A style ‘trick’ called ‘the sandwich rule’ has gone viral on TikTok, but some have said it’s simply ‘learning how to dress’.
The term has taken the social media platform by storm, with millions of views on videos of people showing off their color-coordinated outfit combinations.
The sandwich rule is the idea that the top and shoes of the outfit should match in color to form the “bread,” while the bottom should be a different shade to act as the “filler.”
It was a term first popularized by British fashion influencer Lydia Tomlinson on Instagram back in 2022, and has now made its way to TikTok.
Lydia describes her method as follows: ‘If you think of a sandwich, it has the bread on top, the bread on the bottom and something different in the middle.
A style trick known as “the sandwich method” has taken TikTok by storm, but it hasn’t been without confusion.
‘This, in turn, creates a balanced effect in the sandwich. The same rules can be applied to your outfits.’
Now, members of Gen Z have taken to TikTok to proclaim that the clothing rule has “changed their lives” and that their outfits have “never looked better.”
Han, from the United Kingdom, known as @styledbyhan on TikTok, showed her followers how to create their own sandwich styles.
In its videoShe opted for a matching leather jacket with a black miniskirt, while pairing cherry red shoes with the text on her t-shirt, with a matching red bag.
Han, who has nearly eight million followers on TikTok, demonstrated the technique, saying, “The first step, put on any skirt or any pair of pants.” They can be any color you want.
‘The second step, put on any top that matches the style of the bottom, but it doesn’t have to be the same color. Now put on a pair of shoes that match the color of the top. If the top is not a single color, choose the color that stands out.
‘Add a jacket that matches the bottom. Now add a bag that matches the shoes. The next step is to add jewelry; Make sure the jewelry matches the hardware on the bags.
‘And that’s it, you’ve managed to intersperse a set. There are so many combinations you can create.’
Han, from the United Kingdom, gave her followers a step-by-step tutorial on how to recreate the method.
But while many in the comments asked Han where he bought his clothes, others were left confused by the excitement around the stunt.
One commenter said it was a method they had already been using without realizing it, writing: ‘pov, you used the sandwich rule your whole life.’
Another added: “It literally matches,” while a third said: “I’m a little confused, how did they dress before?”
Another who doubted the method asked: “Are people learning to dress now?” while another added: ‘Isn’t this just called making an outfit?’
Meanwhile, Sara Siddiqi also gave a demonstration on how to best use the trick.
In another video, Han opted for a bright sweater in different shades of pink, while matching her black bag with her shoes.
However, other TikTokers, like Katy Gibbs and Anouk Quirk, are also big fans of the method, with Katy saying her outfits have “never looked better,” while Anouk said “Sandwich outfit method for life.”
On her Instagram account, Lydia explained that the key to the sandwich method is “balance”, bringing some of the color of the shoes to the top of the outfit, for example by adding a belt.
Balance can also be achieved by thinking about the weight of the set and avoiding making it look “too heavy.”
For example, an oversized jacket paired with skinny jeans and ballet flats may look “disproportionate,” so adding knee-high boots could bring more balance to the look.