Have you ever thought about playing
with patterns a bit? Not in a freaky, grandma way, but really having
the guts to put different patterns together within the same outfit.
If you don't pay attention to the little details, it might turn out
tricky, so better use it carefully. How to do it? Just look up your wardrobe and select a set of patterned pieces - polka dots, stripes, animal prints, checks, floral prints and basically whatever you find in there. Now, by looking at these pieces, you would try and find the style: will it be an outfit for the office? Are you having a meeting with the girls or you're into a more elegant look? Try to decide by paying attention to the fabrics as well - you don't want to look like someone who put on whatever she found in the closet.
Have a concept and keep it simple
Choose a basic color combination, but avoid adding too many, too different colors, otherwise it would distract from the little details of your ensemble. Combine shades that complete each other and emphasize the main piece of the outfit, as on the image under: the skirt has a smooth pattern with small leaves and matches in color with the green blouse and the dark blue pattern of the floral cardigan. The eyes are driven to this piece for the huge floral pattern. The outfit would be complete even without the cardigan, the pink polka dot belt just adds more playfulness to the whole image. Even though there are lots of patterns and colors combined here, I don't have the impression that it's too much, but it's something flirty and elegant and it creates such a unique and stylish look.
A more simple example is this outfit that mixes vertical stripes with polka dots. The base color for the bottom part is a dark one, while the colors of the dots are harmonizing with the upper part, which involves lighter colors. This comfy outfit is ideal for shopping or having a beer at your favorite garden pub.
I can totally imagine wearing an outfit like this at the office. Although, it's the usual black & white combination, you can't call it boring at all. It's a perfect example that stripes and polka dots can look so good together, while the gold accessories make the look complete.
A more "everyday" version of this previous look is this black+white+grey combination perfect for school, office or for going to the movies. If you're just about to start mixing some prints, it's a good choice to begin with something like this.
Be careful with the floral + floral match because what I've written about matching the colors here is even more true: do not choose the same basic color for the bottom and the upper part, unless you'd like to look like someone who pulled on her pyjamas. Moreover, if you choose a blouse with large floral prints, the skirt or shorts should be more simple with smaller patterns. In this case the brown belt makes a good transition between the two parts.
Voilà! Mix and match for an infinite number of variations!
