In the fashion world, mixing prints and patterns is not a new concept. In fact, many style icons adopted the trend years ago and made sure it has remained a classic style. It is a fairly eclectic way to dress, but if done correctly can exude sophistication with a hint of whimsy. Think of style icons like Olivia Palermo, the great Sarah Jessica Parker, or interior designer turned fashion icon Iris Apfel. All of these women are pattern mix masters!
My personal style is truly more modern and minimal but lately I have been wanting to add that dash of whimsy. So I decided to dip my toes in the water of print mixing! But, always wanting to remain true to my signature style I did in a way to make it more “me”. And with the use of my men’s styling education and my love for monochromatic dressing, I found a way to make print mixing my style! And here’s how:
Identify which prints you really love TO WEAR! This is important, because for example, I LOVE the look of gingham, but not on me. I do however, love polka dots (which are trending this season BTW) and stripes. And I love to WEAR both of these prints.
But mixing polka dots and stripes? OLD NEWS. So instead….
Take one of the prints you LOVE and find two pieces of clothing with a variation of the SAME PRINT. We are not going for matchy-matchy. It’s the mismatch that we are going for. By keeping the print “similar” we maintain continuity.
Then lastly (and this part can be tricky, but I know you can do it…)
Find two similar-ish prints in the same “COLOR WAY. Then double check that the silhouette’s of the two pieces compliment each other.
And ta-da! You have achieved monochromatic print mixing and your look becomes iconic. I first tried this trend with stripes and then loved it so much I did it agin with polka dots for a wedding I went to last week! It was a huge hit. Loving that burnt rusty orange color this season too.
Monochromatic print mixing, yes it is a phrase that I totally made up, but also it totally makes sense! Don’t be afraid to step out of the box and try this elevated trend. You will certainly catch someone’s eye and you may end up loving it!