Styling Philosophy No.2 Opposites add balance & interest

How to make your looks feel complete

Do you ever find yourself putting together an outfit, only to look in the mirror and think, it’s nearly there, but something is still missing?

I think this is where capsule wardrobes have fallen sort for me in the past, because everything went together a little ‘too well’, vs when I look at my style now, what makes things come together so to speak is adding in opposing details, or adding some contrast.

For example, if I wear a dress that feels a little too ‘pretty’ the quickest way I can add something to the look, in order to give it a little more interest is to add grit, or something that tones down the prettiness, or at the least creates more balance in the look.

When I say Grit, that could be created with the style of sunglasses I choose, or maybe how I style my hair. The opposing feature doesn’t have to come from a specific place, but when I think about style and how playful getting dressed can be, this is what it’s all about.

Another example could be a very sporty look with something smarter added. Let’s say you love the look of a sweatpant but you want to elevate it, you could add in a structured bag or shoe to create a little bit of juxtaposition.

As someone who wants their outfits to be elevated, I often find my favorite outfits always use this principle.

Opposites In Action

Soft & Hard

Nothing explains this better than a silk slip dress paired with an oversized black men’s blazer. The silk dress is soft and fluid, vs the jacket which is heavy, angular and solid. But when these opposites are paired together they balance each out. Granted I was just playing in my wardrobe here, so I didn’t get around to adding a shoe or a bag but hopefully this demonstrates how two pieces you might not have thought to put together actually create way more interest than say adding a fitted or flowy blazer that mirrors that of the dress.

The softness of the sweater draped around the more tailored pieces above adds a tactile feel to the look. In addition to adding the practicality of an additional layer, it also softens an otherwise stiff outfit, that could appear more workwear without the sweater. Often, it’s not just the pieces we add, but how we wear them, how we display them, the placement and how we weave them into our everyday looks. I think this is a huge part of what creates personal style, it isn’t just the pieces we wear, but more so HOW we wear them. That to me is the joy of styling and having fun getting dressed.

Smart & Casual

I think most of us are familiar with this turn of phrase, especially when we talk of dress codes, or as a way to suss out the vibe of an event we have to attend. But it’s really the same principle. For example, using the look above I could make the look a lot smarter (or office appropriate) if I fully tucked the shirt in and added a more formal heel. But what I LOVE about this outfit is the balance thats created by adding in more casual elements, like the untucked shirt and the casual slides. It stops the look feeling too stuffy or corporate.

Large & Small (Play With Proportions)

The above example shows how I would inject fun into an otherwise more formal look playing with proportion, with the collar being a more out there shape and size. The over size collar becomes the main feature of an otherwise conventional black blazer look. It adds some personality, and a little bit of drama while still feeling like something I want to wear that is integrity with my personal style.

TOTEME is a brand that does this so well. My favorite jacket (I have it in the denim and a soft black) adds such an interesting silhouette to a regular jeans/trousers and T shirt look, which can feel very linear, where as the proportion of the A Line boxy, oversized shape jacket instantly adds something more special to the look, irrelevant of whether the jacket is open or done up.

Serious and Playful

I also think jewelry is a great way to play with proportion. I love a very large, almost obnoxious earring when paired with an outfit that is tight to my body and more slim fitting. Sometimes I find there’s multiple opposites as play with my outfits, as shown above: the utilitarian feel of the masculine trench coat feels more balanced and more elevated with the high shine playful earring.

There’s so many ways you can incorporate this principle into how you style your forever wardrobe, and it’s always my go to if I feel stuck when putting an outfit together.

Thanks so much for reading, and for all your support.

Harry x