The anatomy of patterns – the way Miss Katjes would mix them

Have you ever thought about playing with patterns a bit? Not in a freaky, grandma way, but really having the guts to put different patterns together within the same outfit. If you don't pay attention to the little details, it might turn out tricky, so better use it carefully. How to do it? Just look up your wardrobe and select a set of patterned pieces - polka dots, stripes, animal prints, checks, floral prints and basically whatever you find in there. Now, by looking at these pieces, you would try and find the style: will it be an outfit for the office? Are you having a meeting with the girls or you're into a more elegant look? Try to decide by paying attention to the fabrics as well - you don't want to look like someone who put on whatever she found in the closet.

Have a concept and keep it simple

Choose a basic color combination, but avoid adding too many, too different colors, otherwise it would distract from the little details of your ensemble. Combine shades that complete each other and emphasize the main piece of the outfit, as on the image under: the skirt has a smooth pattern with small leaves and matches in color with the green blouse and the dark blue pattern of the floral cardigan. The eyes are driven to this piece for the huge floral pattern. The outfit would be complete even without the cardigan, the pink polka dot belt just adds more playfulness to the whole image. Even though there are lots of patterns and colors combined here, I don't have the impression that it's too much, but it's something flirty and elegant and it creates such a unique and stylish look.

Lots of colors and patterns within one outfit

A more simple example is this outfit that mixes vertical stripes with polka dots. The base color for the bottom part is a dark one, while the colors of the dots are harmonizing with the upper part, which involves lighter colors. This comfy outfit is ideal for shopping or having a beer at your favorite garden pub.

Stripes and polka dots

I can totally imagine wearing an outfit like this at the office. Although, it's the usual black & white combination, you can't call it boring at all. It's a perfect example that stripes and polka dots can look so good together, while the gold accessories make the look complete.

Dots and stripes with gold accessories

A more "everyday" version of this previous look is this black+white+grey combination perfect for school, office or for going to the movies. If you're just about to start mixing some prints, it's a good choice to begin with something like this.

Horizontal stripes with dots

Be careful with the floral + floral match because what I've written about matching the colors here is even more true: do not choose the same basic color for the bottom and the upper part, unless you'd like to look like someone who pulled on her pyjamas. Moreover, if you choose a blouse with large floral prints, the skirt or shorts should be more simple with smaller patterns. In this case the brown belt makes a good transition between the two parts.

Floral with floral

Voilà! Mix and match for an infinite number of variations!

Florals and stripes by Rachel

Stripes with animal print

Floral with stripes

Leopard and polka dots

Sunny Afternoon

After a longer break, Miss Katjes is back with blogging, fresh photos, exciting stories and visually enchanting inspirational stuff. I have much to catch up on, but let me start with some not-so-recent photos that might just take us back a little to summertime afternoons.

:* :* for the wonderful photos Vilmos Varga and Timea Kiss

Fashion in Movies: Zooey Deschanel in New Girl / (500) days of summer

Hush Puppies Sandals

Getting together a new look with a little vintage flavor is so chic these days. The reason why people like to roll back the wheels of fashion time machine is that a dress let's say from the 50s represents such a classy, sophisticated, unique style, rather than something outdated or totally out of fashion. Just think of Audrey Hepburn in her little black dress, eating her breakfast in front of Tiffany's-an unforgettable 'fashion in movies' moment.

Audrey Hepburn (Holly Golightly) in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

The glory of those old movies [that you've watched either because of the beautifully unfolding romantic stories, or the 'femme fatale' manner in which Greta Garbo smoked a cigarette] are now back with some of these gorgeous details that make us want more. We have the movies (Pleasantville, Married Life) and even series (Mad Men, Smash, Downton Abbey) placed in another era we think of as --aww, so retro!!

Mad Men cast

Married Life (2007)

...And there are movies and series where the whole plot is built around the style and personality of a cute character, where the story has little or absolutely nothing to do with fashion or a particular era, it's just simply there for the sake of indirect characterization. Take Zooey Deschanel for example. Her role as Summer Finn in (500) Days of Summer was simply unforgettable, influenced many of us as a matter of retro / vintage / geek or whatever-you-call-fashion and the music...man, it was such a great combination of fashion moments and music that the story didn't even matter that much.

I could go on with the list of the cute Zooey outfits, really, but if you didn't have enough, study further the funky combination of colors and textures in Jess' ensembles in the New Girl series. I've recently found a website -- what would Zooey Descahnel wear? with loads of images from each episode. You can browse through a number of categories depending on what kind of inspiring outfits you're looking for - summer? winter? casual? fancy? It's Jess! Having it all!

Images: wwzdw.com

MissKatjes loves Trussardi Men!

You know, I'm not that into fashion weeks, I like streetstyle / vintage blogs and lookbooks instead, where beside the ensemble you get a story, or rather something that is meant to leave you with a feeling...A pair of shoes, or a brown leather jacket has nothing in particular, but are engaged in such a beautiful photo story that you actually decide to create a similar look.

I like Fashion TV for behind the scenes stories, designers' talk and the making of various photo campaigns, but almost never men fashion shows...and still, the other night I happened to find something interesting, namely the Trussardi 2012-13 fall/winter show in Milan. 

The theme - 70s men fashion: lots of beardy models (not those 'too handsome' models, but real men), a little mixture of 70s crime television series like Starsky and Hutch in which everyone had such a funny haircut. The designer of this collection was inspired by F1 racecar drivers of this era, so that the Trussardi man is a down-to-earth chap, who has a peculiar style by being sporty and elegant at the same time.

Lots of warm colors are mixed in this collection, and all the different patterns are wonderfully completed with such little details as the gloves, bags and hats. The outfits seem so effortless that guys, please, feel free to be inspired a little.  

Somehow it reminds me of this song...

photos: pipesandsneakers.com

Fashion in Movies: The Edge of Love

I really like movies in which fashion is just a hint, it has little to do with the story, and still, it’s there, making vital part of the characters’ lives. The Edge of Love is a perfect example for such movies. Dylan Thomas, love triangle, free-spirited artistry, poems and cabaret are mixed in such an inspiring manner that you’re simply caught and twisted by this absolutely bohemian atmosphere. Though Keira is not one of my favorite actresses, she was an excellent choice for this role, they are great with Sienna. I love the photos with the two of them.

And a little remake here and there...

Own photos by: dtbsz (taken in 2010- thank you for sending them :)