The Savvy Sartorialist: Mixed Prints + Day and Night

Happy Wednesday everyone!

I wanted to share one of my favorite finds from earlier this week - these comfy monochrome pants from H&M! At first glance, they looked like glorified pajama pants in the store, but as the old adage goes ... never judge ~~a book~~ *ahem* I mean ... never judge an outfit piece until it's tried on.

I decided to create two looks with these pants - one for the day and night.

For my day look, I kept it casual and comfortable with a polka dot knit and a red vintage cloche hat. A little fashion trivia for you guys - the "cloche" was named after the French word for bell during the 1920's. I feel like it's as symbolic of the times as the beaded flapper dress. I just wish I had a reason to wear it out more.

I wanted to play with prints and mix the "boxed" look of the pants with polka dots. While mixing prints can be intimidating, here are a few tips that can help anyone from the fashionably savvy to the fashionably disinclined:

1) Stay in the same color family - It doesn't have to strictly be black and white like I did above, but as long as you stay within the same color family (ie: pastels with pastels, earth tones with earth tones, grayscale with grayscale), it will blend the pieces together while still creating a statement.

2) Polka dots are are the easiest to mix - Whether it's with stripes, houndstooth, animal prints, or the box-print I'm wearing, polka dots are the easiest of patterns to mix with others. The key is to keep it black and white, then add a dash of color with either a statement bag, heels, or a necklace (just don't do all three for overkill).

3) Limit your prints - Keep it to two prints max. There's a thin line between trendy and trashy if you go overboard with prints. If you decide to wear a blazer or another third item, be sure to keep it a solid color. In addition, scale your prints to size. The prints should be about the same size so its pleasing to the eye without becoming overwhelming.

4) Have fun - Don't be intimidated! Clothes are a means of expression, so by all means have fun pairing the unexpected with one another.

For my makeup look, I kept it simple with a bold matte red, mascara, and blush. Whenever I'm in a rush to get ready, I usually do this look because it literally takes five minutes. The key is to have a flawless base and then build upon it with a few simple items.

For my face:

I started with Hourglass's Mineral Primer Veil, then used MAC's Studio Fix Fluid foundation in NC42. Around my t-zone area, I used a dot of Kevyn Aucoin's Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX09 (a little big goes a loooong way so use sparingly). I blended it altogether with a beauty blender.

Cheeks and contour:

NARS "Orgasm/Laguna" duo

Powder:

I absolutely LOVE Hourglass's "Ambient" Lighting Palette. I use it at the very end of my foundation/blush/contour routine to get the airbrushed look without the airbrush price.

Eyebrows:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in "Ebony"

Lips:

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect red lip color. My favorite for a few years has been MAC's "Ruby Woo" (until "Riri Woo" came out), but I also like Stila's "Stay All Day" Liquid Lipstick. This one in particular is Stila's "Beso". It has a slight orange hue, which makes it perfect for my complexion. Rule of thumb: Be sure to always try on reds before you buy them! It always varies person-to-person depending on the color of your skin.

For my night look, I opted for a silk tank and white blazer to dress up the pants. This could be dressed up with a silver statement necklace as well. I'd probably even wear this to work as it is. What do you guys think?