Milk.Bread.Fashion.: How To Mix Prints

2.25.2011

How To Mix Prints

You've probably heard by now that a trend for spring (and even right now, really) is to mix prints. Some of what I see in magazines regarding this cracks me up because it looks awful. Like no one would ever wear that and have someone say, "You look fantastic!" They might say instead (to their friend under their breath as you walk by), "She looks like a crazy bag lady." But I do like mixing prints when done realistically. Here are a couple of guidelines for doing it as well as some pictures so you can see what I mean.

1. Mix a similar print but in different scales, i.e. small floral on top, larger floral on bottom or big stripe on top, little stripe on bottom (see black/pink ethnic stripe top w/ black ethnic stripe skirt)

2. Mix totally different prints that have a common color theme (see orange paisley pant w/ orange flower tank)

3. Mix different prints that somehow share similar pattern (see floral top w/ yellow and black lace skirt)

4. Throw caution to the wind and mix something that on paper sounds weird but looks good in the mirror (see floral top w/ graphic black and white skirt and yellow belt)

I kind of got into the idea of mixing prints when I realized I did it on my daughter's outfits all the time. The warning here is that you have to be careful to make sure you keep your mix sophisticated and not juvenile. Just because a mash up looks good on my 3 year old doesn't mean it's okay for me.