How to Put Together an Attractive Outfit by Combining Different Prints and Patterns

9 Well-Known Designs for Prints and Patterns

The quickest and easiest method to demonstrate that you’ve given serious consideration to your ensemble is to do so by including a striking pattern or print of some kind. A print is a design that has been printed onto cloth, as opposed to being woven or stitched onto the fabric, although a pattern can refer to any design that is repeated. Both terms are frequently used synonymously to refer to clothing that contains patterns or colours that are not solid. The following are examples of some of the most popular designs and prints:

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1. Gingham is a type of fabric that is created by weaving coloured cotton yarn into a chequered pattern, with the primary colour being white and the alternate colour being another colour.

Photo: Dagny Reese

2. You may find stripes in a wide variety of patterns, from pinstripes (extremely tiny vertical stripes that frequently occur on dark-coloured suits) to the traditional French marinière T-shirt, which is characterised by its characteristic blue and white horizontal stripes.

3. Animal prints are an imitation of the spots, stripes, and scales that are seen on wild animals. Although designs like snake, zebra, and leopard make a strong statement, there are ways to combine them in a more understated manner.

Photo: Pikinsuperstar

4. Plaid, which is also known as tartan, is a woven fabric that was previously manufactured from wool and is now a fashionable design for flannel shirts. Plaid was named for the Scottish clan to whom it originally belonged. Plaid is a type of fabric that is made up of alternating vertical and horizontal stripes of varied widths and colours.

Photo: Henrik Hjortshøj

5. Floral arrangements incorporate a wide variety of floral types. Floral patterns can range from being very little (sometimes known as “ditsy”) to being quite huge and intricate. They might be one colour or a combination of colours. Because they provide so many different options, working with these patterns is a lot of fun.

6. A polka-dot is a design that consists of circles of the same size repeated in a pattern. They can be quite little or rather huge; the former give off a more understated appearance, while the latter tend to make more of a proclamation.

Photo: Tamara Bellis

7. Triangles, squares, and trapezoids are some of the shapes that may be seen in geometric prints. They might be complex and include a lot of repetition, or they could be more abstract. An example of a geometric design that repeats itself in two colours is the houndstooth pattern.

8. Paisley is a traditional Persian design that consists of a teardrop-shaped motif with a rounded tip. The inside of the teardrop shape frequently features complex decorations that are either geometric or floral in inspiration. Silk accessories like ties and scarves, which are likely to have printed paisley patterns, are a good place to look.

Photo: Soheb Zaidi

9. Herringbone is a type of fabric that is often made of twill and has a weave that is in the shape of a V. This weave creates a pattern that looks like the skeleton of a fish.

Photo: Jannet Serhan

How to Pull Off Prints and Patterns in Your Outfit

You will have a solid basis for combining several patterns in the future if you first master the skill of incorporating only one pattern at a time.

1. Layer a patterned top or bottom with a more neutral top or bottom. Find a print that you can put beneath something else, such as a printed shirt, and it will be the easiest method to incorporate a print into your existing wardrobe. For example, you might wear a printed shirt under a blazer or suit. The majority of the print will be obscured by the jacket, and only a trace of it will be seen. You are welcome to take off the jacket in order to expose the print if you are feeling really daring.

2. Begin by selecting an understated piece of apparel. If you feel as though a patterned blouse or dress is too much for you, try starting with patterned socks, a purse, or a scarf. You may add a point of interest to your outfit without appearing to go over the top by using accessories that have a pattern.

3. Have faith in yourself. Prints are intimate objects: Even if a print is one that you adore, that does not necessarily indicate that everyone else would, and that is perfectly acceptable. The majority of neutrals have an attractive quality to everyone. Prints are not subject to this limitation. Don’t let the fact that not everyone likes your print discourage you; instead, focus on what makes you feel good and wear that.

4 Points to Keep in Mind When Mixing Prints and Patterns

Despite the widespread belief that it is impossible to combine different patterns well, many of the most fashionable dressers do so routinely. Pattern mixing is a great approach to demonstrate self-assurance while also adding a sense of playfulness to your overall style. The following is a guide for properly combining different prints and patterns.

