Curate colors to suit your skin tone

It is important to keep in mind that some colors look great

on, while others definitely do not — but why is that? Your skin tone plays a

huge role in deciding for you what colors you tend to pick out in stores and what

colors you often run away from. To ensure that you have a closet filled with

outstanding outfits, make sure that you’re filling out your wardrobe with items

that flatter your skin tone. For those with cool complexions, garments in

white, black, grey, silver and blue look great. On the other hand, for those

with warm undertones, brown, yellow, gold, olive and red are perfect choices.

Also, for those with very pale or very dark complexions, bright pops of color

look great against the skin.

Combine fitted & loose

The eternal debate of fitted vs loose clothing: which is

more flattering?! It turns out that both are when paired together! Though tight

clothes and loose clothes have both come in and out of fashion, it is apparent

that the two styles are best when cleverly combined. Consider the above image:

tight, black skinny jeans and a loose-fitting grey sweater. The loose top adds

volume so that it is proportional to the lower half of the body. The mix and

match style of this outfit gives great balance and accentuates the shape of the

body.

Layer, layer, layer

Layering can take an outfit from plain, dull and blah to

inspirational and truly magical. Though it can be difficult to do successfully,

it is a skill that requires a variety of basic and trendy items that suit your

shape, skin tone and style. The key to layering well is to experiment with

different tops, blouses and jackets you have. Consider wearing a plain tee

under a colorful dress, a trench coat with a mini skirt, or fishnet stockings

underpants! Or, simply layer a fashionable coat over a plain top. Get creative

with the different pieces you have and the results can be seriously inspired.

Mix & match your prints & patterns (but don’t overdo it)

This is one of those tips that should be done with a bit of

caution: to mix and match your patterns and prints well, make sure that the

various styles complement each other rather than clash.

In general, patterns are an excellent way to add some flair

to your life: using multiple patterns can take your wardrobe a step further

into stylish brilliance. Having basic color-blocked items in your wardrobe is

great, but consider sprucing up your style with stripes, checkered prints,

plaid, florals, animal print or polka dots! To keep your patterns and prints

from clashing, try choosing one focal pattern with a secondary pattern

accenting the outfit. Or, you could also opt for two patterns with color

palettes that match or complement the other. (The outfit above does both!)