An Outfit of Clashing Colors - My Day as a Watermelon

In my previous job, whenever faced with a tedious task, I’d turn on Youtube videos to nudge me through it.

Some videos were fantastic background noise. Other channels stopped my productivity all together. The biggest work-ending culprit was Megan Ellaby. Megan is a British fashion blogger and an expert color clasher. I would sit in awe of her outfits. I’d watch, transfixed (this is lame, but true!), as she put together clashing, unrelated, pieces thinking, “THIS WILL BE A DISASTER.” Then, she’d complete the outfit and, inevitably, I’d admit, “I really want to wear that, too.”

For a year, I’ve intended to clash colors. Just like the pink I wore last week, I’ve continued to push clashing to the side, opting, instead, to break fashion rules that are a tad less intimidating.

It’s Explorer Month. All June, I’m venturing into the fashionably unknown. So, I did it. I finally clashed. I hope, somewhere, Megan Ellaby is proud.

Let’s get into the lab!

the lab report

Said train selfie sent to Britt. The tourist couple behind me definitely judged me for this. :)

THE EVENT: A lunch-break adventure with Geneva to the Glossier pop up (OOH LA LA), writing time, then dinner with friends.

THE BROKEN RULE: All pieces in an outfit should match.

THE OUTFIT: I did a casual Google search before assembling this outfit. I discovered that there is little to no consensus about which colors actually clash. I sighed, hemmed and hawed, continued to scroll, then said, “Screw it.” I went with my gut. I chose two colors that clash 11 months out of the year: red and green.

Assembling the red and green bits were easy. I pulled on a red skirt with black spots, then topped it with Christian’s old green and white striped button-up, tied at the waist.

Accessories were harder. I tried about 40 different shoe, purse, necklace, earring combinations before I decided. (Or, rather, the clock decided for me.) In the end, I kept it simple: black purse, black stud earrings, black sunglasses (to echo the black spots on the skirt) and red saltwater sandals (to prove this combination wasn’t an accident).

THE EXPERIENCE: I raced out of the house feeling like a Christmas elf on vacation. As I hustled toward the train, I got a few looks. I thought, “Is this a mistake?” I vowed to change before our dinner plans.

Once on the train, I shot a subtle selfie and sent it to my friend, Britt, for validation. (You may remember her as the incomparable Kir Royale.) She was into the elf look, she said. I breathed a bit easier.

I met Geneva in the train station. We ascended to street level, walked one block and came upon, in all of its glory, the Glossier pop up shop. There was a line! I was endlessly amused. We were waiting in a club-esque line with a bunch of other Millennial women, for the chance to ooh and ahh over skin care products and makeup. (Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE GLOSSIER, but the premise of the situation still amused me.)

The whole Glossier store was covered in live plants!

We made it to the front of the line, hallelujah! There, we came face to face with the “bouncer.” Or, rather, a friendly employee. She gave us the run down on the store, then looked at me and said, “I love your outfit! It reminds me of a watermelon!”

OH MY GOD.

Why had I not thought of that?!

I didn’t play it cool.

“OH MY GOSH THANKS I WAS REALLY WORRIED I LOOKED LIKE A CHRISTMAS ELF.”

Once inside, Geneva and I wiggled between the crowds, pulling our purses in close to get next to the products. As we wound around the store, not one, but two, more employees told me they loved my “watermelon outfit.”

In hindsight, this seems like an odd coincidence. Do they have some sort of customer compliment system? Subtle ear pieces? Are they all psychically connected as one brain? (Glossier is kind of culty, I wouldn’t be too surprised.)

Coincidence or not, the watermelon comment made me feel snazzier in my outfit. If I’d been in a cartoon, a little thermometer above my head would have shown my confidence grow from 0 to 100. (Or at least to 75.)

I headed home, fed Izzy, worked some more, and then Christian and I headed to dinner. I didn’t change my outfit!

THE CONCLUSION: I’ve been experimenting for nearly two years now, and breaking certain fashion rules (like this one!) can still make me queasy. Which fashion rules do you prefer to follow than to break?

Do you clash colors? What are your favorite clashing combos? I’m already plotting and planning my next outfit, and I’d love some inspiration!

Are you curious about Glossier? I wrote a post for that! Check out Which Glossier Product Is Right For You.

I’ll be back on Wednesday! I hope your Sunday is sunny and full of adventures!