When you wake up, roll over in your bed, snooze your alarm, and think to yourself that there is absolutely no hope in looking put together on a rainy day, the “sandwich method” is here to help. If I am struggling to assemble an outfit and all I want is to feel and look good, this method is my saving grace. Many of you may already be familiar with this technique, but others may be curious and eager to learn more ways to incorporate it into their everyday routine.

The sandwich method is quite simple! This method involves matching the colors of your top to the bottom of your outfit, acting as two complementary slices of bread to your sandwich or bookends to your look. This includes a multitude of possibilities, as you have the freedom to explore various variations and experiment with what you have in your wardrobe, resulting in a perfect, effortless look.

This means the color on the top of your body can come from your favorite turtleneck sweater, button-down top, suede jacket, mockneck sweatshirt, or even a baseball cap, claw clip, sunglasses, or headband. Then, you can pair any one of those pieces with a similar colored shoe or even a pair of socks peeking out to tie the ensemble together. Here are some ideas on how to make your outfits look more cohesive, regardless of the occasion.

I paired a red suede Adidas sneaker with the florals on my mini dress, plus my bright red monogram phone case and nails really brought it home. I think that small print, colorful patterns like this make it really easy to resort to wearing plain pieces throughout the rest of your outfit, but I would encourage you to give into one of the core colors of the pattern, like this red, and highlight it even more through your accessories.

Dress:

Jalina Mini Dress from Motel! I rented it from Nuuly (I highly recommend it!!)

Shoe:

Adidas’ Red Suede Gazelles

My Monogram Phone Case:

It is from Amazon!

I am obsessed with a metallic moment like this! Even an element like gold buttons really makes a gold statement shoe look more intentional, and brings someone’s attention to the entire outfit instead of having an extravagant piece stick out like a sore thumb. I would continue to carry the gold tones throughout the outfit with a chunky gold statement earring, a gold necklace stack, and a thin belt with a gold buckle.

When I am on the hunt for a new staple shoe and consider a neutral option to pair with my closet easily, I remember that the sandwich method can serve as a solution for me to tie in a fun shoe instead. So, next time you are deciding what pair of sneakers or kitten heels to add to your collection, let me tell you to reach for the “out there” pair; life is much too short to settle for the boring, plain pair.

Gold Shoe:

Sam Edelman’s Loraine Bit Loafer
A favorite of mine: Steve Madden’s Momentum Gold Shoe

Sweater:

J. Crew, but it is unfortunately sold out! There are so many other options out there with gold accent buttons.

I am a huge fan of how the cherry red claw clip and pair of Adidas come together to elevate this look, which consists of muted, neutral tones. Here are some options to recreate this look in your own, unique way:

Cherry Red Claw Clip:

A fan favorite: Emi Jay’s Big Effing Clip in Cherry Kiss
My go-to alternative option from Amazon (in my hair now as I write this)

Red Shoe:

Gazelle Indoor Shoes

A key element of the sandwich method is to wear a piece that contrasts with your top and bottom half in the middle. For example, below is a picture of an outfit where I focused more on having contrast against the bright white with accents of dark colors of navy and chocolate brown. I sandwiched my mom’s old low-rise white pants with a chocolate brown belt and a heeled flip flop.

Belt:

Aritzia’s Accent Solid Brass Leather Slim Belt

Shoe:

Zara’s Brown Satin Kitten Heel Sandals

Top:

No Name’s Navy Striped Cashmere Sleeveless Sweater

Whether you need to nail a top-notch business casual outfit for your next coffee chat or want to pull off a chic look while wearing sweats to your Friday morning class, the tactic of connecting a consistent color throughout your outfit has your back. I think this method not only makes curating an outfit in the morning more enjoyable and stress-free for me, but also enhances my shopping experience as I now consider the sandwich method as I shop. This way, I can plan how I would incorporate new, exciting accessories and pieces into my capsule wardrobe to make it feel fresh and versatile. If you haven't tried it yet, go sandwich your outfit tomorrow morning!

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