For a style hack that’s simple, saves time, and requires nothing more than the staples already in your closet, think sandwich. We may not be talking about an actual meal made with two slices of bread, but this is the analogy that guides the transformative Sandwich Method of dressing.
The technique for building a balanced outfit — like a balanced sandwich — is simple: Think of your upper half as the top slice of bread and your lower half as the bottom slice. Use a contrasting element in the middle to break up your body and your overall look.
The result is a proportional, cohesive, put-together look that frees you from the frustration and stress of getting dressed while ensuring that your fashion looks fresh. Personal stylist, and owner of Refined by Theresa (now in a studio space in Cary) Theresa Jean considers the technique “a great strategy for anyone to implement if their look feels disjointed, unfinished, or needs just a bit more polish.”
Color is the simplest way to start and is achieved by matching one color on your top half to one on your bottom and introducing a contrasting item — the filling to your bread — in between.
The finishing touches of the looks we wear are often, according to Jean, “where people get lost.” She notes that clients can struggle when choosing the best shoe to complete an outfit, but by “selecting one other piece in their outfit to match the color of their footwear, it can make the outfit look more intentional and styled.”
For men, matching their belt or jacket to their footwear will result in “a more refined, cohesive, intentionally styled overall look.” For women, or those who utilize more accessories, matching additional accessories — like a headband or hair accessory, belt, piece of statement jewelry, or scarf — to their footwear is an easy way to achieve the sandwich method.
Once you’re comfortable with using color, you can experiment with more complex fillings like texture, fabric, proportion, and even theme.
So, make a meal of dressing and start sandwiching!
- Women of Western Wake: Annette Hibbert Stevenson
- Meet Cary Magazine’s 2024 Women of Western Wake
- Women of Western Wake: Sue Harnett
- Women of Western Wake: Katie Gailes
- Women of Western Wake: Elaine Buxton
- Women of Western Wake: Dr. Joy Allen
- Behind the Seams
- Garden Adventurer: Peony Patience
- Liquid Assets: Pub Ale
- Liquid Assets: Your Favorite Scarf
- Restaurant Profile: Myra Café
- Nonprofit Spotlight: Thrift2Gift
- Small Business Spotlight: Spavia Day Spa MacGregor Village
- Creative Awakenings
- On Trend: The Sandwich Method
- Things to Do: September 2024
