I’m beginning to get my fall preview packages from various stores and some clear trends are emerging. One thing I’m noticing from both the runway shows and the clothing arriving daily is pattern. Lots and lots of pattern. So while it’s not quite mentally time to move onto fall clothing yet (despite what stores want us to believe) I think now’s as good a time as any to discuss some of the upcoming trends.

Which is my long-winded way of announcing that I’ll be focusing on pattern mixing this week on my tumblr. I’ll have multiple OOTDs devoted to pattern mixing, an explanation of how to achieve the look effortlessly as well as some products I love and some accessory suggestions to go with the pieces. This is an experiment of sorts for me – I’d love to have a theme each week that gets a dedicated set of cohesive posts. The spirit is willing but the time management skills may be lacking due to, well, you know, it being summer outside. This is my experimentation space after all. We’ll see how it goes. I would love to hear your feedback along the way!

Let’s kick things off with an OOTD. I had a meeting last week that required business casual attire. I’d seen a woman in the Ackee Pencil Skirt, an Anthropologie skirt from a year ago made by Corey Lynn Calter. The woman had paired it with a solid teal top. She looked fantastic! I was inspired to wear the skirt myself but I have the freedom to amp up my looks, so I wanted to mix in another pattern.

To balance out the bold color and abstract pattern of the skirt, I chose a complementary yellow top with a more subtle but defined pattern. The top has yellows, browns and oranges which all speak to the red skirt without competing or overwhelming it. I’m short-torsoed with a large chest so I used a big belt to try to balance everything out. It’s not quite fully realized but it’s about as balanced as my body gets in a pencil skirt. If the weather were colder I’d use a solid blazer to equal everything out.

I couldn’t resist throwing one more pattern in – the leopard print of my purse. The repetition of the pattern speaks to the skirt while the warm brown speaks to both the skirt and top. It reads as a neutral compared to the other bright hues of the outfit. So the weight of the look goes in this order: skirt heaviest (where your eye is drawn first, top second, bag third). Finishing off the look is a pair of red Madewell wedges, which are of solid color but get their interest through texture. Snakeskin to be exact. 

I’ll have another skirt/top combo later this week, plus a multi-patterned dress and a pants/top outfit. I can’t wait to see how this week goes!

In this outfit:
Anthropologie Split Narcissus Shell
Ackee Pencil Skirt by Corey Lynn Calter via Anthropologie
Madewell’s Snakecharmer Postscript Peep-Toe Wedge 
J.Crew Edie in Italian Calf Hair (previously seen here)
Anthropologie Leaps & Bounds Belt
Kate Spade Heart of Gold Idiom Bangle
Kate Spade Draw the Line Idiom Bangle
Kate Spade In the Spotlight Idiom Bangle
Kate Spade An Ace Up Your Sleeve Idiom Bangle

The setting for these shots? The Battery Park City promenade, with the (future) tallest building in the city in the background. At 100+ stories tall work on the future One World Trade Center continues.