Prints are a great way to add some excitement to your looks. Printed pants, skirts, and shirts are great ways to showcase your print loves.
However, wearing multiple prints can be tricky. How you mix and match them is the art of printing!
Some people have a limited repertoire when it comes to mixing prints, so you can try testing your skills on them. See if they can combine two different prints, or whether they prefer one print texture over another.
Some tips for mixing prints include looking at the same color family or shifting some colors around to create a more subtle look. Others like to play with contrast using one print as a cover-up for another. Still others like to keep it all in the same theme but shift sizes or shapes to create a new look.
Choose a color and then find prints that match it
As mentioned before, prints are a great way to add some flair to your looks. Prints can be any kind of design or pattern- flowers, plants, cities, abstract, zebra, hearts, stars- the options are endless!
Prints can be paired together or layered to create different looks. For example, a floral top can be paired with a floral skirt or pants. Or a striped shirt can be worn under a jacket with printed pockets.
How you mix prints is completely up to you! Some people prefer to match the print sizes or colors, others like to mix it all up.
Try mixing textures along with prints
As mentioned before, keeping your outfit monotone is a way to showcase your print. However, adding a texture to your look adds a little something extra.
If you have a printed shirt, pair it with a fun leather jacket or sweatshirt tied around your waist as an extra top. If you have a printed skirt or pants, add some fuzzy socks or fur-lined leggings under them to add some texture.
The beauty of fashion is being able to combine things and see how they look together. Try experimenting with different prints and textures to create unique looks!
Some tips for avoiding “print overload” when mixing patterns is to pick colors that are very close in shade, or to use fabrics that have similar textures.
Use an item with a print as an accent piece
As mentioned before, prints are a great way to add some fun to your wardrobe. Whether it be floral, animal, or geometrical, prints are a way to show your personality and have fun with your clothes.
For example, if you have an olive green military jacket with fur lining, use it as an accent piece by wearing it with plain white clothing underneath. Combine this look with some tan pants or skirt and you have a very fashionable print ensemble!
There is no rule saying you must wear all pieces of clothing with the same print. Mix and match what makes you comfortable and what looks best together!
Prints are a great way to break up your outfits too. If you are wearing all blue clothing, add in a red print sweatshirt to break up the color scheme.
Keep your outfit balanced
Next, you should consider your outfit balance. Balance refers to the contrast of textures and shades, and proportions of pieces in your outfit.
How do you achieve texture balance in your outfits? By wearing a soft texture on top and a hard texture on the bottom, or vice versa!
By wearing all soft textures or all hard textures, your look will feel incomplete. By mixing the two, you create a balance.
Also, by having proportion differences in your outfits (i.e. having a short skirt with high heels and a long jacket) you have achieved balance. Having similar proportions in your outfits (i.e. having a long skirt with low heels) will look incomplete, so mix them up!
Lastly, to achieve color balance in your outfits, mix up neutral colors with bold colors or shades of the same color family.
Use polka dots as an easy starting point for mixing prints
Polka dots are a classic print that can be used to start your print mixing journey. Polka dots have a very finite set of possibilities in how they can be used.
They can be paired with plain pieces, like a white shirt under a navy jacket, or can be the dominant print. An easy way to start is by choosing a pink polka dot dress and wearing it with a navy jacket.
You could also choose a piece with spots, like a leopard print shirt, and pair it with a plain colored dress or skirt. The rest of your outfit could then be more prints to complement the print on the clothing.
Another easy way to use polka dots is to find ones with different colors in them. Then, choose outfits that have similar colors so that the contrast is visible on the print.
Mix stripes with florals
Floral prints and striped print garments are common staple clothes. Many people wear these alone, or with another Print garment.
However, how you mix these prints says a lot about you. If you want to keep it simple, then pair a floral print skirt with a striped shirt or vice versa. Alternatively, you can mix and match the flowers or stripes to create your own unique piece!
How you arrange the pieces also makes a difference. If you have a long-sleeved floral shirt, then use a short-sleeved striped shirt as the bottom layer to create some variance.
Try combining multiple small patterns together
As mentioned before, keeping your prints small and subtle is a great way to start experimenting with print mixing. By incorporating a shirt with a small pattern or adding a small print to your pants, you can start mixing prints.
Another way to add some print is by using leather goods. Since leather is a natural material, it fits well into the print mix!
By combining all of your favorites, you can create some really fun and unique outfits. Just make sure all of the pieces are of similar quality so that the look stays cohesive.
General tips: try experimenting with different patterns, use high-quality materials, and keep each piece high-quality even if you are using multiple colors and patterns.
Use bright colors to compliment darker tones
As mentioned before, black is a great color to use in prints. When using black as a background color, you can add any kind of print on top.
White is also a great color to use when making your clothes print free. Any kind of print will stand out on a white garment, and you can add black prints or patterns for contrast.
Mixing the two is also an art. Having black and white flowers together on your shirt, for example, would look great!
Chambray shirts are very popular right now. These are blueish gray shirts that have some texture to them. Many people wear these loose and open, showing off some of the under garments.
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