A Mismatched Outfit Is A Key Summer Trend - How To Look Like You've Dressed In The Dark (In A Good Way)

Elle

02-06-2025

A sartorial insult has become a fashion compliment. Telling someone that they look like they got 'dressed in the dark' is no longer a slur intended to imply that someone looks like they assembled an outfit without the benefit of light. Today, it's a knowing styling approach that's come direct from the catwalk.
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This season, designers are encouraging us to mix and match our wildest pieces for maximum impact. They're telling us to wear our favourites all at once with unconstrained abandon and the art of it all happens in the clash. This means that it might be that you're now wearing a striped rugby jersey, that's been your Saturday morning market pullover for aeons, but with a sequin skirt in a standout colour. Or, there's a floral dress worn with a contrast coat. And not forgetting to complete the look with a further contrasting striped scarf. Both of these formulas lifted from Milanese cool label No21.
But this brand is far from alone in putting forward this pile-it-all-on approach for the season. Others on board include Versace, where Donatella mixed prints and textures first found in a 1997 Versus collection. The same happened at Miu Miu, where its archive fabrics clashed with new patterns, and then were paired with chunky loafers and uniform-issue black socks.
This idea of 'dressing in the dark' styling makes a timely arrival as we all tire of the polished perfection that's been championed in the 'quiet luxury' and 'clean girl aesthetic' trends. Sure, there's always a moment for minimalism but this look promotes a slightly more chaotic approach that celebrates a creativity and self-expression that had somewhat disappeared in the land of perfectly polite white shirts, navy trousers, and camel cashmere.
I'll admit that this trend piqued my interest as soon as SS25 imagery started to land on my desk. The appeal of this came not only in the way that it felt fresh and fun, but also in the way it could (and now has) encouraged me to make better use of my whole wardrobe.
I've always had a bit of a formulaic approach to getting dressed with X things bought to be worn with Y and so on and so forth. But with this shake-it-up attitude dictating how I'm re-seeing my wardrobe, I'm doing away with the formulas that once shaped my style. Just yesterday, a Marc Jacobs yellow and brown Heaven skirt was worn with pink M&S cashmere and blue and silver dad-style Asics. Might I have done this before? Probably not, but it felt good to have fun with the clash and get more wear out of what I already have. Nothing was new and yet the combination was so I got that same dopamine rush that a new purchase guarantees.
It's made me realise that many of the most stylish people I know (or admire) have long got dressed following this approach, understanding that it's so much more fun to wear all of your favourite things all at once. Chloë Sevigny is on board. A recent look from Vaquera, that despite being lifted from the runway, speaks of this clashing approach.
Understandably, wearing this trend for at least the very first time will come with some trepidation. Of late, most of the trends we've been encouraged to try have come with an easy-to-emulate formula that can be lifted straight — think barrel leg jeans or silver shoes. This one is a bit more complicated to try as you wonder how much is too much clash and when does a mix-and-match outfit simply become... a mess.
In order to pull of 'dressing in the dark' styling you need to only choose from pieces that you'd have always have worn if they were presented in more paired-back settings. Have fun with your decisions if you are buying something new and choosing bright and bold pieces that bring personality to an ensemble. Ultimately though, there's no point putting on something overtly avant garde if you aren't comfortable wearing it. Like with most runway trends, this is more about the confidence of how you're wearing it than what you are actually wearing. Get ready to rumble in your own jumble.
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