I was really skeptical to try mixing prints. But I decided to take a risk and try it in the name of fashion. To do this, I decided to look for inspiration from one of my favorite designers, Nicole Miller. Her spring 2015 ready-to-wear collection was exactly what I was looking for. Her collection had a variety of prints that worked perfectly together. She used many different colors throughout the show, but the dominant ones were black and white. The look that I was interested in the most was a stripped top with a tropical print skirt in black and white. I was surprised to find out that the inspiration for her collection was actually last year’s World Cup in Brazil. I loved how she embodied the spirit by representing the flora of the country through the tropical skirt. Florals are also a hot trend for the spring, so this worked perfectly for the collection. I considered this to be a good starting point for someone who had never mixed prints before.
There was only one thing to figure out—how would I use this trend with the garments I have in my closet? After digging in my closet for a bit, I found two black and white items that could work. I used a black and white stripe skirt with a floral top. I wanted to use that specific color palette to catch a break from the usual bright colors of the season. However, I did find it a bit troublesome that my top was so loose. Since I paired it with a skater skirt, I decided to add a belt to accentuate my waist. This made the outfit more appropriate for my body type and personal style. I wanted to commit to this look, so I went black and white head to toe! I added a pair of black sandal heels, and I grabbed my matching clutch. To avoid making the outfit seem like too much, I decided to put my hair in a high ponytail and used my round sunglasses. This was a perfect outfit that I could wear during the day or at night in spring.
Fashion is about unexpected changes and expressing what is going on around the world through what we wear. I was really pleased with the results of my experimentation with prints. I think that everyone should come out of his or her comfort zone every once in a while. I invite every Fashionista/o out there to use mixed prints in your outfits!
Get My Look: 1. A striped skirt. 2. A floral top. 3. Black heeled sandals.
