / Long-sleeved Top / Pants

STYLING SUGGESTION #2: WEAR COMPLEMENTARY COLOURS OR CHANGE UP THE TEXTURE

BR Top / Tweed Cropped Pant / Eggplant Leggings

Instead of plain black pants, try a textured grey tweed pant instead for something different. A nice thick, tweed-y contrast to this silky, smooth, olive green top.

Hard versus soft, so to speak.

Or you could try a complementary colour of the same tone by using the colour wheel:

If you look at the colour wheel, you can see that it is actually RED that is across the green, but unfortunately the primary combination of RED + GREEN makes everyone think of Christmas, so pick the ADJACENT colour on either side of the red instead, which in this case is eggplant, or burnt orange.

STYLING SUGGESTION #3: BELT IT

Show off the top’s pleats and draw attention to it by belting it with a tougher belt to combat the feminine pleat and drape.

You can make the belt in a complementary colour too, like a burgundy leather too!

BR Top / Tweed Cropped Pant / Burgundy Belt / Brown Belt

Decorative Buckle Belt (comes in black too) / Black Stud Belt / Obi Belt in Yellow (Green sold out)

HOW WOULD YOU WEAR IT?