The Art Of Mismatching
I was in my best friend’s place when we decided to go to a nightclub at 10 pm in New York City, but all I had were Pijamas. That was when I started trying on pieces of her clothing, blouses, skirts, dresses, and shorts seemed to rain from my hands; most of her clothes didn’t fit me. After almost emptying her closet, I came to realize that it would either be Pijamas or red, checkered, baggy pants, a green neon top that was miraculously too big for her, and a fur jacket. I guess I really wanted to party because I put the “outfit” on and just went. While we were on the elevator, my friend laughed at me and said, “Your clothes mismatch so much that they look fashionable,” and that was when it hit me: In relationships, opposites tend to attract, but can these same rules be applied to fashion?
Well, for the past few years, mismatching has taken over fashion in many different ways: colorblock pants, printed bottoms, uneven socks and tops, and asymmetric clothing have taken over the fashion industry. The sacred rules of fashion: don’t wear more than three colors, stick to one print, don’t wear creme and white together are being broken, and art is rising from this revolt. While mixing patterns has been going on for a long time, people are slowly becoming more adventurous towards the culture of mismatching; instead of just altering patterns or mixing colors, the fashion of mismatched clothes takes opposites to a whole new level, for example, a pair of shoes with different colors or a shirt with different sleeves. From inexpensive online brands such as Shein and Missguided to luxury brands runways, such as Celine and Marc Jacobs, clothing mismatching has grown in popularity.
Mismatching is much more than just a new trend; it lingers from a desire to scream creative freedom and self-identity. New York writer Leandra Medine, known for her mismatching skills, considers this type of fashion a “form of self-expression.” In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Medine attributes the fashion of mismatching to the many different portrayals of women in society, stating that “The complete look hits so many different identities…in a way that says, ‘I’m all these things.’” mismatching is not just a way to rediscover your closet and test your creativity but is also an artful statement of who you are and what you want to conceive.