When I found a youtube video titled: why you should avoid prints & patterns, I was quite shocked. Because I love a good print! And if that print is part of a great dress, then I like it even more. My wardrobe is not quite plain to begin with, but when it comes to dresses, I feel you can get away with so much more. Because a dress is a full outfit in itself. So you just slip it on, pair it with a great shoe and you’re pretty much good today. Today I thought I’d walk you through 5 of my favorite printed dresses and explain to you how I wear each one.

Printed dresses and how I wear them

Stripes

Stripe a-line dress | Asos

Let’s start with the most versatile in the bunch; Stripes! Since it’s a black and white pattern, the combinations with this are endless. You can opt for a full black and white outfit, sure, but I love pairing these differently depending on the season. In spring I would opt for pastels: dusty pinks, baby blues and perhaps a khaki green. In summer, I would pair it with bolder colors: think reds, blues and yellows. For fall/ winter, I love pairing it with rich jewel tones. Burgundy, navy, mustard, forest green: those all go splendidly with a black and white stripe.

Tropical

Tropical dress | Asos

This one is a bit more tricky to pair. It is quite statement and in your face, but because of the baby blue color it isn’t too crazy. A beige or cream would always work well with it I find. The lighter tones keep the dress spring/ summer appropriate, but will not take over from the actual print. If you would like to play with contrast, I find pairing this with bright yellow can be a nice combo as well. It help to brighten up the outfit more and makes more of a statement.

Polka dots

Polka dot dress | Topshop

One of my other long standing favorite prints is the polka dot. It comes in so many different shapes and color schemes and, to me, it always has a retro feel. So when I wear a polka dot, I love playing that up. I love pairing polka dot shirts with midi skirts for instance and this number I love to wear with a more manly brogue to make it feel more 50s rockabilly. But if I want to go more 40s with the look, I just pop on a pair of heels and I’m good to go.

Baroque

Baroque print dress | Topshop

Baroque, paisley and fleur-de-lis type prints are equally stunnning, be it very bold. Especially if it is set in an orange and green colorscheme such as this one. Styling this up is easy though. Over a black base anything can look good and in the fall time it nicely sets off the jewel tones of the dress. Or you create a look that coordinates the colors in the dress. I have a pair of shoes that matches the orange in this dress and that is a great way to keep things from being too overbearing.

Florals

Daisy print dress | Forever 21

Daisy and floral prints are another favorite print for dresses. I’ve weened myself off of too many daisy print dresses as I feel that they no longer suit me much now that I am in my 30s. I still have a weakness for them though, but I have found many other floral prints that I love. From grungy florals against a black back ground, to tropical orchids and roses: I love them all. Depending on the floral pattern it will make for either a cute, cool, edgy or summery vibe. In short, florals are so versatile, they could make a blog post of their own.

What prints do you like to wear?