Eclectic Electric

One thing I am constantly trying to accomplish is how to mix patterns well in my own wardrobe. Getting dressed every morning has become somewhat of a ritual to me. I always have an image in mind of what look I am trying to construct (which has been concocted somewhere between rinsing the shampoo out of my hair and reaching for a towel) when I open up my closet door. It seems that, a good deal of the time I am reminded that I am a college student and alas don't own the straight-off-the runway look that I am picturing, (yet). When this happens, I usually scrap my preconceived perfect outfit, and the end product ends up being much more tailored to my personal style. That being said, every time I imagine mixing patterns the looks in my head don;t quite seem to translate into reality. Possibly, because I am too harsh a critic, but most likely it is because I don't keep in mind a few simple tricks that draw the line between tacky and chic.

1. You can never go wrong with keeping things in the same color family. If you have stripes, polka dots, and checks all in one outfit and they are all navy and white, 9 times out of 10 they will mix flawlessly in a quirky balance.

2. Secondly, If you have the same pattern in different sizes (large polka dots, small polka dots) they tend to play off of one another nicely as well.

3. Like many designers execute on the runway,including Diane Von Furstenberg's spring 2011 collection, the same pattern in different complementary colors will also add an eccentric twist, without looking like you got dressed in the dark.

4. Lastly, don't be afraid to experiment. In my opinion, the worst that can happen is you have one laughable day of being a fashion victim, rather than inspiration. Likelier than not, people will praise you for being unique and taking a risk.

Here are some prime examples from Diane Von Furstenburg's latest collection:

photos via Style.com

Glamour Magazine did a post about mixing patterns successfully a while back, that can be found here.

I also discovered that A Détacher's ss 2011 collection contains more perfect examples of pattern mixing from a clapping ritual. Photos can be found there.