Matchy-matchy, no more!

Does anyone else have a mother who taught you when you were growing up that you must match your shoe color with your purse and belt? Did somebody tell you once that you can't wear navy and black together (If they told you you couldn't wear red and pink together, they were right!)? Or, have you ever been asked if you're a "gold" or a "silver" person? If you are like me, than you may have answered yes to the above questions.  Growing up in the 80's and 90's, my mom always accessorized with gold jewelry, since her wedding ring was also gold.  She would also never miss an opportunity to wear her gold Anne Klein lion earrings when she wore her red Anne Klein blazer with the same gold, lion buttons.  This theme of matching your clothes and accessories continued when I went to college in the 90's.  Living in a sorority house-with 90 girls- you get to observe a ton of "getting ready", which by the way, is a phenomenon that my thirty-something girlfriends and I continue to love doing together.  But back then, square, nylon Kate Spade bags were all the rage; if you had a black one, you wore it with black shoes.  If you had the red one, you really only took it out if you had a "red" outfit on.

Nowadays, with all the color blocking, bright jeans, bold accessories and online exposure to a plethera of fashion inspiration, these hard and fast fashion rules no longer exist! Joy!!



Here's my take on mixing and matching:

1) It's totally ok to mix metals, when accessorizing with jewelry.  For example, I have a gold necklace that I never take off because of sentimental value (charms with the letters of my dogs, Lily and Owen).  However, I love silver and turquoise, chunky rings, and studded, beaded and braided bangles....all together!

As shown above, wearing your favorite items together can work really well.  If you're jewelry is funky, your outfit should be funky too.  Try wearing fabrics that look good with both gold and silver, such as denim, black or white- but throw a little splash of color in with a fun shoe or scarf.

2) Mixing navy and black is actually one of my favorite color schemes in the winter. It must be done correctly, otherwise you will look like a lifesized bruise, but it can be done. Find accessories that use navy and black in the pattern, like herringbone, plaid or striped. Also, finding a great dress that already has color blocks of both colors is an easy way to wear these classics together.

     
Image from: bellemel.com

3) Finally, gone are the days of needing to wear a black belt and black handbag if you've got your favorite black boots or heels on.  Mixing leathers is not just ok, but its encouraged! See below:

www.gap.com

xoxo, WEWS