Retail therapist A beginner’s guide to clashing prints
THE INSPIRATION
There’s a general idea that people who artfully clash prints in their wardrobes are style experts; fashionistas with front row seats at all the catwalk shows. They’re like unicorns, right? You see them on the street and think to yourself: “There’s no way I’d ever dare wear something like that. I’d look like a slap-dash fashion disaster.”
Allow me to let you in on a little secret. Print clashing isn’t just for “fashion unicorns” and you actually have to work hard to get it wrong. The problem is that most of us never try at all. We stick to what we know and we wear the same thing, following the rule book to the letter. Print clashing is like letting your creative soul run free as you get dressed in the morning. It feels dangerous and often results in an ensemble that makes you the very fashion unicorn you always admire on the streets.
For those of you still not quite convinced, allow me to suggest baby steps that could bring you into the printclashing fold with little risk involved. I would invest immediately in three prints: camo, stripes and leopard. They’re a trio that can be worn together, because they are the neutrals of the print world. They work in combination with all colours, fabrics and prints – and they work hard, too. Try a camo trouser with a striped button-down shirt. Or a leopard skirt with a classic striped tee.
Remember there are no rules in fashion, there are simply suggestions. Some of the greatest trends in history have come about from women taking risks with their wardrobes and experimenting with colour, print and texture, all in the name of expressing themselves and their tastes. So open the wardrobe doors wide and empty your closet onto the bed. Throw pieces next to each other to see what works, what’s pleasing to the eye and what seems to clash in a way that’s perhaps a step too far out of your comfort zone. Then take a risk, walk on the wild side and pull on a floral dress with a striped jumper thrown over the shoulders for the sheer joy of it. It’s time to put the fun back into fashion.
Emily Johnston
TOP
TIP
Feel like you’ve gone too far? Take a picture of yourself in the mirror before you leave the
house. Often the camera will reveal if you’ve gone too far or not far enough. I can’t explain why this works but our smartphones reveal
something the naked eye can’t.