By ERIC DING
Fashion is not just about amazing pieces of clothing. In fact, amazing pieces of clothing will only get you so far if you don’t know how to create an outfit by matching colors and pieces together. This can sometimes be stressful (especially when I wake up late for class) but there are times when you create an outfit that really works, and you just feel so much better for the rest of the day. With that being said, I’m going to break down an outfit that I wore last week that did this for me.
Dark Red Skinny Jeans by American Eagle
Colored pants are most decidedly in fashion lately, provided you get them slim or skinny. As I keep saying, blue jeans are, by and large, out of fashion. Black and tan pants are always great, safe options, but colored pants really raise the bar. These dark red skinny jeans of mine are the only pair of colored pants I have, and I only whip them out when I have a clear vision of what my outfit will be. Because the dark red is so striking, the other pieces of my outfit have to be neutral. I generally don’t wear more than one strong color in my outfit. I paired these colored pants with black, white, brown and tan, which match with everything.
Extra Slim White Dress Shirt by 1MX Express
I have been advocating for Express’ 1MX dress shirts since day one, and for good reason. Express sells the only dress shirts that match my slim body shape. The shirt is crisp, sharp and fitted, which are qualities that every ideal dress shirt should have. This one is a neutral, plain white to offset the red of the bottoms.
Belt by The Brown Belt
Last semester, I wrote a piece about my friend’s Brown Belt startup business. I featured him and his startup because I truly do believe in his product, and my dedication is evident today. I wear the brown belt that he made me every day because it’s just a quality product that matches with anything. My particular brown is lighter, almost like the shade of mahogany wood.
“Burberry” Patterned Scarf from a Street Market
I spent this past summer in Los Angeles, where fashion is everywhere, and everybody knows it. I visited the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles and found this amazing, soft scarf that mimicked the iconic tan, black, white and red Burberry pattern. I was always a fan of Burberry, but I could never afford anything from the brand. But this particular Burberry look-a-like scarf was only six dollars! Out in the cold, I wore it European style, but inside, I merely draped it around my neck.
Long Black Wool Peacoat by ASOS
This has been my go-to winter jacket for two years now. Back in my freshman year, I bought this trench-like, black peacoat that stops about halfway down my thigh. It’s slimming and warm with embossed buttons and a nicely lapelled collar, perfect for housing a snug scarf. I can wear this jacket buttoned, which would show just the scarf and the bottom of my legs, or I can wear it unbuttoned, which would show my entire outfit in all its glory. Every student in Ithaca needs a winter coat like this that is both stylish and functional.
Take note of the color combinations I used, and feel free to use this outfit if you like! Remember, each outfit you put on is like a wonderful work of art. Make it beautiful!