YouLookFab Forum » Topic: How Much is Too Much? Animal Print

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: How Much is Too Much? Animal Print https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:10:19 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Anonymous on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049102 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 00:25:53 +0000 Anonymous 2049102@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love a good animal print as much as the next person , but I’d hesitate to buy 5 or 6 new pieces of it in one season . Trying to be the voice of reason here . I’d pick the long coat and the bag . They seem the most interesting and unique . I don’t love the blazer , and the cut out shoe is cool , but depends on if you really need another shoe . The loafer you could find any year or season . Tammyb on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049099 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 00:14:37 +0000 Tammyb 2049099@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don’t think it’s too much. Think about how few items you have here relative to the rest of your wardrobe. If you pass on these now because it’s too many at once you risk not finding them again. Echo on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049098 Wed, 31 Jul 2019 00:11:55 +0000 Echo 2049098@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ suntiger: The shoes would not function as transitional shoes for me. I would easily wear them all winter. Because I teach and occasionally have outdoor duty, I wear boots in the winter and carry shoes that I then only wear inside the building. The leopard print shoes will go with black tights or trousers all winter; likewise with the loafers.  Accessories tend to be my thing, so I have a LOT of shoes and bags and coats to cycle through. I would never have to wear one of the new pieces, so I would not have to repeat them too often. So this isn't really about need, but about want instead (which may give me another lens through which to view this).  I got most of the other returns sent back already, and may take a little longer to decide with these. I think I will play in the wardrobe a little to see what I can put together and whether one piece will end up orphaned in favor of the rest. Thank you all so much for weighing in; I really appreciate the help and the outside perspective. Angie on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049068 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 22:12:06 +0000 Angie 2049068@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The only limit to how much animal print you should own or wear together in one outfit is your own tolerance for the vibe. All good! I see no duplications, especially if animal print is signature to your style. BrieN on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049038 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 21:07:23 +0000 BrieN 2049038@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I like the look of more than one animal print at a time - especially if it’s layered on top of each other (e.g. snake skin under leopard). It looks modern to my eye. I wore a lot of leopard in the late 80’s/early 90’s so maybe that’s what I need for it to look fresh. The Cat on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049035 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 21:02:15 +0000 The Cat 2049035@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I certainly don't find it tacky when someone wear more than one animal print in an outfit. And I don't care if they do it several times a week or even every day. If it's their style and taste, it will most probably look good on them. Besides, many animal prints act as neutrals. Stagiaire Fash on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049031 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 20:31:57 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2049031@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <div>Glad to hear you aren't planning to wear them all together. The Peg Bundy quote made me laugh, but really, it isn't just the print with her--she's got a whole lot else going on that I presume you wouldn't do. </div><div> </div><div>Bags and coats are things that many people only have a few of, so they use the ones they do have more frequently. If you do that with the animal prints, I think people will just get used to you wearing it and not seeing it any differently than if you regularly wore a colorful jacket or whatever. </div> Anonymous on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2049020 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 20:18:05 +0000 Anonymous 2049020@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The purse could work with any of the other leopards-especially if not seen all day :) Otherwise, do you have enough variety in your potential pairings that you won't be bored? Would the snake and leopard shoes compete with each other for wears, since they're both transitional shoes? Anonymous on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048995 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 19:01:41 +0000 Anonymous 2048995@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I enjoy multiple leopard items in an outfit. These are all lovely. Kathie on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048932 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 16:38:07 +0000 Kathie 2048932@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ One more thought, on the shoes. You mentioned wearing leopard only in cooler months. Since these have cut-outs on the sides, will they actually work in your climate, during those months? Anonymous on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048931 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 16:31:18 +0000 Anonymous 2048931@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/  Barbara Diane's question about your satisfaction with the amount of other color and/or print options seems like a good reality check. Sometimes I limit myself to three if I feel like I'm