Secret to Successfully Styling Patterns!

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Stella Jean Spring Summer 2016 – picture from fashionisers.com

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.

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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!blackrabbitphot_yvonne 4_finals-4

 

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.

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

Wishing you all lots of fun mixing patterns!

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FunkyForty

Hi! I’m Yvonne, a 40 something (wink) Kiwi, living in Zurich. I love fashion, travel, shopping and food – believing chocolate will cure almost anything!

16 Comments
  1. Mixing prints is not for any one but I am all for it! The thing is you are are not going to please everyone but I really do not care to please everybody! I really love your two looks!

  2. I found your blog via the Fashion Should Be Fun link-up and love this write-up. I love the print on the dress in your first outfit and your second outfit also looks fantastic. For me, sometimes throwing patterns together without overthinking them works really well. I see that you’re in Zurich. I had the chance to visit there last fall. If I ever return, I’ll have to get some shopping tips from you!

    xo – Beth – Tall Fashion Adventures

    1. Many thanks for your lovely comment Beth. Yes definitely – if you do come to Zurich again let me know and I may even be able to give you a personal shopping tour 😉

      Have a wonderful Friday,
      Yvonne XX

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