Bows, Dots, Leopard And How To Mix Patterns Subtly

Top: Ann Taylor (50% off today!) Jeans: Wit & Wisdom via Nordstrom Shoes: Ann Taylor (50% off today!) Clutch: Sole Society Earrings: BaubleBar Sunglasses: J.Crew Lips: Christian Dior Rouge Lipstick in 999

For a while, I was a bit nervous about pattern mixing in my outfits. I loved the way it looked when I saw some of my fave bloggers wear stripes and plaid (this look from Lemon Stripes is one of my faves), but every time I tried to do it myself I felt a bit silly. After a lot of trial and error, I found a few ways that made it easier for me to pattern mix. Here are my tips for subtle pattern mixing if you’ve been wondering if you can pull it off yourself:

• Pick a monochromatic pattern for one of your two patterns– This top is a perfect example of a monochromatic pattern as it is black on black polka dots, making it a little less bold. This allows the leopard clutch to really pop.
• Treat leopard as a neutral– I truly believe this! Leopard is made up of neutral colors- black, brown, tan- and it is one of the easiest patterns to pattern mix with in my opinion.
• Accessorize with the same color family to keep your look more subtle– For this look, you’ll notice that I added black shoes and black earrings. By accessorizing in the same color family, it keeps the boldness of this outfit to a minimum as there aren’t many major pops of colors (well besides a red lip of course 😉 )

By the way, if you are reading this post in real time…both my top and shoes are on sale for 50% off until Tuesday, October 10th. Gotta love a good Ann Taylor sale 🙂

Do you have any tips for pattern mixing for those who are scared to try? Leave them in the comments below so we can all help each other out!

xoxo, Jenna

 

Photos by Stephanie Krist