When people say that a particular item of clothing clashes with another, they mean that parts of their outfit don’t complement each other, or that the colors don’t resonate with one another.

This is usually an indication that a person got dressed quickly and didn’t coordinate their clothing the way they otherwise would have done. However, on the fourth Thursday in January, many people actually go out of their way to ensure that their clothing clashes.

Why? Well, it’s because that date is Clashing Clothes Day—a holiday that encourages everyone to get a little bit funky with their clothing choices.

The History of Clashing Clothes Day

For most of human history, clothing was only about ensuring that people were covered, either as protection from the elements or for modesty purposes. Then things began to change during the Medieval period.

This is when nobles and wealthy merchants often “competed” with one another by showing off their fanciest clothing at court. This would continue through the Middle Ages and would eventually become “fashion” as we know it today.

Clashing Clothes Day is a holiday that’s designed to stick its tongue out at fashion. It’s basically saying that fashion is shallow and pointless and encourages everyone to join in on the fun of mocking it.

This is a day for people to dress the way they want to and to mix colors as they see fit. We’re not sure who invented this holiday or even when it was invented, but we do know that it’s a holiday that allows everyone to be free when it comes to their fashion.

Some Important Facts About Fashion

Since this holiday is antithetical to fashion, we were a little unsure whether we should list some of the fashion facts that we learned while researching Clashing Clothes Day. Then we realized that listing fashion facts is probably the best way to highlight this holiday, so let’s get it done.

• Neckties were first used in Croatia.
• In Germany, in 1586, the first fashion magazine was published.
• A single bale of cotton can be used to create over 215 pairs of jeans.

Observing Clashing Clothes Day

It’s time for people to pull out their most distracting outfits for this day. We’re talking about outfits that really clash, either in style or in color. During this holiday, people can go about their normal days wearing their clashing outfits, or they can have a clashing outfit competition. People can also spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #ClashingClothesDay on social media.