Something that I tend to focus on when perusing outfits and different styles on campus are the prints and combinations people put together. From afar, prints and combinations are the first noticed and most visible to the naked eye. Sometimes, though, the more outstanding and pivotal element of a person’s outfit is the make of what they are wearing. Patterns aren’t just different types of prints like floral, plaid, argyle, brocade, leopard print and so on. They can also be the unique ways in which the clothing is stitched or woven together.
Seeing this Fashionista’s look, I immediately thought classy, well put together and clean. But her outfit is so much more than that! Looking closer, her steel blue dress is threaded with an interesting blocking of patterns. It mimicked the look of braille on paper because the threading that makes the pattern is just a lighter shade of the steel blue color of the dress itself. The contrast of light and dark make the impression that the design pops out in a subtle manner, like braille.
Of course, the design is not the braille version of the designer’s reason for doing fashion or something radical (though that would make for an interesting statement in the fashion world if it has not been done yet). Instead, the dress has several segments that switch off between the silhouettes of flowers, leaves, petals and some kind of seaweed-like pattern. With the combination of these silhouettes, its subtle braille-like impression and the little balls of thread that hang at the bottom of the dress, this Fashionista makes for a dynamic look. This dress is not a flashy, “look at me dress,” but a sophisticated piece of art waiting to be admired.
The look as a whole is balanced; none of the pieces are overpowering, and yet they each are special in their own way. For example, the artisanship of the Fashionista’s flats differ from the usual flat or shoe. Yet, they do not make the outfit, but add to it. Overall, this Fashionista expresses a very well-thought out and high level of style in this outfit.
How To: To imitate this look, I would suggest looking for a style of dress or wardrobe piece that stands out through its make, not through its print. These dresses from ASOS are great examples. For flats or shoes, look for something eccentric or something that you do not usually see being worn.
