The Art of Outfit Mixing: How to Master Colour and Pattern Pairing in Your Wardrobe

If you only wear one print at a time, this is your sign.

If pairing stripes with florals makes your nervous system spike, you’re not “bad at style.”

You’ve just never been taught how to wear colours and patterns with confidence.

And once you understand the structure behind outfit mixing, everything shifts.

Because mixing colour and pattern isn’t chaotic.

It’s strategic.

And when done right? It looks intentional, elevated and quietly powerful.

Let’s break it down.

Mixing prints is not chaos. It’s structure plus confidence.

Step 1: Start with a Hero Piece

Every strong outfit needs a focal point.

Choose one standout item:

• A bold patterned blouse

• A striped wide-leg trouser

• A vibrant cobalt blazer

• A floral midi skirt

This is your anchor.

If you’ve ever wondered, what colour should I wear? start here. Pick the piece that makes you feel something. That little spark of energy is your clue.

Pro tip: If you’re nervous, begin with a pattern in colours that already suit you. Colour analysis makes this much easier, because you stop guessing and start choosing with clarity.

Step 2: Stick to a Cohesive Colour Palette

This is where most women panic.

They think mixing means throwing everything together and hoping for the best.

It doesn’t.

Look at your hero piece and pull one or two colours from it. Repeat those colours elsewhere in your outfit.

For example:

• Floral skirt with pink and green → echo the green in your knit

• Striped top with navy → repeat navy in your trousers

• Multicolour print → choose one dominant shade and build around it

If you’re new to wearing colour clothing, start with:

• One bold colour

• One neutral

• One pattern

Simple. Structured. Intentional.

Step 3: Mix Patterns Using Scale

This is the rule that changes everything.

When mixing prints, contrast the scale.

Large-scale pattern + small-scale pattern = balance

Large floral + tiny polka dot = harmony

Wide stripe + micro-check = intention

What doesn’t work?

Two large-scale prints competing for attention.

If you’re new, stick to two patterns maximum.

If you’re more advanced and feeling rebellious, add a third. Just ensure there’s a unifying colour.

This is how you wear colour confidently without looking like you got dressed during a power cut.

Contrast the scale. Keep the colours connected.

Step 4: Texture Is Your Secret Weapon

Texture adds depth, especially if you’re still building confidence with colour.

Try:

• Chunky knit + silky printed skirt

• Denim + soft floral blouse

• Leather jacket + feminine pattern

Texture gives dimension without adding visual chaos.

And for midlife women especially, texture can elevate an outfit instantly. It stops bold from feeling juvenile and makes it feel considered.

Texture adds depth before colour even speaks.

Step 5: Use Accessories Strategically

Accessories are where the magic tightens.

Think:

• A bold handbag that echoes a colour in your print

• Statement earrings that pull everything together

• Metallic shoes to ground a mixed look

Metallics are particularly brilliant because they function like neutrals but still feel interesting.

If you’re asking, how do I wear colours without feeling over the top? this is your answer. Let your accessories bridge the gap.

Step 6: Understand Why You Default to Safe

Let’s be honest.

Most women over 40 aren’t afraid of colour.

They’re afraid of attention.

Black feels safe.

Matching feels safe.

One print feels controlled.

But safe doesn’t always equal confident.

Wearing black is not the same as feeling safe.

When you understand what colours should you wear and why they work on you, mixing stops feeling risky. It starts feeling expressive.

This is why colour analysis and personal style clarity matter. Not because trends matter. But because alignment matters.

Practice Makes Pattern Pairing Powerful

You do not learn this intellectually.

You learn it by trying.

Take photos.

Review them.

Notice what feels energising versus draining.

If an outfit feels wrong, it’s rarely because you mixed prints. It’s usually because the colours weren’t aligned with you.

That’s a colour issue, not a pattern issue.

And once you solve the colour piece, the rest becomes playful.

Why Mastering Outfit Mixing Changes Everything

When you know how to:

• Wear colour clothing with intention

• Mix prints without overwhelm

• Choose colours that suit your skin tone

• Build outfits that feel cohesive

You stop standing in front of your wardrobe thinking, “I have nothing to wear.”

Instead, you think: “Oh. I see it.”

And that shift? That’s confidence.

Not loud confidence.

Grounded confidence.

Want Help Wearing Colour with Confidence?

If you’re ready to:

• Understand what colours should I wear

• Stop defaulting to safe outfits

• Find your personal style

• Wear colour confidently at any age

Start with Unmuted.

💌 One short 60 second email a day.

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Immediate action.

Colourfully rebellious,
Jodie