How to Fashionably Mix Prints & A Cute Printed Sandal to Live in This Summer

Many trends often come and go but every once in awhile one sticks around for a few or many seasons longer. A few years back we saw the trend of mixing prints come in and boy did it take center stage in a hurry. While the trend has died off some, it can still be seen showing up on runways, social media, and fashion blogs worldwide. Probably because it is so much fun to wear and brings out the rebellious side of many of us fashionistas when it comes to pushing the fashion boundaries!

If there is one trend that seems to intimate people more than ever, the mixing prints trend is certainly it. Many of us grew up in the old frame of mind, that if it doesn’t “match” it should not be worn together. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I started really studying fashion, and learning from other stylists, and what I found is that in fashion, rules are meant to be broken. Which is exactly how we get these trends that pop up out of nowhere, sweep the nation by storm, then often leave as fast as they came in.

The idea of “matching” is one that most of us needs to let go of permanently. It’s not just a trend, but a better way to wear your clothes, that will also provide you with many more outfits once you get the hang of styling different looks.

One fashion rule for instance, that many of us may still follow but one that certainly needs to be kicked to the curb, is that you can’t wear neutrals together. As in, don’t you dare wear that brown belt with those black shoes! This actually couldn’t be further from the truth. Many stylists and fashionistas agree that neutral colors are just that.. neutral, and can be worn with anything, including each other! Yep, who would’ve thought you could wear that beige trench over your black dress and what do you know, it looks pretty smashing too, right?!

So now that you know its ok to mix those neutrals together, let’s dive into how you mix prints, because wearing some neutral prints with bold colorful prints is a great place to start.

How to Mix Prints: a Guide for a Newbie

Start small. You don’t have to start mixing those floral and stripes just yet (although they are a great one to start with!) We will work our way up to it. One of my favorite ways to do this is to mix an overall print like a printed dress with a printed accessory such as a hat, shoe, or handbag.
Mix Neutral prints with colored prints. While mixing a lot of color can be intimidating, mixing a neutral with a bold, colorful print is a great way to start. Mix that pretty black and white check printed handbag with a floral red print dress. Remember, neutral colors are: beige, brown, black, white, or tan.
Mix a small print with a bigger print. Small prints look a little less “out-there” and are great to start with when you’re new to figuring out how to work different prints together in an outfit. Tip: Small prints look more flattering on more petite body shapes too. Pick a small gingham print and pair it with large graphic print.
Start with the basic prints. Stripes, plaid, polka dots, animal prints, and florals. They all look great together! Just be sure to limit your outfit to two varying prints only. Any more and you will end up looking more like a crazy person!
Keep the colors in the same color family. Once you’re ready to move past the neutrals, start picking prints of the same color palette. You can also pick prints of the same color.
Be Brave and go for a print on top and a different print on bottom. Break up the chaos with a thicker belt. This will tie the look together in a complimentary way. You can also use this same technique with your skin such as wearing a crop top in a print. the skin between the prints will leave it looking a little less chaotic and more put together.
Remember leopard print and stripes can act as a neutral. Mix with a print in a similar family of color for an easy way to dive into the trend.
Once you start to get a hang of it and train your eye, you can start going bolder with more prints and mixing more colors of varying degree.

This week I got some cute super comfy wedge sandals in a fun graphic print in neutral (camouflage!) colors from Rocky 4EurSole and decided to pair it with a bold, bigger print in red and black on a cute new dress I got. The print- Dinosaurs. Yep, who would’ve thought a grown woman could wear dinosaurs AND mix it with camoflauge?! To that I say, if you’re going to wear something usually geared towards children, don’t be afraid to go all out and mix in a print somewhere else. These sandals go great with this dress thanks to being a neutral shade of brown and beige with a little hint of green. It doesn’t compete with the red and blue print I got goin’ on up top, but instead looks more subtle and chic. These sandals by the way– sooooo comfy!!

Rocky 4EurSole designs shoes to be super supportive, good for your feet, and incredibly comfortable for walking in and standing in for hours! This sandal was a no-brainer to invest in and one I know I will be wearing all summer long and well into the fall! They are quite literally some of the comfiest, cushiony sandals I’ve ever worn. This lovely leather sandal built for the active women, is incredibly lightweight, slip-resistant, and has tons of super soft memory-foam cushioning for supporting your weight. The adjustable straps allow for the perfect fit and are designed to easily unhook to get in and out of in seconds! It also has a comfortable leather lining that helps block sweat too! I’m a sucker for the low, yet super chic heel!