Getting dressed should be fun! As we re-enter life, I’m beyond excited to get dressed again. Like really dressed! Are you’re in the mood to create some next level outfits? If so, one of the easiest things you can do is to mix prints and patterns to look super chic and stylish. Here’s a few ideas on how to mix prints and patterns like a fashion pro. The great news is that you can create many outfits with items already in your closet! Make sure to watch the video too below.
5 Outfit Ideas:How to Mix Prints & Patterns Like a Fashion Pro
To get a lay of the land it helps me to think of prints in patterns in 5 Main categories: animal prints, polka dots, stripes, tweeds/herringbones, florals. There are many more prints and patterns obviously. However, these are common in most closets, and they’re easy to pick out.
1. Animal print and stripes
This is an easy way to go about mixing prints and patterns because these two are SO common! Almost everyone has a leopard print something or other and a striped top! Here’s some fun ideas on how to mix these. I also love a good leopard print skirt with a button down striped shirt, as seen in the video.
2. Herringbone, Tweeds, Jacquard- Classic Prints and Patterns Mixing
I love all these classic prints layered together to create a timeless canvas. In the video, I show you an easy starter type of outfit that’s easy to craft. All you need is a tweed jacket and a printed button down and some jeans!
3. The Fashion Week Streetstyle Trick
Many of these combinations seem improbable until you see them in a fashion week streetstyle recap. In my several seasons at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks, I recall noting how the most photographed are the most mixed in prints! So the fashion week streetstyle “trick” is that mixing prints and patterns like a pro gets you attention! 🙂 For this look, you want to mix at least 2 different patterns, can be from the same pattern “family” and also incorporate bright colors. However, you get extra points for having 3 distinct prints! See the ideas above!
4. Paisely Mixing
Paisely is already a ready to wear print that is super easy to mix. Pick a hue from the pattern and implement another, like stripes or polka dots!
5. Advanced Pattern Mixing
This is where you want to mix 3 prints and patterns or more! The most important thing is to have fun, and not think too hard. A rule of thumb I try to keep in mind is to make sure that the patterns aren’t so similar that they just look mismatched. For example, if you have 2 patterns that are almost the same it will be distracting to the overall effect. You want to make sure that the clashing complements but doesn’t look “off”.
For more fashion week inspiration, check out my fashion week diaries report, and the future of fashion post here. For more fashion and styling videos, see here for my channel! Keep having fun, and never stop getting dressed. Love, Z
