I’m a stylist – so I work with tons of different color, pattern, and style combinations on a regular basis.  I balance what a client likes most with what works best for her lifestyle and body type with what makes her feel amazing.  But I do have some favorites – specific colors that I love together, prints that I always enjoy playing with, and style themes that I juxtapose for fun and interest.

So, what are my all-time favorite style combos?

Neutrals & Texture

Texture is an incredible way to bring interest to an outfit, without relying on color or print (or shine!).  And it gives you something to play with all day – brush your hands against your velvet pants in a less-than-exciting work meeting or encourage someone to touch your soft-as-a-kitten cashmere cardigan if you want them to get a little closer.  And neutrals come in a range of hues and shades, so whether you choose warm butterscotch and camels, pale to mid-range greys, or inky blacks – they show off texture without the competition or distraction of color.

I cannot tell a lie – my favorite way to show off texture is with the palest of pale colors.  White, ivory cream, eggshell – all these shades make texture the spotlight in stunning monochromatic looks.  Shades of winter white enhance the textures in these style stars’ outfits, and also in a summertime date night look I created for one of my clients.

Pink & Blue

When I talk about pink and blue, I don’t intend to conjure notions of pale baby blue and soft blush pink.  My favorite pairings are strong pinks – from incandescent hot pink to blazing fuchsia to saturated dark pinks – balanced with the coolness of dark blue or cobalt or something in between.

I created two outfits for a client with the same hot hued cardigan combined with navy and indigo.  She’s a lawyer, so the look on the left is for her business casual days at the office, while the one on the right is for dressier meetings or client dinners.

Tweed & Floral

Tweed and floral are a texture and print combo that I return to, year after year.  Maybe it has something to do with the contrast of a traditional menswear fabric against a decidedly womanly print, or when hard and soft marry in one outfit – but I will always enjoy it as an unexpected style pairing.  The shades of tweed and floral are up to you – you can go with earth toned neutrals, play with color, or base your look in deep navy or black.  The easiest way is to coordinate is to go for separate pieces that are based in similar shades for a can’t-miss combo.

Masculine & Feminine

Wearing men’s-inspired pieces with feminine styles is a modern way to build a look with interest and some intrigue.  Much like tweed and floral, it’s the joining of two fashion opposites, which is always a bit of a surprise – and who doesn’t like a surprise?

The ladies on the left pair leather moto jackets with sweet floral dresses – a modern yet timeless fashion merger.  The style mavens on the right tackle the joining of masculine/feminine in a subtle ‘borrowed from the boys’ manner – slit skirts contrast with oversize sweaters and flats that are rooted in menswear, all in a soft palette that belies the power of the looks.

I created this outfit (for a previous blog post) to demonstrate how menswear has influenced women’s style.  It’s based in almost all traditional male silhouettes – the only things that give a nod to women’s fashion are the floral print, the cut of the blazer – and perhaps the green gloves?

Stripes & Other Prints

As I was selecting photos for this blog post, I was in a bit of a quandary.  Do I go with stripes and florals, one of my style go-to’s?  Or do I stick with geometry, and choose stripes and dots?  Maybe stripes and mini-prints?  And then I realized I love it all – stripes are such a dependable print, and they offer unparalleled (pun intended) support to multitudes of other pattern options – so why pick just one?

So now that you know my favorite style combinations, which one is YOUR favorite?