Pulling colors out from a focal accessory can make matching a breeze. I paired this green J.Crew scarf with orange and green accents against a blank white canvas with light wash jeans. The scarf’s main color is a mix of greens and has a rusty color blended into the print. Rust is a variation of orange so I made that the WOW color in the outfit with a J.Crew boyfriend sweater and a Patina clutch. I then made green the secondary accent color through jewelry. The accent colors soon become a palette for the entire outfit and create unity without being matchy-match.

For footwear I mixed in a leopard print sandal for some visual interest. Mixing patterns can make a boring look magical and can make you seem like a style icon. For beginners, start with mixing like colored prints then as you get more comfortable add in other colors. As you try out more prints together eventually go totally opposite like with this floral and leopard.

What’s your favorite focal accessory?