Spoiler alert: you’re not.
I know, we’ve heard for so long that women above a certain size shouldn’t wear prints. But those people are wrong. I will admit that prints can be scary and sometimes throwing on a solid is just easier. So I use three benchmarks to make wearing prints simpler. These are the things I keep in mind when deciding when or how to venture from the solid items:
Scale
The scale of a print is how much of it fits into specific area. Take a simple polka dot for example. This is a larger scale polka dot:
This is a smaller scale polka dot:
Both of these images are the same size, but on the larger scale polka dot the dots themselves are larger and there are therefore fewer of them. On the smaller scale dot the dots themselves are smaller and more fit in this defined area.
Old fashioned rules state that women above a certain size should avoid small scale prints because it may make them look larger. The theory is that since the person is larger and the print is smaller you're seeing even more of the print, making the person look larger. In my experience this does not hold up as true and is just another example of 'fashion' trying to exclude larger women. As with all fashion rules, there is no metric that says if your waist measures X inches then your print should measure Y inches. The key with scale is mainly to be aware of it. If you've written off prints entirely ask yourself, 'have I tried out differently scaled prints?' If you haven't this would be the first place I'd experiment.
Color
Fashion and color go hand in hand, and prints are no different. There are a million options in all different color families, the sky is really the limit here. My advice to you if you're new to prints is start with colors that you already know you like.
If you wear all black all the time, now is not the time to experiment with neons. Go for a neutral toned print with black, white, maybe cream or beige if you're feeling a bit adventurous. You might already be going outside your comfort zone by not wearing a solid, don't feel the need to go outside your comfort zone with a color you're not used to.
Tone the Rest Down
The cherry on top of any great outfit with a print is the styling and this is where we keep things very simple. Neutral shoes, makeup, your favorite way to wear your hair and simple jewelry are the name of the game. You want to let the print shine and having other aspects of the look compete with it will just be overwhelming.
Take the Gemstone Print Blossom Dress for example:
I paired it with simple white shoes, dangly drop earrings that you can barely see in this photo and a very natural hair and makeup look. The dress and print are the star. This gives you the opportunity to appreciate the detail of the print, like how each gemstone shape has a different texture inside and the perfect jewel tone.
Those are my tips for getting starting with prints, I hope this information inspires you to try out some beautiful printed items. Of course there's the Gemstone Print Blossom Dress, which also comes in a Purple Floral Print. You can also check out The Foil Floral Flutter Dress
Here's to making a Impact together!