1. Familiarise yourself with the printing on your foundation. Begin with prints that are timeless and uncomplicated, such as polka dots, stripes, and flowers. After that, add a print that is more striking. Try something like a traditional striped T-shirt with an eye-catching geometric design put on top of it, for instance. Both patterns’ lines will work well together, acting as a complement to one another, while the straightforward stripe will function as a neutral.

2. Embrace the competition for power. It is not always necessary to match patterns exactly. To some, it may seem like a fashion faux pas to mix daring patterns such as leopard print with plaid, but there is a lot of strength in picking two prints that don’t have any characteristics with one another. The style should be anchored with a piece that is neutral, such as a black blazer or a denim jacket.

3. Select a variety of scales for your designs. Layering patterns at two distinct dimensions is one of the easiest methods to mix and match different kinds of patterns. When you combine a small-scale print with a large-scale pattern, the smaller print might function as a neutral in the overall design. A plaid flannel shirt in a big size may create an effective grunge impression when worn with a skirt that has a little floral pattern on it.

4: Make use of colour. When dealing with a variety of different prints, colour coordination is quite important. The use of daring designs in neutral hues, such as black and white, can balance off the use of radically contrasting patterns in a colour scheme with greater vibrancy. Mixing a monochromatic design, such as a red-and-white polka-dot, with a multicoloured pattern that includes the colour from the monochromatic pattern, such as a red floral print, is one method that may be utilised.

The Most Effective Methods for Mixing Prints and Patterns in Fashion

Leave the ordinary behind.

The only thing that will keep you from achieving your ultimate ambitions in terms of self-expression is the decision of what kinds of clothes you will wear. This may mean rocking prints for some of us, so let’s get into the ins and outs of how to combine different patterns in the context of fashion.

The practice of mixing and matching different patterns was once considered by some to be somewhat of a fashion no-no. However, those of us who aren’t afraid to take fashion risks have been sporting a dazzling range of patterns recently, including polka dots, stripes, gingham, herringbone, leopard print, houndstooth, checkers, paisley, and so on and so forth. The important thing to remember is that daring people wear whatever designs they choose, and you can do the same thing. 

Keep in mind that these are only recommendations and ideas for those of you who are looking for a little bit of guidance; nonetheless, we are going to provide you with some pointers on how to wear patterns in your apparel. If the limitless innovation that exists in the world of fashion could be summed up in a single blog post that is 1,000 words long, then none of us would have a job. 

After some time, you’ll have the self-assurance to pull off any look and the ability to incorporate the most legendary fashion influences into your own unique personal style. We swore that clashing in style was a thing that people did. 

Without further ado, let’s get started with the fundamentals of pattern mixing. 

Put on some stripes and abstract patterns with black and white accent colours. 

A tried-and-true classic, pairing stripes with solid colours that match in monochromatic style is ideal for those who are just getting their feet wet in the field of incorporating several patterns into their clothing and ensembles. 

You may have read in fashion publications or heard others remark that you should always wear vertical stripes rather than horizontal stripes since horizontal stripes aren’t considered to be “flattering.” Whatever you want to say, we mean it from the bottom of our hearts. 

You may choose to wear anything you want since horizontal stripes are just as timeless, fashionable, and Parisian as vertical ones. In order to put an end to that debate once and for all. 

The other side of the coin is the abstract, which is typically less organised. In addition to being free-form and flowing, they are the ideal style choice to pair with solid hues. Your choice of pattern will be brought to the forefront if you wear it with an all-black ensemble and accessorise it with a thick sweater that features an abstract design. 

Choose a hue that is complementary to the pattern you are working with, whether it be stripes or an abstract design. If your shirt is white with navy stripes, your monochromatic outfit should be either all white or all navy; if you have a difficult abstract pattern, select your favourite hue out of the lot and go with that. If your shirt is white with red stripes, your monochrome outfit should be all red. You can never go wrong with neutrals, but if you want to guarantee a praise on your arrangement, use one of the more unusual hues in the palette. 

