We’ve argued that matching sets are the stylish ‘fit du jour, and clashing prints are utterly cool, but unfortunately, science would have us think otherwise, according to a new study.
Researchers at such esteemed institutions as Carnegie Mellon University, University of North Carolina, and Duke University asked 239 people to study drawings of men’s and women’s outfits, which were presented in 30 different color combinations. The participants found that the coordinated outfits were too matchy-matchy. And interestingly, on the other side of the spectrum, they disliked the combinations that clashed, as well.
The psychologists blame something called the Goldilocks Principle, which denotes that people prefer a balance between two extremes. But while playing it safe is all well and good, isn’t fashion about breaking the rules?
