mixing prints | Chic Vic

ModCloth blouse (similar) / vintage belt (similar) / vintage skirt (similar) / Anthropologie tights (similar) / Vince Camuto pumps (similar) / vintage fur stole (similar) / vintage clutch (similar) / vintage cuff (similar) / vintage earrings (similar)

If I could deck the halls of my home this holiday season, I would do it not with boughs of holly, but instead go broke for Baroque. On second thought, perhaps I’ll just get decked out in a budget friendly Baroque inspired outfit.

Ceiling fresco 1691-1684, Andrea Pozzo

Baroque style emerged in Europe during the 1600s. This style permeated into all art forms such as fine art, architecture, music, literature, and of course, even fashion. Baroque was all about creating excitement and drama through display of opulence and grandeur; it was a time of indulgence. I won’t get into the religious and historical details of the Baroque period, for they are just as intricate as the style itself. While Baroque manifests itself differently in each art form, in fashion it is characterized by textured fabrics, ornate embellishments, curlicues, and abundant details with ribbons, pearls, and delicate gold embroidery.

It’s no joke that I have no great wealth to show off, so I decided to poke fun at Baroque’s opulence. If anything, I display an eminence of vintage and thrifty finds. I captured the essence of the Baroque style with embroidery and brocade in the shiniest of golden threads. Saving the wide long skirt and plunging décolletage revealing neckline for another day, I opted for a modern silhouette in a sleeveless blouse and slim pencil skirt.

Don’t let the shiny threads fool you – this is just pattern play: holiday edition. When mixing patterns, just follow a few rules. Pay attention to the scale of the pattern (mix big and small), fabric texture (shiny with matte), fabric weight (e.g. silk vs. velvet) and color scheme (same color family or neutral). In this outfit, I decided to go with multiple elements to create a lavish outfit brimming with drama for your momma. Despite all my Baroque details clamoring for attention, it might be the vintage fur stole that stole the show.

We finally started getting rain in our drought induced state of California, but I won’t let it rain on my Baroque brocade parade. Unless the precipitation is of the paper kind.

Happy Holidays!

I’m a sucker for prints and patterns. Without it, my fashion life would be reduced to a sad and lonely existence of drab solid colors. I always try to incorporate some kind of pattern into my outfit, even if its just a small scarf tied around my neck. And what could be better than one pattern, you ask? Two (or more) of course!

Mixing patterns can be a disaster if you don’t know what you’re doing. Worst case scenario: you might end up looking like you got dressed in the dark. However, when done right, the outcome can be quite harmonious, as both prints can complement and enhance each other. A simple key to achieving this is to combine one neutral secondary pattern with one main focus pattern for a fun pattern play date!

Although my flower power suit skirt is quite busy in both the floral pattern and color, it did not deter me from wearing it with a polka dot blouse (I told you I would feature more polka). The reason why this works is because the blouse is neutral in color (black and white), as well as neutral in pattern (stripes are another good example). I love the attached necktie on the blouse, and the fact that it mirrors the secondary white dot pattern in the skirt is no coincidence – yes, I’m that good. Drawing from the colors of the flowers, I made sure to keep the rest of the outfit just as fun and playful with a pair of yellow peep-toe Mary-Janes and a cropped green sweater cardigan. The look wouldn’t be complete without an over-sized silk flower pin.

From Dynasty to Mad Men, I just turned one half of this 1980s power suit into a charming retro-modern 1950s look that I can actually wear to work. Talk about time travel. Thanks for the ride, Doc. Stay tuned as I voyage back to the future!