10 Fashion Opposites That Always Attract

For people who don't live and breathe fashion, getting dressed is about finding items that "go" together. It's choosing the pants that "match" with a top, and the jacket that "fits" with the shirt. All that going and matching and fitting might make for a perfectly good outfit, but it'll never really get you to a great one. For greatness, you've got to go in the opposite direction.

Instead of putting things together that look similar, we're in the business of making combos based on differences; each item's particulars complement the other item's peculiarities, and it's this juxtaposition that makes for a much more interesting, robust outfit (not to mention, helps you do more with what's in your closet than if you were committed to matching). If you want a cheat sheet to get you started down the path of The Clash, or just need a reminder that you've got it down, here's our guide to the 10 fashion contrasts that always make sense.