Despite the ageless appeal of crazy floral prints, ridiculous silhouettes, and the ever-present cheetah-print bootie, sometimes you just want something simple. I often remind myself of this when I toy with my closet too much and end up looking … well, not like me. I then resort to my go-to outftit consisting of Genetic skinnies, a loose tee, and a wrist stacked with bracelets — but this spring, I want to branch out more.
The new simplicity I’m going for includes simple shapes (like I talked about in this previous post) plus the newest mod inspiration: color-blocking.
Color-blocking adds a sharp, geometric edge to your outfit with literally no effort; when paired with streamlined pieces like dark skinny jeans and solid flats, color-blocking helps you make a bold statement that isn’t fussy or overly-trendy.
Designer Phillip Lim featured color-blocked neutrals in angular shapes for his Spring 2011 RTW show; beige, white, and black combine with sharp contrast for the utmost minimalist effect.
On the other hand, Issa showed a looser interpretation of the trend – soft and fluid shapes with bright jewel-tone colors.
While complete opposites, both Lim’s and Issa’s executions are perfect examples of this minimalist-mod color block trend – but there are much cheaper (and more realistic) lookalikes for your everyday life.
The Forever 21 top below is perfect for the color-blocking rookie: it’s loose and comfy, and the colors are soft and complementary. This tee looks easy and stylish paired with your skinniest jeans and a pair of flat sandals! Bold jewelry elevates the casual look, so try this oversized gold cuff.
If you would rather control which colors you use, try combining solids, like the citron tank andmushroom skirt below, both from Nasty Gal. The neutral gray anchors the electric yellow shade so that the overall effect is both bold and subtle.
Add this multimedia wedge for even more color-blocking! In neutral tan and black, they’re the perfect shoe to anchor your colorful spring wardrobe — and at $100, they’re hard to pass up!
image sources: aldo.com, urbanoutfitters.com, forever21.com, nastygal.com, style.com
