Pattern mixed outfits are more “maximal” and busy than outfits that mix solids or subtle textures. There’s a lot more going on, which makes it a hard look to sport if you have a minimal sense of style. 

I have noticed that when I am helping my clients to create pattern mixed outfits, we often deliberately leave off accessories and jewelry pieces. While they would have normally worn a necklace, earrings, belt, pin or scarf with the outfit in solid and textured combinations, the patterned incarnation of the outfit doesn’t need the extra bells and whistles.  

Although this is by no means a rule, sporting fewer accessories and jewelry pieces, or even none at all, might help you break through the pattern mixing barrier if you have reservations. 

Aside from my wedding ring, I sport a jewelry-free look most of the time. I include accessories when they are part of the pattern mixing action, like an animal print belt, polka dot hose, patterned handbag or plaid scarf. But when I’m pattern mixing two tops, or a top and bottom, I’ll carry a handbag, but all jewelry and accessories stay off.

Colour blocking is on trend, and if my hunch is correct we’ll be seeing even more colour blocking next year. We’re talking colour blocking on all the items in your wardrobe — clothing, accessories and footwear. 

Colour blocked footwear comes in colours, neutrals, or a mixture of both. The more colourful examples are cheerful and eye catching, but not that easy to match up in outfits. If you need help, my guidelines on how to wear bright shoes are a good starting point. The same guidelines apply to mid-tone and pastel toned shoes. Pick up a colour in a top, bottom or dress that matches one or more of the colours in the shoes. Match up bright shoes with the same colour handbag or belt. Match them up with a neutral outfit. Or, match bright shoes with a scarf or necklace that picks up the same colours. 

Neutral colour blocked footwear is easier because it can be treated in very much the same way as a solid neutral. A completely neutral outfit is one easy option. But you can also go wild matching them up in outfits that combine neutrals AND colours.   

I have a few pairs of colour blocked ballet flats and pumps in neutrals, and frequently wear them in the warmer months.  I like how they provide a little more pop than a solid neutral shoe. I will also welcome bright colourblocked shoes into my wardrobe because they look festive on your feet. I vote yay for colour blocked shoes. 

What’s your verdict? Would you wear colour blocked footwear? If so, will you wear colours or neutrals? Or would you prefer to stick to solid colours because the whole concept’s too complicated? 

We’re currently in the middle of our third online Book Club meeting, discussing 100 Ideas that Changed Fashion. The Queen, the fourth and final title on our first reading list, is coming up in just a fortnight. Time to select new titles so we can keep on chatting.

YLF Book Club is all about the books and movies you want to talk about, so your input is key here. We’ve already received several interesting suggestions from forum members, these are now on our long list of possible titles. Of course, we’d love to hear what you think as well. Is there a fashion documentary that intrigues you? A style-related movie you feel everyone should know about? Have you come across a compelling book that you’d really like to nominate for discussion? Tell us about it in the comments section before midnight on Wednesday 7 March and we might be talking about it on YLF very soon.

What happens next?

• 9 March: We publish the Book Club long list with your suggestions on the blog and in the forum.
• 9 – 14 March: Voting time. Everyone on YLF can pick their 3 favourites, the titles that get the most votes are our winners.
• 16 March: We announce the 3 winners and will have the updated calendar ready for you.

New in YLF Books

Hillary Kerr and Katherine Power, the creators of online style magazine WhoWhatWear.com, believe that “life is stressful, your outfit shouldn’t be”. In their second book, What to Wear, Where – The How-To Handbook for Any Style Situation, they come to the rescue with practical style guidelines for 50 social occasions. From art gallery, via courtroom, to day and evening weddings, this hands-on style guide wants to help you create ensembles that are appropriate for the event and that feel true to your style.

I took it as a sweet omen when I bumped into citygirldc on the streets of Soho, a few blocks from our gathering spot for the YLF Fashion Week meetup, and we excitedly headed toward Le Pain Quotidien. The morning was grey—snow had been predicted, but thankfully never showed up—but with cheery greetings from Angie and a few of the other early arrivers seated at a long farmhouse table inside the cozy cafe, our spirits brightened. A festive tone was set right away, as YLF-ers filtered in and joined the party. Of course, everyone had dressed for the cold weather while managing to be effortlessly stylish, each in her own way. I got to enjoy up close the exquisite cut and details on a chic vintage jacket worn by Kindrex, who sat across from me with her warm and engaging mom, Debora. Gorgeous, uber-fab and killer to the power of killer, Angie wore a sharp green plaid jacket, turtleneck, skinny jeans and OTK boots, and everyone else in turn brought their fun fashion personas to the table (literally). Eventually we had all assembled, leisurely breakfasted and finished off with tea or coffee, had group pics taken thanks by our cute and helpful waiter, and decided it was time to check out downtown New York shopping.

