WiW: Pattern Mixing Experiment! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Urgent

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

WiW: Pattern Mixing Experiment!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

It's been awhile since I have tried something really different with my outfit! I decided to try a patten mix today: I generally pair this dress with a skinny belt and a solid coloured sweater and this cardigan with a solid dress, but that was getting pretty boring pretty quickly!

What do you all think? I think the small patten vs. the larger scale if the cardigan makes it work; and the solid belt just serves as an anchoring point. Ditto to the dark tights and boots in the last pic.

Lemme know if I am going crazy!!!

Love,
Lyn

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Urgent

22 replies

Latest reply was from rae

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think it works, Lyn. I suspect I would like it better with the brown boots because the dark tights feel a bit *too* dark in the pic. OTOH, the effect might be different when we can really see your whole self (bookending hair and all that). It's just that the bright white might need some lightness below to balance. Otherwise, fun mix!!

Raisin

Veteran

It works well for me! I think because the dress is a subtle print, almost like polka dots, and the cardi is more vibrant. I really like the belt too.

rute

Veteran

Lovely!

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I think it works well. There are certain prints that seem to be almost neutral and for me they are polka dots and even stripes.

Anonymous

I love this kind of pattern mixing. The small, symmetrical print of the dress reads like dots, which like Dianthus said are almost neutral for pattern mixing. Mix it up! But don't go crazy....who will medicate the patients if you do, lol?!

cheryl

Veteran

I like it! The bird dress is great and so is the floral cardi!

Dana

(website)

Veteran

I am in love with your outfit.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Love the birds and flowers pattern mixing! Very nature inspired and cute!

citygirldc

(website)

Veteran

Love everything about your outfit. that print on your dress is divine.

Kristin L

Veteran

I think it works very well together.

Rabbit Heart

It works perfectly! I think the magic behind the pattern mixing is to find a unifying theme in both patterns - usually colours, which works here. I don't love the boots AND the belt together though. For me, it would be to choose just one of them and take the other item in black. I feel this is a bit too much. But otherwise, I love it!

JAileen

Veteran

Super cute! I love the sweater and dress combo. I like it so much that I'm going to see if I can combine patterns in my own closet.

Charmian

Veteran

Yup, the combination of small-scale and large-scale patterns is what makes it work for my eye (note: I'm both a minimalist and new to pattern mixing, so get yer boulder of salt ready!).

I also really like the limited palette; I think it helps tone down the franticness of the more adventurously-mixed outfits. So: the black tights with black boots is a good strategy (have you tried this outfit with a black belt too? I suspect it might be too monochrome, but I'm curious). Another option is (as you've done here) brown belt with brown boots, but I might try that with a bare leg to cut down on the contrasts.

( independent of the pattern-mixing question, I'm totally crushing on your dress. That print is amazing! It looks like a classic polka dot from afar, and then it turns into ADORABLE BIRDIES. I seriously can't take it )

catgirl

Veteran

100% yes. Large pattern + small pattern, a color in common, two different patterns - all yay!

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Love, love love it! Great job!

Emily

Veteran

Very Cute! I think you're right about the small and large prints working well together. Especially since the dress is so neutral, the birds look almost like polkadots from a distance. Expert pattern mixing

Thistle

Veteran

Great experiment in pattern mixing!

I I can't tell you why it works, but my eyes tell me it does. Perhaps it is the small bird print with the larger print, but I know my eye likes the matching color, and the top having the pops of red really seals it.

Day Vies

Veteran

I love it. I even love the birdies on your dress with the tan bow belt. ( I originally thought the birds were dots) I also love the colors. How many times can I say "love" in a post? This is wonderful. I will be using this outfit for pattern mixing inspiration in my own closet. Thank you for the post.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Another yes - the similar colours make it work. Do you have a dark red belt? Could work too.

Asingh

(website)

Veteran

Great pattern mixing. The small prints on the dress goes pretty well with the large florals on the cardigan. And the belt brings stability to the outfit.

Kyle

Veteran

This is how you pattern mix. Perfect. Polka dots are such a versatile option for this kind of mixing and matching, and I love their graphic fabness. Creative and cool. Love it.

rae

(website)

Veteran

TDF! The blacks and whites exist in both patterns, so it really looks like an outfit together.