Tips for Mixing Prints and Patterns

Plaids and stripes? Mermaid and cheetah print? Yes and YES! These 7 tips will have you mixing prints and patterns like a pro.

Let One Print Take Charge

When mixing and matching different patterns, start by choosing one print to be the star of your outfit, and treat any additional prints as accent pieces. This will help you decide the best way to coordinate colors and finish your look.

Pictured: Juice Striped Leggings.

 

Make Use of Neutrals

Some patterns are subtle enough to be considered ‘neutrals’ that can be paired with almost anything. This includes stripes, plaids, and even some animal prints such as leopard print. Let these pieces serve as your accent pattern and go crazy with your second print!

Change Up the Size

Repeating patterns such as stripes, polka dots, and animal prints will often go well with a similar print in a different size or scale.

Match Your Colors

Color coordination is usually enough to make any outfit look planned and put together. Even if your patterns are drastically different, they’ll probably look great together if they share the same overall hues. If your prints are multicolored, look for a single matching color present in both designs.

Invert Key Colors

If you have a black piece with white accents, try pairing it with a white piece and black accents for a fun inverted look. You can also try matching complementary colors, such as red and green, blue and orange, or purple and yellow.

Pictured: Queen of Hearts Leggings.

Please keep it in the Family.

Pastels with pastels, jewel tones with jewel tones, warm colors, cool colors… you get the idea. Keep an overall color tone to your outfit, and those mixed patterns will look like they’re made for each other.

Break it up with Solids

If print on print looks a little too busy to you, try putting some space between them by layering with solid pieces such as a solid-colored tank top or solid leggings.

Pictured: Regal Dragon Athletic Capri.