Here’s how to use “Contrast Dressing” to improve your style

We all know the feeling of trying on a myriad of different outfits and none of them feel quite right. When you’re tempted to give up and reach for the same old jeans and top remember that style is a muscle that needs to be exercised, and luckily there are tips out there that make getting dressed in the morning more intuitive—and fun!

“Contrast Dressing” is our new fave styling hack developed by Allison Bornstein, the stylist who brought us the “Wrong Shoe Theory”. Not only will “Contrast Dressing” make you immediately more stylish, but it’ll also help you create balance for pieces that seem “stuck” in one specific style.

A guest is seen wearing a black dress, silver dress, lime green bag and black shoes with black sunglasses outside the Givenchy show during the Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 28, 2023 in Paris, France.

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Bornstein considers “Contrast Dressing” as an expansion of the “Wrong Shoe Theory”. Creating contrast is (as the name suggests) at the core of “Contrast Dressing”, and the best way to create contrast in an outfit is through juxtaposing styles, textures, or accessories.

Here are five examples of “Contrast Dressing” that we just love.

1. Style: Masculine/Feminine

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Pairing masculine bottoms with a more feminine top and vice versa is a great way to give dimension to an outfit, and also makes those baggy jeans feel much more grown-up and polished. The good tension between masculine and feminine is also at the core of the Blokette aesthetic making rounds on social media right now.

Cloud 6 White

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Howard Cap Standard Fit Black

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Cloud 5 Waterproof White

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£125.00 ~~£160.00~~

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Mens Adidas Originals Mens Trainers Samba OG Leather Lace Up black white UK Size - Size: 9.5

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-40%

Bogner

Dyna wide fit jeans for women - Dark Denim Blue - 26

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£165.00 ~~£275.00~~

Bogner

Levi's

Straight Fit Jeans, female, Blue, W30 L29, Jeans 501 90S Ankle Sweetest Taboo

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£112.23

Miinto

-50%

Frame Denim

The Wide wide-leg jeans Blue

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£135.00 ~~£270.00~~

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Diesel

1996 D-Sire low-rise wide-leg jeans - Black

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£130.00

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2. Style: Formal/Casual

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Another perfect style pairing for “Contrast Dressing” is formal/casual. Pairing high and low elements gives you an effortless and super-chic outfit. Try styling your favourite joggers with an oversized blazer and elevated shoes and accessories for the perfect off-duty-model look.

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Frenken

TUX XXXL Oversized Ringed Blazer Black

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Norma Kamali

Oversized faux leather blazer Black

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£284.00 ~~£355.00~~

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Claudie Pierlot

Tailored Blazer Blue

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£429.00 ~~£2,145.00~~

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Stella McCartney

Oversized Houndstooth Blazer with Padded Shoulders size 40

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£486.60 ~~£1,390.30~~

GLAMOOD

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-64%

Maison Ullens

BOTTOMWEAR - Trousers on YOOX.COM Orange

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£73.00 ~~£204.00~~

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Needles

Technical-jersey Track Pants - Mens - Green Multi - M

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£225.00

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Le 17 Septembre

Knitted track pants - Gray - FR 38 Grey

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£275.00

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Varley

Slim Jersey Track Pants - Womens - Taupe - XL Grey

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£95.00

MATCHES

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3. Texture: Shiny/Fuzzy

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Playing with textures is a great way to do “Contrast Dressing”, even if it might not be super intuitive at first. One of the easiest texture pairings to achieve is shiny/fuzzy: just pair your fuzziest knit (mohair is a great option here) with a shiny silk slip skirt.

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AllSaints

Mohair/Wool Kit Relaxed Fit Jumper, Size: S White

Delivery: free

£89.00 ~~£179.00~~

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Dsquared2

Solid Mohair Crewneck Sweater size M

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£171.38 ~~£428.46~~

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AllSaints

Polyamide/Mohair Chain AllSaints Embroidered Jumper, Size: XS Green

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£179.00

AllSaints

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-30%

Velvet

Eza velvet maxi skirt Purple

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£192.00 ~~£275.00~~

Mytheresa

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Alysi

Maxi Skirts, female, Gray, XS, Silk & Nylon Silver Skirt Grey

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£140.00 ~~£218.00~~

Miinto

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CHRISTOPHER ESBER

Linen and silk-blend maxi skirt Beige

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£210.00 ~~£420.00~~

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Maje

Sleeveless Knit Top - Black - Maje

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£159.00

Maje

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4. Texture: Hard/Soft

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Juxtaposing “hard” and “soft” materials is another great option for “Contrast Dressing”. Leather jackets, skirts, or trousers make perfect examples of a “hard” material, while lacy, light, or see-through tops and dresses make the perfect “soft” component.

Fat Face

FatFace Erin Olive Green Suede Jacket

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£225.00

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AllSaints

Leather Clo Pleated Leather Jacket, Size: UK 12/US 8 Black

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£349.00

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Fat Face

FatFace Bethany Burgundy Red Quilted Biker Jacket

Delivery: £4.95

£139.00 ~~£199.00~~

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AllSaints

Womens Sheep Leather Balfern Leather Biker Jacket, Size: UK 16/US 12 Black

Delivery: free

£369.00

AllSaints

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Roman

Floral Tiered Sleeve Chiffon Maxi Dress Blue

Delivery: free

£55.00

Roman

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AllSaints

Womens Linen Skye Floral Asymmetric Hem Midi Dress, Size: 6 White

Delivery: free

£129.00 ~~£259.00~~

AllSaints

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Roman

Metallic Lace Sequin Midi Dress Green

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£50.00 ~~£60.00~~

Roman

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Fat Face

FatFace Annie Black Lace Midi Skirt

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£48.00 ~~£69.00~~

FatFace

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5. Accessories: statement jewellery with a casual look

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Lastly, accessories can definitely help you add contrast to your look. This look featured in Valentino’s Haute Couture FW23 show Un Château is a perfect example of how a statement earring can add some spice to a simple look. Also, as Bornstein reminds us, having two similar elements at the top and bottom is useful to create a cohesive look: in this case, the silver earrings “connect” with the silver slippers tying everything together.