STYLE // How To wear prints

Coat - Topshop | Sweater - Oak + Fort (Similar HERE) | Pants - Zara | Shoes - Axel Arigato | Hat - Aritzia 

I've always been a very neutral + minimal dresser, but every so often I get infatuated by a certain print + have to have it. My most recent obsession were these pants. 

If you've followed my style, then you know that these bold, RED, large + in-charge printed trousers are not at all what I normally wear. But when I saw these beauties on the Zara site, I knew that I had to have them. 

Truth be told, these babies were sitting in my closet for a good 2 months before I even put them on. Although I loved the print, I was stumped as to how I would wear them + still be true to my style, and be comfortable wearing them.

Only when the holidays started coming around, and there was red + green everywhere that I finally got inspired to wear these pants.

I know a lot of amazing stylists that can mix + match all these different prints/colours into one outfit and make it look like it walked out of a J.Crew catalogue, but that has never been a skill of mine.

When it comes to anything "loud" like a bold print or a bright colour, I like to stick with my trusty neutrals. Since these pants had an off-white/cream base, I decided to play off of that + built my outfit all out of camel/cream. 

If I was comfortable in color, I would have probably gone with a oversized chunky red sweater, but 1) I didn't own one, + 2) the print was already out of my comfort zone so for me, more red would have been too much. 

So the most helpful tips I can give anyone who is hesitant in wearing a print, or want a new way to style their favourite prints are: 

1) Find a print that suits your style.  

I chose a bold + strong print that was a large paisley print - something you'd find in menswear too since my style stems most of the time from menswear. I rarely wear floral prints because it's a bit too feminine for me - if I do floral , it will be paired with heavy denim, leather + sneakers :) 

2) Layers, layers, layers.

I paired this bold print with long flowing layers to add something else into this outfit besides all this red paisley. The longer layers provide more depth + the tailored overcoat adds that masculine vibe I love so much. 

3)  Have fun with it!

Pick a print that stands out to you. There's no "shy" print so you might as well pick a fun one that lifts your spirits up :) Commit to the print and rock it - you can go back to your neutrals the next day , they aren't going anywhere :p