22 May Style Guide: How to Easily Mix Prints

I constantly hear women say, “I could never wear that,” and sometimes it’s in regards to prints. I get it. Prints can be intimidating. They’re busy. You never know what to wear them with and if not executed the right way, can look all wrong.

But let’s ditch that thinking and settle this once and for all. You. Can. Mix. Prints.

Depending on your style {casual, edgy, chic, etc.}, that determines how you’ll want to wear them. Last week’s Thriftspiration subject was Luna and one photo I absolutely loved {and which inspired this post} was her belted blazer over a mini dress. The two prints don’t “match,” but she stuck to rule numero uno for mixing prints.
To effortlessly style mixed prints, both prints should have at least one color in common. In Luna’s case, the gold hue ties the blazer and dress together. Since the color is the same, it creates a sense of cohesion.

{at the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum}

I took a mini getaway to Baltimore last week and mixed prints in a more subdued way with a pair of floral jeans and a striped Ralph Lauren polo I thrifted for 2 bucks. As you can see, pink was the cohesive color, but you may not be able to see the stripes in the top.  The stripes are a bit more faint, so it’s possible to mix prints, but do it in less of an in your face way.

This weekend I added more hints of prints with a Derek Lam for Kohl’s shirt and thrifted pumps. The two printed pieces don’t necessarily compliment one another {i.e. having a similar color}, but I rocked them anyway! Little accents like a shirt peeking from under a cardigan or bold shoes can make a major impact.

So why not take a risk this season and thrown on a few prints? And if you need more inspiration, check out my past Today Show segment where I further demonstrate how to wear mixed prints.