Lets face it. A wardrobe full of neutral pieces is booooooooooooooorrring!

Don't get me wrong, neutrals are an important base to build any wardrobe. But every look, every outfit, needs a "pop piece. A superstar! Something to add visual interest to an otherwise unremarkable ensemble.

In my experience, you can do this in one of two ways....

Color

Pick a color. A vibrant, seasonally appropriate color that you love and feel confident in!

**Notice I didn't say a color that "flatters your skin tone". That's because I practice fashion unapologetic-ally. If I like it, I'm gonna wear it. It's as simple as that.

***On a related note, If you sic the "What Not To Wear" team on me, gimme a heads up so I can first change out of my "toddler-ified"-yogurt-hand-printed-and-covered-in-thread pajama pants. Thanks so much!

This week's color is....

Mouse House Creations Julia Cardigan | Jocole Quick Dress (Tunic) | Megan Nielsen Legings | Willow & Co Senna Tote (A Pattern By LGB Studio) | Chartreuse Floral Knit from Girl Charlee

Chartreuse! I'll admit, I was intimidated when I first laid hands on this bold floral print. I knew this dense knit would be great for a variety of projects, but I had to consider the pieces I would wear it with... after all, how many colors go well with one this vibrant??

Then inspiration struck (where it so often does) in the least likely of places. A bag I started this summer in San Francisco... and hadn't had time to finish before shipping my sewing supplies back to Virginia. A bag I wouldn't have pulled out of my projects-to-finish bin if not for a girlfriend of mine inquiring about this Senna Tote pattern a few days ago.

Only days prior I'd convinced myself I had never ever worked with such a bold color as chartreuse before! And here I was, finishing this bag, and thinking "woah, there it is! With BLACK and RED and TEAL and PURPLE!

Don't have a nearly-finished bag to inspired your fabric pairings? Try design-seeds! Or Pinterest, but that seemed too obvious to mention ;)

JOCOLE QUICK DRESS (TUNIC) | Burda Button Up #6849 | CHARTREUSE FLORAL KNIT FROM GIRL CHARLEE — JOCOLE QUICK DRESS (TUNIC) | Burda Button Up #6849 | CHARTREUSE FLORAL KNIT FROM GIRL CHARLEE

So I checked out my sewed stash and pulled out this baby blue button up I'd made a few weeks ago, and added in some pops of contrast with a chunky black necklace.

Not so comfortable with color? Ease into growing your collection of Pop Pieces with....

Texture

Neutrals can pop too! They just need things like texture to add visual interest. Among other things, this can mean lace, crochet (more on that next week!) or even fabrics as funky as...

Jocole Peplum Top & Skater Skirt Add-On | Modified Jocole Mix & Match Basic Tee-turned-vest

Fuuuuuuuuuuur! How much fun is that vest?? Gray, Black, Tank, White - all neutrals, and perfect to pair with other neutrals. But c'mon. That vest stands out, does it not?

Mmmmmm, snuggly :)

But before I leave you with the impression that texture exists only with fabric types, I should mention that sewing techniques like pleats, ruffles, and cutouts can take even the most basic, neutral fabrics and create texture with them.

Lastly, you can create a pop piece with...

Prints

You've seen this already in weeks 1 and 2 with my bold buffalo plaid and my colorful tribal print tunic, but its worth repeating. Prints, regardless of color scheme, can add depth and interest to an outfit.

Mixing them? Oh yeah. That takes visual interest to a whole new level. We'll get around to that next week :)

Have you made any pop pieces?? Do they fit into these pattern, texture, or color categories? Am I missing an element you think makes for a great POP wardrobe piece? I'd love to hear about it!

See you next week for a February Fashion Friday wrap-up, and my top 10 list of women's patterns to start your own wardrobe :)