001. Getting your Outfits from Good to Great [Chapter 1]
The styling hack I have observed on the best dressed people.
My process for coming up with styling tips is very simple: I observe. Of course, I consume a ton of street style imagery, but more importantly, I observe well-dressed people on the street to understand what makes their outfit great. When I am drawn to someone’s look, it is never because they are wearing the latest trend or ‘it’ bag, but rather the way they have put together their outfit and the air of comfort and confidence they exude while wearing it. They all exemplify the phrase “wearing the clothes, not letting the clothes wear them”. In this Substack series, I will share everything I observe to help you take your outfits from good to great.
Let’s talk about the times you got dressed, put together your most trusted pieces, and as you walked out the door, felt that something was missing from your outfit. There is an element of styling that is seldom talked about but makes the difference between an outfit that is just good and one that excites you and gives you an extra spring in your step. Today, we are talking about everything contrast, a styling trick that is both skilful and incredibly easily to implement. Here are six ways to add contrast to your outfits and take them from good to great:
1. A Contrast of Aesthetics
The first option you have for building contrast is to mix elements from different style identities. For example, you could combine a preppy top with sporty trousers or a minimalist dress with an edgy coat. Let’s have a look at some examples.
In the first image on the left, the model wears a top with a deep V halter neckline that looks straight out of a glamourous wardrobe. She paired it with loose-fitting tie-dyed slacks and a chunky brown belt. The utilitarian feel of the bottom contrasts the ‘70s disco vibes of the top, and the resulting outfit is effortless and modern. If she had paired the top with matching pants, the outfit would have looked a little dated. If she had worn a more casual top to match the style of the trousers, the whole look would have been very one-dimensional. In the second image, the chic silk scarf contrasts the edginess of the topstitched leather, which itself contrasts the laid-back jersey dress. If you can picture the same look without the leather skirt and silk scarf, it would have been a good outfit, but with the added contrasting elements, it’s a great outfit. In the last image, the contrast is between the printed pants and feathered sandals that bring bohemian vibes, and the crispness of the elegant white shirt.