Fashion can at times be overwhelming. There are so many cuts, fabrics, patterns, and colors to choose from. If you are on a journey of enhancing your style or overall fashion sense, you may be asking yourself, “Where do I begin?” Understanding these three basic rules of fashion is a great place to start.

1. Dress For Your Body Type

This, in my opinion, is the most important rule every girl must abide by when it comes to fashion. Clothes are not made to fit every woman the same. Each article of clothing is cut and made a different way, which means they are meant to be worn by specific body types. There are five main body shapes that women fall into. The pair shape, meaning you’re smaller in your torso and larger in your hips and thighs. The hourglass shape, meaning you’re curvy in both the top and bottom, in the words of MC Hammer, “Your curves are KICKIN!” For these body types, make sure to choose articles of clothing that accentuate and flatter your curves! A-line dresses and body-hugging pencil skirts never fail to make these ladies look flawless! The strawberry body type is usually more round in the torso. The banana body type is long and lean. The apple body type tends to be larger in the torso and smaller in the hips and thighs. For you ladies, a cute pair of ripped jean shorts, a flirty skirt, and skinny jeans are your best friends, show off those legs of yours! If you want to add the illusion of curves, add a belt to any dress around your midsection, this will draw attention to your tiny waist and cause the fabric to drape around your hips in a way that will make them look fuller!

2. Don't Match Patterns With Patterns

Prints and patterns are fun ways to spice up your outfit or wardrobe, however, they must be chosen wisely! With any outfit make sure that you only have ONE piece of clothing that has a print or pattern! If you have more than one print or pattern on your body at one time, the outfit can look cluttered and become chaotic. When in doubt, stick to neutrals, they will never let you down!

3. Stick To Colors That Flatter Your Skin Tone

If you don’t pay attention to colors when you're selecting articles of clothing or putting together outfits, you can unintentionally create an entire wardrobe that does not flatter your skin tone. If you buy clothing that is extremely similar to your skin tone, it can cause you to look washed out. If you have darker skin, stick to colors that are bright and bold, you will turn heads everywhere you go. Oranges, yellows, fuchsias, etc. beautifully compliment darker skin tones, this goes for tan skin as well! If you have lighter skin, stick to bold darker colors such as navy or red, the contrast against your light skin will bring the entire outfit to life! Of course, you will all look beautiful no matter what color your clothing is, these are just a few tips that will help enhance the boldness of your outfit based on your skin tone. Remember, you can never go wrong with neutrals no matter what your skin tone is