Be Adventurous…Mix Prints

Most people become overwhelmed and intimidated by the thought of mixing prints. If done correctly, the outcome can be very rewarding and you will start to see many more options in your wardrobe!

It’s fun for me to play around in my closet and pair items that I normally wouldn’t wear together. My sister Alison is the perfect audience for this blog. She has an amazing wardrobe and always has the same problem putting looks together. Especially with all the wonderful DVF prints she has, it sometimes becomes daunting for her to try and mix them together.

To make it easier for you to achieve a good look by mixing prints, here are 4 simple steps you can follow:

1. Start out by finding the one printed piece you want to wear and then work the rest of your outfit around that item. For example, for my outfit I picked a great structured navy and white striped blazer from Zara. And by mine, I mean Katie’s because I stole this one from her awhile back! (Side Note: Stripes are always going to be the easiest print to mix.)

2. Make sure to choose two pieces that are in the same color story. Don’t worry too much if the prints don’t match, just focus on the colors complementing each other. For example: the navy in my floral tank went really nice with the navy in my blazer. If the colors blend well together then you’re off to a good start! (FYI, 2 pieces is my limit when mixing prints. If you put on a third printed item, you may look like a hot mess!)

3. Be aware of the scale of your prints. This is very important. Two large scaled bold prints are going to be a lot harder to mix together. I recommend going with one larger print and pair it with something on a smaller scale. This way it won’t look too busy!

4. To complete the look, pull it together with neutrals. If you’re going with prints on top then make sure you go with a neutral on the bottom. This also applies to your accessories and shoes.

You can also get this look by wearing a printed accessory instead. This is a bit easier to accomplish, especially when you are in a rush. When I am running out the door and need an extra something to my outfit, I just throw on a printed top with my leopard pumps. To me, animal prints are a neutral! It really doesn’t take much effort and it looks like you’ve put a lot of thought into it.

Once you get the hang of it, you will realize that it’s really not so hard. Plus, it’s kind of fun to be adventurous and step out of your comfort zone once in awhile.

{In this look I am wearing a blazer from Zara, floral tank from Nordstrom, jeans by Seven For All Mankind, clutch by Gigi New York and BCBG pumps.}

xo, CG