Mixing Colors, Patterns, and Textures

Because I've not really been buying much, lately I've been into layering and assembling pieces from my closet in ways that keep things feeling new and fresh. My recent trip to New Orleans happened to overlap with Mardi Gras and I encountered a slew of bright colors and textures mixed in unexpected ways on parade floats like these:

In outfits like these:

And in the unintentional haul of parade loot:

I didn't mean to accumulate so much stuff but during a parade Chris and I became acquainted with a nice southern family who keep piling it on due to their enthusiasm over it being our first time in New Orleans (not to mention our first Lundi Gras). By the end of the evening, I was inadvertently over accessorized.

But I came back from that trip feeling like the best way to beat the winter doldrums was to embrace colors and patterns that make me happy. So I've tried to do just that.

 

This year, I barely wore one of my patterned coats (MBMJ Domino) because I was reluctant to pair it with prints. But the other day when I went shopping in Shadyside with a friend, I decided to match this "punk harlequin clown coat" with a paisley dress.

The hues of navy and teal matched perfectly, (perhaps because the dress and coat came from the same designer) even though they were from Fall/Winter seasons a year apart from one another. Also shown: Linea Pelle belt and Seychelles At Last Boots. 

Perhaps it isn't the most daring entrance into the world of print mixing but it was my first non-patterned tights related print combo. I felt pretty conspicuous on Walnut Street. What do you think of it?