Walking around campus, I spotted freshman biology major Irina Yatsyk. She is taking advantage of these last warm days of summer by mixing bright and fun colors in her outfit.

I really admire her color combination of orange and turquoise. This minimalist outfit is a great example of color blocking, a popular trend these past seasons. Color blocking is putting two or more complimentary or contrasting colors together in an outfit.

Yatsyk paired a light orange button-up shirt from H&M with a black tank and turquoise shorts from Discovery. She brought out the summer vibe with her sleeves rolled up and her shirt tied loosely in the front. Cinching a loose shirt with either a belt or front twist emphasizes your waist, which gives a feminine touch. She completed her outfit with a simple but classic summer look: white flip flops.

An outfit is not complete without the right accessories. Yatsyk chose a pendant necklace that is very versatile for any outfit. She also chose a classic pair of aviators to match her sunny attire.

Her Dooney & Bourke bag, however, is the focal point of her outfit. The color combination of navy and teal works perfectly with her turquoise shorts. This is another form of color blocking because the colors stand out against each other.

“My personal style is fun but still unique,” Yatsyk said. “As for the rest of the school year, let’s just say I won’t be wearing sweatpants.”

As freshmen typically like to start their school year dressed up, let’s keep that motivation throughout the rest of our college years. Save the sweatpants for those unglamorous moments at the gym and stick to putting more effort into your outfit.

If you are new to color blocking and want to give it a try, you can always tone it down with neutrals, like a neutral-toned cardigan, shoes or bag.

Color blocking not only looks great on women, but men can rock it too. For example, men can pair some navy pants with a red V-neck shirt.

Colors that typically do not go together can actually work with the right approach to dress. Work with what you have in your closet and make the unexpected possible.