Fashion

11 Fashion "Risks" Everyone Should Take

Taking risks is tricky business. It can put you out there and bring attention to the things you like and how you think. This is why taking fashion risks is so scary. Doing so can make you stand out, and it's not like 100 percent of said risks work out all the time. (Let me just point you in the direction of my '90s windbreaker and Jerry Seinfeld shoes-wearing days.) But without risk, there's no reward, and without stepping outside of your comfort zone, you can't usually learn what you truly like. Think about it: How would you ever know you look fabulous in a crop top or a masculine Oxford shirt if you never allowed yourself to experiment?

More importantly, taking fashion risks is often how you discover just how far you can go. Our style can evolve daily, and the things we were too shy to wear two years ago can probably be rocked without qualms today. Maybe you had to have that moment in which you let yourself throw back your worries to try something new. And that's how you grew and learned to embrace change and the great unknown.

So in the spirit of that, here are 11 fashion risk trends that women and feminine people should consider trying without fear. Here's to playing with fashion.

1. Wear A Crop Top, No Matter Your Body Type

This summery move is for everyone who wants to join in. It doesn't matter if you're slender or curvy, tall or short. If you have an urge to show a flash of tummy, jump right in. There are just too many fun pairings you can make with a crop top to rob yourself of that style just because an article or glossy told you that you "don't have the correct body type" to try.

2. Clash Those Prints

Nothing will usually get you feeling more playful than a fun clash of prints. Go for gold in florals and stripes, dabble with plaid and leopard, try ikat and a bold pattern. This list can go for ages, because mixing patterns can make you feel adventurous and full of personality.

3. Wear Those Weird Shoes

A shoe can completely make an outfit. Sometimes, the weirder the boot the more interesting the ensemble. So if you see a weird style that you feel you should hate but are actually intrigued by, give it a go!

Just think back to last year's "ugly sandal" trend, or how everyone went wild over jelly shoes and patchwork booties. The trends that don't necessarily fall into the boxes of "pretty" and "normal" are usually the ones that elevate a nice outfit into a street-style-worthy one.

4. Go All Monochrome

There's something so sophisticated yet daring about dressing head to toe in one color. It might seem like it'd be easy to do (just stick to that one hue in your closet), but it takes some clever maneuvering to make your outfit look interesting rather than lazy. So let yourself stretch your style chops and see what you can come up with when only limited to one shade.

5. Play With A Bold Bottom

Whether it's wildly patterned pants, a sequined skirt during the day, or a show-stopping evening maxi, letting yourself feel the drama with your bottoms can be incredibly fun. It's what separates the fashionistas from the style dabblers, you know?

6. Try An Intense Lip Color

There are so many to choose from! Try a vampy purple-black, a nearly fluorescent lavender, a popsicle shade of orange-red, or an intense dark blue. Whatever you go with, it'll add a whole new punch to your outfit.

7. Wear Shorts

To hell with anyone who tells you that your legs are too fat, your knees too knobbly, your frame too bow-legged, or your thighs too jiggly to wear shorts. If you find a pair that makes you feel excited to style, go all-in with the look. Whether they're laid back linen Bermuda shorts, part of a set with a summer suit, or hot little booty ones, try them on. If you love them, you'll rock them.

8. Go Busy For A Day

Pull your best impression of Iris Apfel and go completely nuts for a day. Layer on colors and patterns, put on your boldest, most fun jewelry, think of creative layering that would make any stylist weep, and live out loud for a full 24 hours. It'll hopefully make you feel creative, it'll give you permission to live on the edge style-wise, and it'll feel incredibly freeing to step outside of the house dressing up 100 percent for yourself.

9. Wear Your Glitter During The Day

Put on that sequined skirt usually reserved for New Years Eve come Wednesday, and match it with a knit to quiet it down. Pair that glittery blazer with some run-down boyfriend jeans, and watch how you instantly turn into a street-style star. Layer that disco ball top with a plaid shirt, and your Friday night gear will be ready to run some errands with you. Busting out unexpected textures during the daytime can be super fun. So if you catch yourself enjoying the look, don't shy away from it.

10. Try A Different Era

Go ahead: Try on those '90s overalls or sweet denim pinafore dresses. Don't balk at shoulder pads when they make your Saturday night outfit look so fierce. Fulfill that urge to dress up like Doris Day and dive headfirst into a '50s dress. It doesn't necessarily matter if it's not "your style." Playing dress up for a day is always rewarding.

11. Go Sans Bra

That's right: Let those boobies breathe. Sometimes a nipple can add a little summin' summin' extra to your look (just think of Jessa from GIRLS). More importantly, going sans bra can be completely liberating. Try to be OK with how your body looks. Nips aren't scandalous, and we shouldn't fear them poking through a summer dress every now and then.

Some of these "risks" might sound scary at first, but you'll never know how much you might love them unless you give things a try, right?

Want more fashion and beauty tips? Check out the playlist below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle's YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!

Image: margieplus/Instagram