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Mismatching Is the New Matching

Back when I was 11 and not really concerned with my appearance, a girl roasted me hard for not matching.

"I bet you get dressed in the dark. That's why you never match!" she shouted at me.

That was all it took for me to start color-coordinating my fits. To this day, I don't leave the house without matching my shirt with my shoes. I even buy sports apparel featuring teams I don't like, just because I have a hat or shoes in a similar color scheme.

But today it seems like more and more youngsters, especially girls, are leaving their houses for the day and taking their whole closets with them. I was on the train, and I saw a young girl wearing lime-green pumps, pink spandex leggings, an electric-blue top and pink hair! She sauntered over to another loudly dressed lass who was sporting fluorescent-orange Reebok shoes, knee-high rainbow socks, a yellow top and orange hair extensions! They looked like a bad Pokemon episode.

Not since the '90s have such blinding combinations been acceptable. Back then, the color schemes were African- and Jamaican-themed. Now, there is no political rhyme or reason to the color selection. Some say it's fashion, but I say coordination will always be key to kicking it.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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King Anyi Howell