#PatternPlay: How to Mix Prints and Patterns


You all know how much I love to mix prints and patterns. But my ability to mix prints wasn't born overnight. While I have never been a muted dresser, I got a lot bolder in my pattern plays when I started doing the 30 X 30 wardrobe challenges and dressing out of one suitcase during my summers abroad. Thanks to a more limited wardrobe, I began trying to combine my clothes in new and exciting ways (some of my favorite combos here, here, and here). When the pattern mixing trend really took off, I completely embraced it!

So I thought I would share some of my rules for mixing prints and patterns. It's nothing ground-breaking, but I hope it inspires you to be a little more daring when you walk into your closet each morning. No lie, after I sat down and attempted to write up my "rules" for how I go about mixing prints, I immediately ran to my closet to test my theories.

I wanted to pull older, well-worn pieces that I wasn't that excited about anymore and transform them with the guidelines I had written. I kid you not, I was so excited about the outfits I created that evening (and pictured here), I had trouble falling asleep later that night (yes, I am that ridiculous!). But I wanted to prove to you all (and myself) that thanks to some creative pattern play you can transform older, less exciting items in your closet!


Color Mixing:
Colors can be combined in many different ways. Stop thinking about matching colors and instead select colors that "go." Colors "go" or coordinate in four main ways (all based on the color wheel):


My Print Mixing "Rules:"
Of course, rules are made to be broken!
Finally, I created a pin-able chart as a pattern play reference guide:


I hope that this inspires you to go bold and mix the pieces of your wardrobe in new and exciting ways. And if you need more inspiration, my favorite Pinterest board is my pattern play board!

Happy Monday!

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