The Muse: Oriental Gypsy

 I feel like neither the term 'oriental' nor the term 'gypsy' is particularly politically correct, however that was what this combination brought to mind for me. I feel like oriental is an all encompassing term for old time Asian designs that defy more specific definition. I confess I have no idea what language these characters are actually in, but I know they belong to some language from the Far East. As for gypsies (I believe Romany is the P.C. term) I think of bright colorful patterns, kerchiefs, and loose, blousy shapes, along with lots of sparkle, all of which this top has in abundance.

 Blouse: Meghan Noland Los Angeles via ??? (really old)

Trousers: Chicos, thrifted via Savers

Shoes: Lela Rose for Payless

Headband: Ulta

 This typifies the first, and most common way I wear white, to balance out a busy pattern or bright colors on top. In this case I'm pattern mixing, using white and black to tie the two pieces together. I think the most important rule is pattern mixing is to balance your patterns, the trousers have a loose, very spread out pattern, while the blouse has a very busy, overlapping, and multicolored pattern. They help to balance out what the other pattern has too much or not enough of.

 White is fresh and crisp, I think that's why it forms the base of so many uniforms because there is something about a blank canvas that seems so regimental. Patterns often scare people. A few months ago I had a black and white polka dot skirt from Chadwicks that was too small for me, I took it into work to see if any of my coworkers wanted it. Both of the girls who shared my office turned me down on the basis it was too busy. To me polka dots are the gateway drug of the fashion world, who doesn't love polka dots. They're conservative enough to tempt even the most confirmed solid junky. The really interesting thing was that both said they might have worn it as a blouse, saying that a print on top was easier to adjust to. In this case I think that if you lack the confidence to jump into prints headfirst white is the perfect balance to keep them in check, even better than black. A white skirt or trousers not only will balance your look, but also tone it down to make patterns less harsh.