Even when we match colors, it’s easy to assume our outfit will look right, right? But if you’re a beginner, there are probably times when you thought you were doing everything correctly and your clothes all matched, but your outfit still looked a bit off or just didn’t look right. It’s probably because of proportions rather than color. Things make more sense once you stop thinking about matching colors and pay attention to the shapes your clothes create in relation to your body. For instance, a fitted shirt with flowy pants creates a nice juxtaposition, but wearing two clingy items of clothing can make you look like you have no room to move, and wearing two baggy items of clothing can make you look like you have no shape.
One thing that might help you is to pay attention to the shapes your clothes are creating. For example, stand a little ways back from the mirror and examine the shapes your outfit is creating. Are there places where your body looks wide? Are there places where your body looks narrow? For example, if your shoulders, waist, and hips all appear to be the same width, that could be why your outfit is not looking quite right. Try adjusting something to give your body some definition, like tucking in the front of your shirt, or adding a cropped cardigan, and see if that makes a difference. Sometimes, you don’t have to change your clothes at all to fix this problem. One thing that can affect your outfit without you realizing it is texture. Wearing clothes that are too smooth against other smooth clothes can sometimes make your outfit look flat.
Try pairing something smooth with something like denim, leather, or cotton to add some contrast and interest. As an exercise, try wearing the same color outfit two different days, but one day wearing clothes that are all made out of the same smooth material, and the next day wearing clothes that incorporate different textures, even though they’re the same color. You’ll see that it makes a difference, even though you’re wearing the same colors. A lot of times when we’re trying to fix this problem, we end up doing the opposite: making everything symmetrical.
While it can be tempting to try and balance out volume in your outfit by wearing the same visual weight on top and bottom, it can make you look boxy and rectangular. Instead, try moving the emphasis just a little bit. If you’re wearing big, flowy pants, try keeping your top simple and structured. If you’re wearing a top with big, puffy sleeves, try pairing it with simpler pants. Learning to balance the emphasis in your outfit rather than trying to make everything match is a big step. One way to practice this might be to set a timer for 15 minutes and pull out a few items of clothing you know well.
Play around with adjusting them a little bit, for example, push up your sleeves, try tucking your shirt in a little bit at a time, try putting on different shoes to change the line of your outfit, and take a snapshot of yourself with your phone every time you make a change. When you look back at the photos, you’ll be able to see which ones look more balanced and which ones look heavier or busier. With practice, you’ll get better at seeing these things in the mirror and knowing how to adjust them on the fly to make your outfits look better.