Why It Works

"The trick is to choose patterns that are complementary without being too matchy-matchy," says Sam Saboura, a stylist and the author of Real Style (Clarkson Potter, $18, www.amazon.com. Left, a dress of tiny blossoms picks up the color of the vivid polka-dot flats.

The earthy shades of the geometric-patterned dress coordinate with the brown embroidery of the floral jacket (shown, right).