Why This Works

The time has come for something new on The Spiff.

It's a fresh segment I'm going to call, "Why This Works".

I'll show you a picture of an outfit and tell you... (audience shouts back) Why! This! Works!
Or in some cases, Why This Doesn't Work.

In doing so, I think it will help pass on little tips and tricks to putting together good outfits that will make you feel your best, which is pretty much what we're all about here at The Spiff.

To start off this mind bogglingly good idea, I think a little pattern mixing is in order.

Pictured below is a mesh of pattern mixing and color pairing that's a little out of the ordinary. "Army green with stripes and leopard? Isn't that a bit much?", you say.

No, I say!

And here's....Why! This! Works! (if only I could get that crowd in my head to record a sound bite out loud)

1. Treat army green like a neutral. Especially one this muted (and by that I mean not so GREEN). It will open up new possibilities in your closet if you'll treat this color as a kaki or gray. Try it.

2. Stripes are also now days pretty neutral in the fact that you can pair them with almost anything-including other patterns. My favorite thing to pair it with is leopard. It's so fresh and new looking, I love it!

3. Just the stripes and the jacket alone would make this outfit ok. But what I think takes it over the edge and pulls it all together in peaceful harmony is the leopard belt. What the belt does is pull the gold from the jacket's hardware and merges it fluidly with the striped shirt by being a smaller pattern than the stripes and just clash-y enough.

Paired with some little gold earrings (no necklace that would be too much) and black pants (and even a leopard shoe to give it one more interesting note) and you've got yourself a slammin' look (although leave out the use of "slammin'" when you're wearing it as that would take away from your beauty).

One more thing, this jacket didn't come with a belt for the outside, nor does it have belt loops. But after cinching it together I realized there was a space just screaming for a belt! Pay attention to your jackets and empty spaces like that. A little skinny belt like that can liven up the oldest of jackets!

Everything you see here, by the way, was purchased at Forever21.