White, Blue Stripes, & A Pop of Red: Why Details Matter

Outfit Details:

Red flower necklace w/ gold chain: Get it here! (Under $20!)

Ruffle Back Peplum Top: very old, but get a similar fall version here, a very similar kids' version here (to match your cute little one!)

and a white tank top version (very similar) here!

Blue & White Railroad Stripe Jeans: similar here! (currently 40% off with sign-up!) 

Gold Steve Madden Sandal: almost identical version here!

White & Gold Rhinestone Wrap Watch Bracelet: Similar here (30% off with code "SALE30".

White & Gold A21 Campaign "BECAUSE" Bracelet: Find it here. 

(All proceeds go towards the A21 Campaign - one of the largest anti-human trafficking organizations in the world - in order to fight human trafficking! Show your support for fighting against slavery by wearing this band!)

hey friends!

Let's [intellectually] play with a color concept you may or may not be familiar with - 

white, blue stripes, and a pop of red!

I want to tell you why details in an outfit matter. 

I am in love with this white peplum top (that has a cute and unique back ruffle!) and I wish I had bought it in the orange/red color when it was in stock at Anthropologie! I bought this top a long time ago and was unfortunately not able to pull it up for y'all. I wish other companies made a more affordable copycat version - they would sell out like crazy because I know this top was a hit at Anthro! 

(And the price point is not the most affordable!)

Like I said, the content below has a deeper and perceptual spin on the way we process color concepts such as the red, white, and blue I'm wearing.

I think it's important to dive deeper into why we choose the outfits we do instead of leaving it at "because it's cute!!" 

To me, it's fascinating to explore the psychology behind each person's unique style and why we choose the outfits we do. 

Usually, there's an interesting reason as to why we think what we're wearing looks good.

Below is my "why" for the outfit pictured above!

I think each piece I'm wearing has its own pretty detailing that adds to the outfit and makes it a stylish whole - the rhinestones and red on my necklace, the peplum and ruffle details on my top, the light and worn look on my railroad striped pants, and the unique crossing of the gold straps on my sandals (more of a gladiator look). 

Now my intention is not to toot my own horn by talking about how "unique" and "stylish" I think my outfit is. I want to highlight these details for you because what makes an outfit great instead of good is when you pay attention to how the details in each piece (top, bottom, shoes, accessories) complement one another. 

To keep the feminine flow of this outfit, I chose a floral accessory with a gold chain (to match the gold in my shoes - a subtle detail that keeps consistency in an outfit - compared to mixing metals which is more edgy) instead of choosing, let's say, a plain gold chain necklace. Such a necklace would look fine, but this outfit would lack a pop of color which is essential to making the look truly stand out. 

With the red, you add a third color - you officially made your outfit a "theme" which is appealing to our narrative focused minds and our visual system.

*Did you know: The retail and home goods store, Anthropologie, is organized in color stories. The front of the store, the sides of the store, and the back of the store - even the home sections. Each one has a name and represents certain styles, personalities, and trends behind each figurative woman.

Story wields power.

We would still mentally and visually register an outfit as a theme with two colors or two patterns, so it's not necessarily the number of colors that count as a theme (the white monochromatic look is definitely a trending theme), but how you pair the colors.

For example, with this outfit, red, white, and blue register in our minds as American/sailor themed. We recognize this pairing because they look well together when worn and they represent our country. 

However, the structural details (ruffles, peplum, floral necklace, blue stripes, gladiator sandal) in this outfit are what interrupt our minds from categorizing this outfit as a generic patriotic or nautical look. It's still the patriotic red white and blue, but it doesn't scream patriotic. It moreso re-defines red, white, and blue as their own color concept mostly because of the structural details.

(Choosing light blue for this outfit instead of navy blue helps, too.)

Picture this: A plain red tee, plain navy blue/regular blue shorts, a gold necklace, and white flip flops. These are mostly the same colors in my outfit. 

What would come to mind when seeing this look? 

These words are what would pop into my mind: 

Old navy. Fourth of July. American. Summer.

These are all good things, but carefully putting together different details in our outfits help re-define our outfits into something we deem as our own.

I hope you found this post interesting (and that it made sense! Haha.) Feel free to leave me any thoughts and/or questions below in the comment section! 

Have a great Sunday!

xoxo,

Chelsea

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, 

I know that full well."

Psalm 139:14