This edition of the “How to Wear” series is all about mixing and not matching! I love mixing prints, but I know some people are a little freaked out by how to do print mixing without clashing. True, not ALL prints are going to look good together, but here are a few ways you can try print-mixing without looking like an old blind lady. Click on the pictures to go to the original post and see more details.
1. Start small with a printed scarf and a nautical striped tee.
Both of these prints are simple – only 2 colors – and one is neutral, so there’s not much danger of clashing.
2. Get a neutral print bag and pair it with anything (except an identical print).
With a bag, it’s like the extra print is detachable, so you can always set it down if you want your clothes to stand alone. (But please do not leave your bag unattended in an airport.)
3. Mix 2 different versions of the same print.
Here I layered two different polka dot prints. Playful and cute!
4. Let one pre-mixed piece do the work for you.
If you can find a piece – like this skirt from Anthropologie – that already has different prints in it, you can rock the print-mixing trend without even trying!
5. Pick 2 prints in the same color scheme for a unified look.
Since the stripes and the floral print here are both navy and white, it almost looks like they could be part of the same dress.
6. Mix your top and your shoes with a solid in between.
Here’s another [probably nearly] foolproof way to mix it up. Put some distance between your prints if you’re not sure whether they look good together.
As a final tip, just use your best judgment. The simpler the patterns, the easier it is to get away with mixing them. Here are some other prints that could look cool together:
- Polka dots and floral
- Chevron and leopard
- Gingham and polka dots
- Paisley and stripes
- Leopard and ikat
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I just can’t get enough of mixed prints. Did anyone else see the Today Show earlier this week when they did a segment on how to mix prints? Hello?! I did a post on that 2 weeks ago! I totally beat them to the punch. But I’m not bitter, because, as a humanitarian, I want the gift of print mixing to be shared with as many people as possible. And the Today Show probably has a bigger audience than I do. Maybe now that Ann Curry left, anyway. Everybody hated her.