Here comes the part when you mix and match patterns: given that the foundation of this sort of outfit is one pattern mixed with solid colours, utilise your jewellery as the extra touches to make your fit intriguing yet coherent – without being overbearing. 

We are not playing any jokes on you if we tell you to mix and match different animal patterns.

The trend right now is animal prints. You are aware of this, and so are we. Did you know that wearing a combination of different animal patterns is also now fashionable?

You’ve undoubtedly noticed that some individuals are able to put together these patterns without even realising it, and that’s because there are a few tricks that make it possible to do so easily. When it comes to blending animal print patterns like a master, there are a handful of tips you need to know. 

First, select the piece that will serve as your message. Do you own a fur coat that has a snow leopard design on it? Just right. You might also try a cheetah print midi skirt. Choose whichever one you like most and is at least a little bit colourful. 

Then, choose a piece that is more of an understatement than a statement. It’s likely going to be something textured, like crocodile or snake skin; something that’s more about the feel than the look, if that makes any sense. 

Because crocodile and snakeskin prints are often monochromatic, you may use any colours you choose; you just need to make sure they blend well. Please take note that we did not say “complementary”; this term has a specific meaning in the language of colour theory, and you really have more choices than that! When in doubt, just follow the pattern of the wheel, which is provided in Editorialist, which is our preferred breakdown of your simple colour selections. 

Keep to neutral colours if you aren’t quite ready to pull out the crocodile boots that are the colour of a fire truck. The combination of your pattern mixing animal prints with browns, whites, taupes, and blacks will produce a gorgeous backdrop for your menagerie, I mean, pattern mixing animal prints.

The use of pastels requires the use of curves, flowers, and movement. 

Pastels are a style more than simply a colour palette. They are ideally suited for flowers (which should come as no surprise), additional abstract forms, as well as delicate squiggles and organic curves. 

The use of pastels is a unique circumstance. They are going to fit together no matter what pattern you choose. The combination of pastels on pastels on pastels will always look nice; however, you need to ensure that the patterns are broken up with some blank space in between them. 

You could wear nothing but pastels, but you should make sure you have at least a few items in solid colours to break up the pattern. If you don’t, you run the danger of appearing a little bit like cotton candy that’s just been whipped up. But, on the other hand, that is the joy of fashion; we’ve seen folks who look like newly mixed up cotton candy and totally kill it. Everything depends on what you want to accomplish. 

When you have numerous pastel solids going on, even if you don’t have any patterns at all, the style is still daring enough to stand out when you have multiple pastel colours going on. This is because pastels are so unique. Do not, however, fall into the trap of believing that these hues suggest an excessive amount of gentleness. Have you ever seen a motorcycle jacket made of blush pink leather? Give it a go, and pay attention to what your gut tells you to do! 

It’s a lot of fun to accessorise with pastel colours. There is a plethora of ideas from which to select, and all of them are going to be compatible with one another. 

Always follow your gut when it comes to figuring out how to combine different patterns in your clothing. 

You are the greatest judge of what appeals to your tastes. The purpose of this guide is to assist you in getting started with pattern mixing so that you can do it like an expert. We hope that they encourage you to go out with confidence, knowing that you’re already doing everything correctly, and then, gradually, to start taking even more chances and feeling confident no matter what you’re wearing. 

Every individual possesses a one-of-a-kind signature style. When it comes to fashion at Woll, we simply can’t get enough of the California look. Because we are so enthusiastic about it, we went ahead and stated why in our very first blog post. 

You have gotten this far in life thanks to your reliance on your instincts. Your instincts tell you what looks nice, and they also motivate you to start investigating fashion in greater detail. This is not just relevant to the fashion industry; it may lead you to investigate issues of sustainability, select items that adhere to ethical standards, and advocate for causes that are important to you. 

You should have faith in your ability to make the correct choices, whether you’re trying to pull off an outfit or ensuring that the individuals who toiled to manufacture it are compensated fairly and are provided with ethical working conditions. These objects may appear to have no connection to one another at all, but there is a strong link between them. 

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