Secret to Successfully Styling Patterns!

The Spring Summer 2016 shows saw  lots of mixing and styling of patterns – one of my favourites being Stella Jean with her African inspired mixing up of patterns. We’ve also seen same patterns being worn together – especially for suits – a look previously considered taboo and now the hype of fashion.

So what is the secret to successfully wearing patterns – when are they mixed correctly and when is it simply a matter of bad taste?

The answer is simple – this time it all lies in your hands! If you wear something with confidence and act like it’s meant to be that way – with a purpose that you have defined in your own mind – then congratulations, you have successfully styled a multi pattern combination.

3 Simple Steps to Successfully Styling your mixed Pattern Outfit

 1) Get all patterned pieces of clothing out of your wardrobe

 2) Stand in front of a mirror try them all on in different combinations

 3) Are there any that make you feel good? If yes then congratulations you’ve successfully styled your own mixed pattern look!

A word of warning though, mixing patterns is nothing for the faint hearted or those that aim to please as fashionable or not such a look will always polarise and never please all. Recently I published an article about “Bad Taste Day Survival” – I have found the feedback super interesting – many people told me how lucky I was my daughter saved me from going out looking like that and then at the same time I had just as much feedback from people telling me the outfit looked fabulous and I shouldn’t have listened to her.

If you’re not brave enough to mix patterns – start by wearing the same patterns together and then go from there.

Sometimes mixing patterns can happen by default – the other day rushing out for a photo shoot I didn’t have time to change properly so simply slipped on a skirt with shirt and cardigan I was already wearing – expecting it to look awful, but quite the opposite, teamed with brightly coloured high heels I actually pulled off a look that’s meant to be – smile!

 

Red and white Skirt and top borrowed from one of my favourite shops eclectic – really excited as today is the start of their 4 day warehouse sale – will I see you there??? I’m certainly going to see what there is on offer – smile.

 

All photos of me in this post from  blackrabbit photography  check out her brilliant site!

Wishing you all lots of fun mixing patterns!