Here at Oklahoma State I am a fashion major and the complaint that seems to be never ending from my peers (well, pretty much everyone) is always, “I hate it when people mix black and brown.” I completely get why! This has been a fashion faux-pa for as long as fashion has been around. Brown and black are normally used as accent colors to offset a statement color, palette or pattern so mixing the two can create something that is either boring or displeasing to the eye.

Welp, I’m here to tell you that just like cheating on your diet, it is okay. Why shouldn't these two colors be mixed? It occurs all the time in the natural world. For example, the cheetah is sleek and beautiful and has been pulling off this look for thousands of years now. Mixing black and brown has actually become my new favorite trend and I'm hoping it will pick up speed in fall 2015.

But how would you go about mixing this tabooed combination without ending up with a fashion faux-pa? It can be a little tricky so pay close attention to these great tips.

1. Start small.

For beginners, start by incorporating small amounts of black and brown. I would advise against diving into this trend by trying to pair two major pieces, like a brown dress with a black bag, with each other. Like everything else, start by dipping your toes in the water and see how you can work this trend.

2. Repetition of both colors.

Make sure that both black and brown are repeated throughout your outfit- don’t cluster one color down by your feet or up by your neck. This will negatively create separation of the two colors and your outfit will not mesh well.

3. Balance.

This is probably the most important key to pulling off the black-brown look. Make sure that the visual weight of both black and brown is equal. Too much of one or the other color will throw things out of whack and make your ensemble look off.

4. Don't forget about your hair!

Just like other colors such as yellow and red, make sure that your hair color suits your outfit. If you have a lighter brown or blond, then you would need to offset your hair with more black. If you have a darker brown or black, offset it with more browns. For those lucky few of you who have been blessed with red hair, use it to your advantage as the main focus of your outfit and arrange black and brown around accordingly. You can see a great example of this from our favorite fashionista, Lauren Conrad.

5. If all else fails...

Use black and brown as neutral accents in patterns, belts, bags, booties, ect. This loops back around to my first tip; if you can't figure out how to mingle black and brown, use them as accents to highlight a more prominent color like an army green,a maroon, denim blue or even preppy stripes!

WARNING: Avoid large animal prints. I would say avoid animal prints altogether because they tend to be too overpowering. But it is nice to throw in some sass with a leopard belt, clutch, scarf, or flats if you're feeling adventurous. Just please steer clear of animal print dresses, pants, shirts or anything that covers more than 15% of your body. This much animal print belongs on the animal you took it from, not you.

Go get trendy you little fashionista!