Power clashing is a trend that is just as bold as it sounds. This popular style of mixing unlikely patterns and colour palettes may be one of the few rules that was meant to be broken.

What is power clashing:

“Power clashing is an emerging trend that promotes outfitting patterns, colours, and fabrications that have historically been seen as a major faux-pas in the past,” says Jyllian Park, a local wardrobe stylist. “Think stripes and floral, Fair Isle and polka dot; it’s a modern approach to mix-and-match.”

“Mismatching patterns or athletic clothing paired with dressier pieces. This trend is all about thinking outside the box; nothing can be too matchy-matchy,” says Kira Faiazza, fashion blogger from Northern Style Exposure. “(It) is taking items from your wardrobe you wouldn’t normally combine.”

This style revolt has been fuelled by such high profile designers as Kate Spade and Paul Smith for quite some time, both of whom are infamous for their intrinsic knack for pattern mixing. Retailers like Nasty Gal and J. Crew are also trailblazers in this arena. Their lookbooks feature unique styling choices that are inspirational and imitated endlessly.

Who this look is for:

“Fashion is a way to say who you are without even speaking,” says Derek Jagodzinsky, local designer of LUXX Ready To Wear. “This style of dressing commands attention; it’s not for the wallflowers.”

While you can push this style to the limit with loud patterns and bold colours, there are also ways to achieve it subtly for those who are just testing the water.

“It has the ability to be interpreted and adapted to fit any look,” says Park. “There is no one way to approach power clashing; therefore, anyone can decide how much or how little of this trend that they want to incorporate into his or her look.”

Fortunately for the fellows, this trend is also male friendly.

“Women have had the upper-hand when it comes to experimenting with fashion for far too long,” says Park. “I feel that this trend lets the men have a chance to have fun with how they dress.”

For the fearless guys out there, take note of Jared Leto’s day-two look from Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California where he mixed zebra print trousers with a plaid flannel shirt.

From the three days he attended the weekend-long festival in mid-April, photographs of his day-two look were the most talked about and re-blogged; even celebrities are hot on this trend.

How we can get this look:

“It is understandable that not everyone is going to feel comfortable throwing caution to the wind as an attempt to imitate the street-style and runway looks,” says Park. “A great way to achieve this look in everyday life is remembering a few key rules:

1. Keep your colour combinations in the same family (think earth-tones or tonal colour-blocking)

2. When mixing patterns, look for a balance between the scale of the prints. Pairing a small scale dot with a larger floral pattern will help to keep your look from seeming too busy. Mixing more intricate patterns with geometric shapes will also help to keep your look current and fashion-forward.

3. Texture is another great way to achieve interest in your outfitting. Combining different weights of fabrics or materials, such as leather and sequins, can add depth and interest without having to introduce a lot of new colours or patterns.”

“My two easy rules for power clashing patterns is to have one common colour shared between the items,” says Faiazza. “And if possible have one pattern large in perspective, while the other may be a smaller understated print.”

Though easily achievable with these sage rules, power clashing is definitely a delicate balance of weight, tone and texture.

“Stick to classic cuts with cool patterns and colours that are more season-less,” says Jagodzinsky. “At LUXX Ready To Wear, we are all about season-less dressing and longevity; investment pieces are always best.”

While the idea of power clashing may seem like a fad, it appears that it may be more than just a passing trend celebrated by the fashion obsessed.

“I absolutely feel that this trend has staying power. This is our generation’s interpretation of pattern mixing for the time, but we have seen this type of playful outfitting in the past,” says Park. “Breaking fashion rules helps to keep things interesting; this trend is just going to continue to evolve."