Mixing ornate and casual when dressing appeals because it allows us to blend aspects of fantasy in daily life.
Walking the streets in full on Padmé Amidala garb can be tight and all, but there are places and moments during which such dressing can inhibit the wearer (and those in the surrounding area, considering the girth of one’s bustle).
By slipping pieces that whisper decadence with their glistening intricacies and threaded details into otherwise casual ensembles we are able to reference characters, stories, and moods that add interest to the environment without screaming.
There is a degree of tact involved in pairing ornate with casual that makes pulling it off nonchalantly ultra satisfying.
Jackets are one of the most approachable pieces to use when integrating glitz and glam into daytime. Littered in embellishment, the pictured jacket is roughed up with some nondescript cutoffs and a loose knit. If you still feel too fancy, stick your paws in your pockets for extra edge à la Karen Blanchard.
Striking gems plus greaser-rolled-T equals a big yes. The lens is aimed directly at the flashy jewels, and yet (!!!!) doesn’t the subject look totally casual, almost as if she is oblivious to the ornamentation? Leandra Medine consistently mixes casual and ornate – perhaps such a move is inevitable when you wear so many layers every day.
Here Edward Teague demonstrates a coarser take on ornate threads. Pro tip: he probably used actual mud. Sure, the harder elements in this picture are a result of his swashbuckling lifestyle, but similar unkempt-fance is achievable without too much ruckus (unless you’re into that).
Note how Cap’n Jack’s cuffs lay haphazardly undone? Masterful.
In this case, Sparrow represents the casual and Teague is a decadent flower of spiffiness.
In this picture Natalie Suarez looks like someone who I would listen to intently. I imagine her telling me stories about the future, which I’d go along with for the thrills of wonder and delight that stem from the telling and the hearing of prescient tales. This is what decadent-casual dressing evokes, moments of life that seem to flit in-between reality and fantasy.
When in doubt, don the most lavish robe possible, and spatter yourself in blood. Then stand in the corner looking mischievous, obvs.
(Gnnf, that background – are you dying? Field trip to whatever sumptuous alternate reality this fella hails from.)