I received a great comment from reader Toreka on yesterday’s post and I knew I could not explain prints in a two sentence reply. I also get quite a few inquiries from friends and family on the subject of print mixing so let’s break this thing down.
The key to print mixing boils down to two simple things; color and scale. The exact pattern of the print doesn’t really matter. Here I chose polka dot and leopard prints, two patterns that I find appealing.
Color Technique
- Look for the base color of the garment.
- Imagine the garment without the print.
Starting with the polka dot print, its base color is white. I would pair a white tank, a leopard blouse and a pink blazer together. As for the leopard, its base is nude. I would also pair a nude blouse, a polka dot tank and pink blazer together. So we’ve passed the color test. Since these prints are both neutral colors, I added the pink blazer for a little pop. You may find some base colors that have enough pop on their own.
Scale Technique
- Compare the print sizes to one another.
- Is one print smaller than the other?
- Are both prints the same size?
I prefer to mix small prints with large prints. I will admit that this option is the easiest to pull off. In my look, the polka dots are the large print and the leopard is the small print. How can I tell? If I took a one inch square of each fabric, the polka dot print has less dots on its square, then that of the leopard square. The print with the least amount of the pattern on its square is the largest in scale. In a recent post, I mixed stripes with floral. The stripes are the small scale and the floral is the larger scale.
For more of a risk try mixing large scale with large scale. However, small with small usually doesn’t work. Especially if you will be on camera. Small with small gives off a dizzy effect which is never good. Remember to lean towards prints that are proportionate to your body. I could never pull off a floral print dress that only has a handful of flowers on it. A scale this large would swallow me up. Give these rules a spin with your current wardrobe, you’ll be surprised what you come up with.
P.S. I usually look to men for print mixing tips and ideas. Why? Think about it, often a man’s suit, shirt and tie are all different prints and they make it look effortless. Check out Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion by Alan Flusser. It’s a cool read if you want to take a look into the world of men’s fashion. I found many of the tips to be relevant to women as well.