Without a particular itinerary, we stepped out onto the pavement, waiting to see what might strike our fancy. The first store Angie wanted to try, Ted Baker London, wasn’t open yet, so we wandered into a place called Daffy’s, which turned out to be a bust, so we moved on to Topshop. Here the group finally started to shop in earnest. In the midst of all this, we were joined up by modgrl who had come up from Philly by train, and soon moved on to even better shopping—Bloomies.

Now we had hit our stride, and arms were soon loaded with things to try on. Some of us lost our hearts to handbags. Angie and I developed crushes on the same cream-colored Kate Spade bag, the “New Bond Street Florence”. In the meantime, modgrl showed us an example of what would eventually be “Dotty”, and we threw our energy into enabling this adorable bag, which was clearly meant to be.

Many of us were starting to find jackets and other items to buy or seriously consider. No matter what, it was fun to simply wander around the floor, soaking up the vibrant patterns, bold colors and clean, crisp displays. Blouses and blazers, delicious-looking pop-art clutches and sleek architectural sandals: it was all arranged artfully, in a serene setting devoid of loud, pulsating music (I’m looking at you, Topshop, as just one example of a place that could take it down a few notches). When a few salesmen came around with trays, offering us strawberries dipped in chocolate, or refreshing juices in long-stemmed glasses, I started to wonder if we’d wandered into a spa. Maybe foot massages were next?

Sadly, perhaps, we never found out how far the store takes its customer service. We left Bloomies and hit Club Monaco, where I hear a few ladies got incredible personal shopping attention from Angie, who helped them find some perfect dresses and blouses. Yay! I saw and tried on a beautiful sky-blue cashmere sweater (which did not go home with me…Club Monaco, how am I supposed to stalk your merchandise when you’re not online?).

Next up was a well-deserved break for lunch. We headed a few blocks east to Rubirosa on Mulberry Street, which turned out to be a nondescript little hole in the wall Italian place with some very good food. Here we were joined up by Greg, a cheerful veteran of these high-energy meetups and also an extremely generous and charming person in his own right; it was a delight to talk with him and hear his own perspectives on Fashion Week and a wide range of other topics.

Isabel, who was unable to join us in New York, had been gracious enough to treat our group to a bottle of Franciacorta (Italian sparkling wine). We toasted her and ourselves, and rang her up to say hi and thanks. And then there was the minor brush with celebrity! I will have to take everyone’s word on it, but apparently Andrew Shue (TV star from the 90’s…Melrose Place) and female companion passed right by our table, “looking like they wanted to be noticed,” according to one witness.

We toasted, conversed, drank and ate…and our waiter kept setting down food. Starters were fried calamari and salad, rice-and-cheese dumplings and spaghetti and meatballs. THEN came the main course: three types of pizza, a total of six pies for the table, that was beyond delicious, but just too much! As a group, we had had to agree to a fixed menu. Most of the pizza remained untouched—they offered to wrap it up, but obviously takeout pizza and high-end shopping don’t mix. We managed to fit a few cookies into our mouths before heading out the door, where Greg took street shots of our group posing in front of the restaurant. Having our pics taken by this consummate photographer, I felt connected in some irrational way to the excitement of Fashion Week.

After lunch, we decided to hop on the subway to take on the highly-reputed Nordstrom Rack at Union Square. The lines for the fitting room were crazy, so some of us stuck to items we could try on on the floor. Janet displayed her flair for finding amazing jackets, and Girl X was my cheerful companion, literally helping me try on and take off jackets with my injured arm. (Mwah!)

The group then headed for our next and final stop, Zara. Here more women ended up with some stylish items; for one, Angie found a beautiful black and white blouse and floral blazer for herself. As I’ve heard and seen for myself, Zara can be a fitting challenge, so our success rate was pretty high.

On the sidewalk outside Zara, our official meetup ended and we reluctantly headed off in different directions. I was so happy to have met everyone (oh, almost forgot to mention Lisa, who slipped out of the house surreptiously to join us for a few hours—woo hoo! Your shenanigans added so much to the afternoon). Diana and Crazyone, both down from Boston, and so cool to meet—plus, thanks for the novel recommendations, D! And Crazyone,  can’t wait to see you upping the style quotient around town with your Zara purchase. Sophisticated, literary, Brooklyn-based Kindrex; down-to-earth Debora; Jjsloane, whose wit and good spirits further brightened our outing (and who, like Deb, traveled all the way up from Virginia—but for the day!); modgrl with her easy conversation and her eye for perfect go-to handbags; Janet, whose wardrobe is outstanding but whose fabness has surely been longstanding; Zapotee, a NYC pro who was my right-hand woman—I could not have organized this without her good-natured assistance, and hope to have many future shopping adventures with her; Girl X, whose cartoon, tossed off with all the coolness of a casually perceptive genius, catches our likenesses most brilliantly; the fun and friendly citygirldc, full of urban anecdotes and great (and growing) style; and Bella, who lives up to her YLF name and in part due to the killer quality of her own blog outfits has been one of my YLF icons of  chic for a while here. And of course, superstars Angie and Greg.

Thanks to all of you for a perfect day. We have to do this again real soon!