In today’s post I’m going to teach you how to create print or pattern mixing within your outfits. I know this can seem daunting at first but the more you do it the more confident and comfortable with it you feel. There are a few things to keep in mind though so that you don’t look like you got dressed in the dark. Watch the video below for my tips and tricks or keep reading for the blog post version.
Tip#1:
The first important tip to remember when mixing prints is to make sure your patterns are different sizes. As long as you have differing sizes of patterns, they won’t clash with each other. The logic and reasoning behind this is that your eye is pulled first to the pattern with the biggest print and then continues onto the smaller print. In this example the grid pattern on the coat is bigger than the pattern on the boots. When your patterns are both the same size your eye doesn’t know where to look first and that is when a print mix is overwhelming or clashy.
Having differing pattern sizes works the same way when you have three patterns in an outfit as well. You need to make sure you have a big, a medium and a small pattern. Here’s an example of an outfit with three different patterns in it. Your eye is first drawn to the geometric pattern on the skirt because it’s the biggest. It then works it’s way down to the diamond pattern on the shoes and finishes off with the subtle polka dot pattern on the head scarf because it’s the smallest. You can’t really see the polka dots in the wide shot but trust me they are there. Having a subtle pattern like this works well because you can’t even tell that it’s a pattern from a distance.
Tip #2:
The other main tip is to match the colours in your patterns. Black and white and animal print go with everything but if you are mixing two or three patterns with colour, make sure they have at least one colour in common. In the outfit I’m wearing here you can see that the snake print pattern has the same creamy, almost yellow colour in it that matches the creamy colour in the striped top.
Level 1:
If you are just starting out with pattern mixing and feel a bit daunted by the whole thing then just start out with basic pairings.The first level of pattern mixing is to just mix two different patterns together. The easiest way to step into pattern mixing is just to mix another pattern with neutral stripes or polka dots. As long as they are different size patterns you can’t go wrong.
Another way to ease yourself into pattern mixing is to start out with your patterns separated by a solid piece. For example, floral shoes with a patterned top. This example has the solid colour pants in between to act as kind of a buffer. Having the green bomber jacket over the top lessens the impact of the patterned top and makes the print mix more subtle.
Level 2:
When you’re ready for more of a challenge try mixing three different prints together. This can be a bit trickier because you need to have three different sizes, big, medium, and small, instead of just big and little. Your main pattern should have colour elements that match the other two but all three don’t have to match. Again, having the 3rd pattern as a neutral stripe or polka dot is always safe. Separating patterned elements from each other with a solid colour piece lessens the impact. In this outfit I have patterned shoes, a patterned crop top and a patterned button up with solid pants to separate the shoes from the top. Having the green bomber jacket over the top lessens the impact of the patterned top and makes the print mix more subtle.
Level 3:
Take it up one more level by allowing your patterns to be right next to each other. I love pairing patterned skirts with patterned tops or patterned outerwear with patterned tops or dresses. And if you really want to challenge yourself, why not try four patterns together. It definitely takes some planning though. This is when I like to add tiny patterns in, that you might not even notice from far away, like patterned earrings.
Trust you gut when it comes to this stage. Try things out and you’ll be able to tell whether they work or not. Even if you wear them out and they don’t work, it doesn’t matter. Fashion is subjective anyway. Strut your stuff with confidence and you’ll look amazing.
So that’s all I have to say on pattern mixing for today. I hope you found it helpful. Will you be trying some of these tips out? If you like this type of content, I hope you’ll consider signing up to the monthly newsletter. I know I don’t post too often but I like to think my content is quality over quantity. Anyway, I’ll leave it there for now. Bye!