overindulging but in this case I think I'd have to say 4 because the shoes really are different. The blazer seems the least neutral to me and if I was going to return something it might be that. Susie on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048920 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 16:08:32 +0000 Susie 2048920@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Like others said, the snakeskin is totally different so to me the shoes are in another category and don't have to be considered in the 'how much is too much' equation. I got that coat too and it's one of my favorite NAS pieces so I definitely want you to keep that! The shoes and bag serve a diiferent purpose so if you love both of them, I would say that there is room for both. I would maybe hesitate to have both a blazer and the coat so if you feel it might be too much, the blazer seems to be the one to pass on. kerry on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048898 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 14:34:33 +0000 kerry 2048898@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Not too much. Snakeskin is definitely different. I like all of the items and it seems they’d give a nice punch to your existing blacks. Do you have a coat that layers well over the blazer? I’d keep them all ... the only ones you’d be seen in all day is the shoes and blazer. If you only want to wear all-day animal print once/twice a week, over a 30-week period that’d be 10+ wears each. Peri on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048885 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 13:39:20 +0000 Peri 2048885@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love it...like others have said, one at a time. Accent animals! The most I would personally go is a leopard blouse or sweater, but that's just me. I have the same emotions about animal prints as a lot of people had on the red thread. A large piece like the coat would just feel too much for me. A lot of people said that about red, but I would wear a red coat with no problem. So I think this is just a purely emotional thing, and how it feels to you.  Bijou on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048861 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 12:55:31 +0000 Bijou 2048861@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Enabler! I have a lot of leopard (in Finds) collected over the years, with this year being a good year to add to the collection. I find leopard a great neutral and have worn it for many years. I even have a leopard corduroy trench coat (about 14 years old) not in Finds that I just cannot bring myself to dispose of because I love it so. I find wearing a leopard scarf and bag a fun way to accessorise a basic sheath dress. and add a bit of personality. Jules on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048849 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 12:06:39 +0000 Jules 2048849@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Keep the snakeskin shoes or at least do not include them with the cat prints when deciding - not the same print or colour family. How big is your wardrobe and how confident and successful are you in your buying decisions generally? Do you generally buy items like purses with a plan to wear them 5 or 10 years out or is that a rationalization? I keep a smallish wardrobe and personally would not want to buy so many accessory/outerwear items at once that can’t be mixed together, it would just feel very limiting. I’ve also found that when I’ve kept several similar items because I couldn’t decide, there were always clear winners in retrospect. Sometimes an abundance of options is confusing (perhaps especially in animal prints designed by nature to camouflage and confuse, lol). At a glance, my take is that the patterns on the coat and blazer are too similar. The coat feels like it has more longevity while the blazer feels less classic in colour and design, so I’d keep the coat. I’d probably choose the shoes over the purse because shoes wear out faster so are less likely to outlive a trend (or my own fascination with it). But I’m biased because I don’t love the purse or see it as truly classic - the forum clearly disagrees so take that with a grain of salt! I’m not trying to tell you what to choose so much as provide a sample breakdown of how to differentiate between items that may all be amazing. Janet on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048842 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 11:43:45 +0000 Janet 2048842@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I agree with Christy. These are great pieces and you wouldn’t be wearing them all together, so I see no problem at all with these. I am also a “one animal print at a time” person. I say if this is a motif that appeals to you beyond trend, stock up now while there are lots of options. Staysfit on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048830 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 10:55:23 +0000 Staysfit 2048830@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My neighbor has always been a fan of animal print. She has been wearing it a few times a week as long as I have known her, (14 years). She always looks elegant and tasteful. The pieces you have here are classic styles. There is nothing Peg Buddy here. Her style would never be described as classic! That coat is very classic. It has notched lapels and is well tailored, the same with the blazer. The shoes are loafers and modified Chelsea boots, also very classic. The handbag is beyond gorgeous. I eyed it myself and might have been tempted except it has a snap closure and not a zip. I also already have a black and leopard mix handbag made by J Crew. Whenever I use it I get tons of inquiries about where to purchase one and complements. It’s a winning combination. I do not think you have too much. These are classic, elegant, well chosen pieces that should serve you well. In terms of being one who wears florals. That is a pattern with blurred rounded edges which is very similar to animal prints. I also enjoy florals and animal