Are you a print lover, a print-phobe, or somewhere in between? In the colorful world of fashion, prints have the power to transform an outfit from ordinary to extraordinary. They can inject personality, energy, and style into your wardrobe. But beyond their aesthetic appeal, prints also have this remarkable ability to enhance and flatter your unique body shape. You can express your personal style while also accentuating your assets. Sort of like a 2 in 1! Whether you’re embracing your curves, elongating your silhouette, or creating the illusion of balance…prints offer possibilities. Let’s dive in to how to use prints to dress your body type in the most flattering way.
If you don’t know your specific body shape, this post is the perfect place to start.
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How To Wear Prints
Erin admits that years ago, she was pretty much a print-phobe. She generally shied away from them…especially super colorful and large prints. But a lot has changed over the years, and she now fully embraces all types of prints. The key to looking the most flattering in prints is knowing how they work best with your body type. Wearing prints strategically can truly enhance your look.
Wearing Prints On The Bottom
Generally speaking, the printed piece you are wearing will draw the most attention. If you are trying to create curves on your lower half, or you are trying to create more balance between your hips and shoulders, wearing a printed skirt like the one Erin’s wearing here is an easy way to do that! In addition to stripes being a chic and timeless print, this mixed striped, A-line Farm Rio midi skirt has a 1, 2 punch. The placement of the stripes, both vertical and horizontal, is SO incredibly flattering. The vertical stripes create length while the horizontal stripes and ruffles create an automatic curviness. This skirt is breathable, lightweight, and drapes beautifully. Erin kept it simple with a flutter-sleeve tee black tee on top. A fitted or body-skimming top is most flattering with the skirt to keep a great balance and proportion. Wearing prints on the bottom is particularly great for Inverted Triangle and Rectangle body types.
Polka dots are a huge print trend this season too. Check out this post next to see how Erin styles the trend and how you can too!
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Wearing Prints On Top
Farm Rio Print Top & White Jeans
If you want to draw attention to your upper half, wearing a bold print on top is for you. Here’s another Farm Rio piece, but in a fun, bold floral print. This top is made of lightweight cotton and has SUCH beautiful details. It has beaded buttons up the back, floral appliques and crochet trim at the neck and sleeves, a comfortable ¾ sleeve length, and puff shoulders. The volume at the shoulders helps create width across the top which is great for Erin’s rectangular body shape. The midline stripe down the front also adds visual length to your torso. See how strategic print placement can work wonders??
On her bottom half, Erin’s wearing a flattering pair of (affordable!) wide-leg jeans by Pistola and a waist belt to add definition. Wearing prints on top is particularly great for adding balance to Triangle and Rectangle body shapes. We’ll share a few more statement-making printed tops below.
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Ulla Johnson Print Top & Denim Shorts
Here’s another look where Erin is wearing a floral print on top, but this one is a bit less bold. This silk Ulla Johnson top is particularly pretty paired with denim. The v-neck tie front is super flattering and the puff sleeves are less exaggerated than the Farm Rio top, but still help add some definition and width across the shoulders. It’s super lightweight so it will easily tuck into your bottoms and since you can control whether the tie at the neck is open or closed, this top can be office, daytime, and date night appropriate! You can see how even subtle print worn on top, can still draw attention to your upper half.
Wearing Stripes
Stripes are a classic and timeless pattern that is really easy to wear. And stripes can look super flattering on your body type depending on where you wear them and the stripe direction.
Vertical Stripes
Vertical stripes create length, so petite women wanting to look taller can wear them on both the top and bottom. Women with a Circle body shape (your waist is your largest measurement) can also wear vertical stripes to create an elongating effect.
Horizontal Stripes
Horizontal stripes will add width. If you have a Triangle body shape (hips are larger than shoulders) wearing horizontal stripes on top can create a balance between your upper and lower halves. If you are an Inverted Triangle, try wearing horizontal stripes on your bottom half to create that same balance.
Diagonal & Mixed Stripes
Diagonal and mixed stripes pretty much look great on all body types! They lead the eye across your body away from figure challenges, adding visual interest and balancing out your silhouette. They can camouflage, enhance, minimize, or maximize depending on placement and the scale of the stripe print.
The Transformative Power of Prints
Finally, a few print tips to keep in mind if you’re still on the fence about wearing them! Prints have the power to add excitement and vibrance to your outfits, uplift your mood, and say a lot about your personal style.
- When mixing prints, staying within the same color family is a safe bet for success. Also, varying print scales like mixing a large and small print will create more balance in your outfit.
- If you’re wearing a bold print, try keeping the rest of your outfit neutral and quiet.
- To embrace the psychological impact of prints, decide how you want to “feel” in your print outfit. Animal prints are a bit wild and flashy. Polka dots are lively and energetic. Floral prints are feminine and flirty. Geometric prints are sophisticated, edgy, and modern. Pinstripes can come off as powerful and professional.
Do you have any questions about how to dress the most flattering in prints? Please leave us a note below. We’re happy to help!
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