Tips for Styling Floral Prints: Redux

Florals for Spring? Say it isn’t so!

Happy day, reader dear!

Today is spring! Woo hoo! I know a lot of people in our area who are getting impatient for warmer weather… Not so much me, because I know the ridiculous heat and humidity of a Georgia summer are not far behind. I’ll take these cold mornings, and 60-70 degree sunny afternoons any day!

Floral prints are everywhere this spring. (Like many springs…. Surprise, surprise!) Do you want to dip you toes in the floral trend, but are pattern wary? Or maybe you love florals, but want to wear them in a new way that feels more modern? Try one of these ideas if florals are a challenge for you…

Find Your Floral

I struggle with florals, because although my personality skews heavily feminine, I do not like traditionally “feminine” colors or prints on me. I prefer more classic prints, and more intense colors, so I (generally) skip the pastels, and those realistic or tiny prints, especially those on a light background. I need a more energetic feel!

You can find pop-art bright florals, dark background florals, abstract florals, floral lace, all kinds of different varieties. Keep your eyes open for one that speaks to you. And if none of them do, that’s just fine! There is no Must-Wear-Florals statute in effect.

A Touch of Tough

If a floral feels too soft or “girly” give it a touch of tomboy with a denim jacket or vest. Denim is also a great way to take a floral from fancy to everyday. In cooler weather, a leather jacket, or boots/booties is another option to take some of the soft out of a floral and give it an edge, and it’s a great way to transition a summery look into fall! (A nod to my friends in the Southern Hemisphere!) Note: One Spring 2019 trend is soft wide floral skirts/dresses paired with a very structured blazer, usually paired with a work bag and huge sunnies. Elegant and don’t-mess-with-me all rolled into one!

Accessories

Not a florals clothing person, but feeling the itch to indulge a spring floral whim? You can find floral accessories everywhere, in all kinds of color combinations! I’ve seen floral earrings, and necklaces in metallics and colors. I fell head over heels with a floral print watch last fall, but couldn’t choose a pattern… A floral pin/brooch can be a great way to add a touch of color and flair to a jacket or business suit. (You can find very inexpensive ones at the big box and craft stores!)

In the accessories department, one of the easiest places to find florals is on scarves. Often in a great selection of colors and styles… Everything from impressionist soft watercolor florals to bold bright crayon drawings are available. I love to look for scarves at second-hand and consignment shops, too. Lots of bang for very little buck! How about a cute floral tote? One of my favorite spring/summer capsule staples is a pair of floral pumps; they make jeans and a white tee look like a garden party!

Pattern Mixing

Feeling bold? Try mixing your floral with another pattern! Polka dots, and stripes are an easy mix with florals. It looks most cohesive when the colors in the dot or stripe are found in your floral. Below, the two outfits on the right combine florals with stripes. The dark pinstripe trousers tie with the dark leaves in the floral print blouse, and the blue and white stripe shirt ties in with blue details in the skirt. The blue shoes tie it together and make it look intentional, rather than the I-got-dressed-in-the-dark look!

Florals and plaids (Also big this spring!) are a bit trickier, but since the plaid coat on the far left is a black and white combination, it picks up on the black and grey flowers on the pink dress. A black shoe here would have looked too harsh against the pale pink floral, so I choose grey, which ties in with the appearance of the plaid. (Black + White = Grey) If you are looking for more tips on pattern mixing, check out this FaceBook Live video! (Sorry it’s not embedded. Still working on the tech…)

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I hope I’ve given you a new way to look at floral prints this spring. And maybe the encouragement to try something new!? I am still loving the bright floral dress, but this spring I picked up the new dress above even if it doesn’t fit my usual floral preferences, because I so loved the swingy shape… Even if March’s crazy weather required colder weather styling that day!

How about you? Do you love floral prints? Or wouldn’t be caught dead in ’em? I love to hear your thoughts! Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below…

Stylishly yours,