Clean girl aesthetic’s out. Step into the world of vibrant creativity with intentionally mismatched outfits!

With the resurgence of Y2K and a post-pandemic urge to express individuality, we’re seeing an increased trend in maximalist, dopamine dressing outfits featuring bright colors and bold patterns. But how do you style such punchy garments into a cohesive outfit?

Well, it turns out you can use color theory as a guide. By looking at design staples and how colors and textures work together, we can create interesting mismatched outfits that are still pleasant to look at.

So, here are some Mismatch Day outfit ideas for girls and tips on how to create the perfect mismatched outfit from your own closet. Let’s get to breaking fashion norms and expressing ourselves!

To Get Started, Let’s Look At Some Mismatch Day Ideas:

How To Style Mismatched Outfits

Stuck on how to create Mismatch Day outfits from garments that you already own? Here are a few tips and principles from color theory that you can apply to create a uniquely eccentric outfits that work for you.

1. Use Solids to Break Things Up

The easiest way to tone down a busy, mismatched outfit is to throw a solid colored garment into the mix. By using a solid color in the center of your maximalist outfit, you add a focal point and give the eyes a break.

2. Use Analogous Colors To Create Balanced Looks

Humans are naturally attracted to harmonious color combinations and using a color wheel can help you create balanced mismatched outfits.

Analogous colors are three colors next to each other on the color wheel. When using analogous colors to make mismatched outfits, begin with one main garment in one main color. Then build on the outfit by choosing accessories and secondary garments that use colors to either side of the color of the main garment.

3. Use Complementary Colors (Contrasting Colors) For A Bold Statement 

Create your mismatched outfit with complementary colors! Complementary colors are colors that are on opposite sides of the color wheel. Think yellow and purple, blue and orange, and red and green… These contrasting colors are sure to draw attention and make a bold statement. Just make sure to choose garments that are similar in fabric, texture, and silhouette for a more cohesive look.

4.  Stick With The Same Print Or Pattern For Simplicity

Simplify your mismatched look by streamlining everything with one print or pattern. Whether it’s florals, stripes, grids, or houndstooth, by sticking to one design, you automatically pull the look together. For a more united look, work with garments in the same color scheme; if the prints or patterns are relatively similar in size, you can play up the mismatch by choosing contrasting colors.

5. Build Cohesion With One General Color Scheme

Placate the clashing prints and patterns in a mismatched outfit with similar colors throughout. By choosing a one general color scheme and focusing the outfit on that, you bring a little more unity to the look.

6. Choose Garments That Are Similarly Saturated

When colors are mixed with white, grey, or black, the saturation is altered. You can play with this concept when pairing colors in your outfits. Using colors that are similar on the saturation spectrum can create more cohesion while intentionally pairing a more saturated garment with less saturated pieces can help you to draw attention to the more bold and brightly saturated garment.⁣

• Saturation: the brilliance and intensity of a color⁣

• Tint: a color that has been lightened by adding white⁣

• Tone: a color that has been lightened or darkened by adding grey⁣

• Shade: a color that has been darkened by adding black⁣

7. Go Entirely Monochrome

To be honest, I’m not sure if this technically still counts as mismatched but using a monochrome color scheme and mixing garments with different textures, prints, and fabric weights is a simple and easy way to create a mismatched outfit.

Fashion rules exist to be broken. There are no concrete rules for styling eccentric, maximalist, mismatched outfits so just lean into your creativity and have fun. I’d love to see the creative outfits that you come up with so if you decide to use any of these tips, please tag me at @thesensiblefay!

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