Color Chic: Color-Blocked Patterned Pieces

Color-blocking can be used as a bold expression of color in any ensemble; juxtapose brights playing subtly off each other, create a look which is visually appealing.  One way to elevate your colorful ensemble is by adding another dimension to your color-blocking; pairing perfectly patterned pieces side-by-side with equally complementing colors, creates a unique interpretation of color and style!

1.  Sears -Laura Scott Ruffle Placket Sleeveless Top in Coral
2.  Target -Mossimo Supply Co. Single Perforated Belt in Jade
3.  New York & Company -Geo Print Shorts in Blue

Why It Works?
The Top (1): With the thin white stripes of the top interspersed with the thicker coral colored ones, at a distance, the color of the blouse appears to be a light shade of coral.  Using the color wheel (I like to use the fabric one by Academichic), coral is in the same color family as orange.

The Shorts (3): If you think of the black and white in the shorts as a neutral, these two colors can pair with any bright color and look absolutely amazing.  This sky shade color in the shorts, belongs to the same color family as blue.  Following the Complementary Color Rule: Colors opposite one another on the color wheel complement each other, oranges and blues (or variations there of) pair beautifully!

The Belt (2): I chose this jade green belt as a third element in my outfit to add another dimension of color to my outfit; because jade (which belongs to green color family) contains elements of blue (like the shorts) and (here's where it might get confusing), since orange is a mixture of red (and yellow), the green in the belt is complemented by the red elements in the orange in the blouse.

1, 2, 3 Chic!

1, 2, 3 Chic!

How I Styled It?

 

I came by this 1, 2, 3 Styling of  out of chance; I had these patterned shorts and didn't want to pair them with a solid color blouse (which I would have matched them up with a bright yellow!).  Following the rules of mixing prints and patterns (i.e. keep the prints/patterns in the same color families), I wanted to trying to mix patterned pieces that were not related by repeated use of the same colors but rather shared a connection on the color wheel (in this case were complementary or opposite each other on the color wheel), and it worked out pretty well.  I think the success to the pieces meshing is that each piece contains enough of a neutral (the top with white stripes and the shorts with black and white), that neither patterned is overwhelming the other.  I like the way the jade belt breaks up the patterns yet blends well with the color in both.  I opted for my emerald "it' color bag and metallic sandals: the emerald to play with the color-blocked outfit and the metallic neutral to ground the ensemble!  SN