OOTD: Oversized blazer with shorts

One thing I’ve been harping on about a lot recently is balance. Proportions. Interesting silhouettes. For me, it’s a way to make my relatively “simple” wardrobe feel fresh and interesting. Create intrigue and newness from what I already own.

Wearing Uniqlo U knit tank (or similar here); Ganni shorts; Tibi blazer (affordable alternative here); YSL slides; Celine trio; Linjer earrings; Mejuri necklace; Rosefield watch

Rules might be there to be broken, but I do find myself leaning on them a lot when getting dressed. Using them as a guide to incorporate those elements most important to me in an outfit (right now, anyway). So today I’m breaking down three “rules” or guidelines I used to put together this outfit.

COLUMNS OF COLOUR

You’ve probably heard of the rule of thirds; a great way to consider how you “build” your outfits. Colour is one of the ways you can create impact within that guide. One thing you’ll often see me do is wear one colour head to toe, opting for variation in my jacket or third piece and my bag. This creates a seamless line from head to toe, while adding in dimension, shape and interest through your outerwear and bag choices.

HEM-SKIMMING OUTERWEAR

Pretty specific to how I like to incorporate jackets or knitwear when it’s still warm enough to bare legs. But I love when this piece just skims the hemline of your skirt or shorts. Especially if I’m incorporating an oversized silhouette like in my outfit above. Part of this is down to balancing out my body’s specific proportions, so keep in mind that this “look” might not be something you love for you. My hips are my widest point, and depending on my choices, I can either gloss over that fact or highlight it. Personally, I prefer the former, as the latter can often accentuate the relative “shortness” of my legs. I create definition in other ways, like wearing something high up on the waist. You can see that these two styling tools in combination have the effect of making my legs look longer than they really are, while highlighting my waist with the D-ring belt.

THREE COLOUR RULE

There’s that magic number again; three. Not only is it key when building your outfit (both with the items you use to style, and how you style them), but also in the colour palette. I’ve spoken in more detail about this rule HERE, but essentially the idea is that outfits look more cohesive when you limit the look to three colours. Four at a stretch if white and black are featured. For this outfit, it’s black, pale grey, and a warm mousey brown.