If you're looking for a way to create a unique look for your personal styling clients that captures their personality then mixing prints may be the perfect solution! It's a trend that's been around for a while and is a go-to for street-style fashionistas, but it's also a great styling technique that can transform your client's outfits by adding a stylish twist and maximizing the contents of their closets. If you're just starting your career as a personal stylist or you've just never tried to mix prints before, it may seem like a daunting task to mix prints and patterns without making your client look a crazy clown, but don't panic! As with anything in life (and personal styling), it's all about learning the process and practicing until you get it right. If you're ready to give this personal style strategy a try, then keep reading as I share the steps and tips for mixing prints like a professional personal stylist.
Create unique looks for your personal styling clients by mixing prints.
Pick Your Dominant Pattern
The first thing you'll need to do is choose the pattern that will be the focal point of your outfit. A dominant pattern is usually one that is brightly colored, large print, or there is simply more of it than other patterns. Think of the pattern which is going to be the most eye-catching and that will naturally attract people's attention. If you're not ready to go for big, bold flowers, don't worry, a polka dot or a plaid that covers the whole of the article of clothing is still a dominant pattern.
Choose Your Accent Pattern
Your accent pattern works to break up your dominant pattern and make it a little less overwhelming. Your accent pattern should compliment your dominant pattern while still adding interest to the outfit. More muted colors work best for an accent and will help balance out the bright colors. Find a pattern that has smaller details to use for your accent. If you have large flowers for your dominant pattern, then you'll want to choose a smaller flower print for your accent. This again helps to create balance in your look.
Find the Right Balance
When mixing prints, it's all about creating the right balance. You should never be looking for a 50/50 ratio between your dominant and accent pattern. Your dominant pattern needs to be just that, dominant, so your accent needs to be a smaller print or cover less of an area.
Choose Your Connecting Theme
Whether it's the print itself or simply a color, your outfit needs to have a connecting theme. If you're choosing floral prints then you can continue this through the outfit as your connecting theme. You can also use color as a way to connect the patterns, so look for a complimenting color in the two patterns you choose. For example, if you're wearing blue stripe trousers then you can go for a blue polka dot top as the color blue is the connecting theme.
Pick Your Placement
Wearing prints draws attention, so it's important to ensure you are drawing attention to the area your client feels comfortable with. If your client is not happy with their hips and thighs, then you'll probably want to place the dominant print on the top rather than the bottom. You'll also want to think about the colors in the print too and keep the bolder, brighter colors to the areas you want to accentuate.
Don't Forget Accessories
When mixing prints many people think simply of skirts and tops or pants and tops, but don't forget about accessories! Accessories can actually be the dominant or accent print so don't forget about them. There's no reason you can't combine a leopard print shoe with plaid pants as long as there's a connecting theme such as color.
Have fun
Fashion should be fun, and there's no better way to have fun than to play around with mixing different prints. Try putting things together that you think would never work, and you might be pleasantly surprised at how great they look.
Happy Styling!
Louisa 💕
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