prints (lower contrast versions like lizard/snake, and some leopard). Finally, if these pieces spoke to your heart, listen! Kathie on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048816 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 09:55:13 +0000 Kathie 2048816@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Echoing Christy- the shoes are fun, and I think will be easy to pair with lots of colors. Coat is a top pick, you clearly love it, and again, since it comes off inside, you could likely wear it with many outfits, so keep. Does the bag hold everything you need? And, I’m assuming you like it from all angles? If so, keep. The only item I might pass on is the jacket. Or, do an outfit creation session to ensure that it truly works in your wardrobe and won’t be orphaned. christy on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048803 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 07:50:42 +0000 christy 2048803@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I wouldn’t even think twice about keeping both pairs of shoes - they are entirely different. The bag is a classic. The coat is gorgeous and it sounds like you love it so keep. Maybe pass on the blazer if you’re feeling like it’s too much? That feels more trendy than classic to me so not sure it would stand the rest of time as well as the other pieces. bj1111 on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048790 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 05:52:00 +0000 bj1111 2048790@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I would treat like a shade of neutral. The coat and the blazer are different shades and you might find that one works better with your coloring or with your wardrobe. It’s not the leopard print per se that would decide. delurked on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048788 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 05:36:09 +0000 delurked 2048788@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ah. I didn’t see the blazer closed. It sounds like you like all the pieces. Maybe just call it your print and enjoy. Echo on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048787 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 05:28:08 +0000 Echo 2048787@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ bj1111: I am worried if it is too much in my closet. I would NOT wear them at once! Just one animal print item at a time! Barbara Diane: I do have other prints, but mostly just dark florals. I also wear a lot of contrasting colors over a column of black, like cobalt or red, so I would not always be wearing an animal print item. delurked: I actually have all of these items in my proper size in my possession, so I am just trying to decide which, if any, to send back. And the blazer DOES have a button closure, which is part of the reason I like it so much. delurked on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048785 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 05:07:23 +0000 delurked 2048785@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I saw this coat in a you tube video and immediately fell in love. It is amazing. Have you ordered all of these? If not, the coat and handbag are usually sold out. Most of these are accessories. The coat comes off inside. I think a wardrobe could support most of these items if they all work for you. My concern would be the blazer if you prefer a button closure. Barbara Diane on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048782 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 05:00:46 +0000 Barbara Diane 2048782@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I like all of them and don’t think they are too much except do you have any other prints? Other colors? I think if you almost always wear black plus leopard print it could be a bit redundant. Or if you’re ok being “the one with the cool leopard prints” that could be a signature. But one is snake, so not redundant. And all are classic. If I had to eliminate one it would be the blazer or the coat, as they are both on the upper part of your body so closet to the same, IYKWIM. bj1111 on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048777 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 04:45:19 +0000 bj1111 2048777@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Are you wearing them all at once? Or do you mean too much in your closet? Anonymous on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048775 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 04:34:56 +0000 Anonymous 2048775@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I feel animal prints are classics and always ok to wear. They are also neutrals. Go for it while they can be found. Echo on "How Much is Too Much? Animal Print" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/how-much-is-too-much-animal-print#post-2048773 Tue, 30 Jul 2019 04:31:35 +0000 Echo 2048773@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is long. Sorry for the navel-gazing, but I desperately need advice. I have a thing for animal print this year. Perhaps I am slow on the draw (as it has been popular for a while), or perhaps I am just easily influenced by suggestion (the NAS). I do not want to overdo things, and I don't want to be "tacky"; so how much leopard/animal print is too much? This all started back when Anna said that leopard was a neutral that could be worn with my metallic green Free People flats. She was right (did anyone doubt it?), and I almost always wore those flats with a leopard print dress (covered by a black cardigan) that I have since passed on. So there is NO other animal print in my wardrobe right now except a scarf mentioned at the end. But the NAS this year! There are SO MANY animal print items! I am so torn! Following are the items I am considering. I need your opinions, because I feel like I am verging into "tacky" territory. How often can one wear animal print without becoming Peg Bundy? I know, personally, I can only wear ONE animal print item per outfit. Even so, in my climate, that is 6 or 7 months of possibilities (cool weather, as I don't do animal print in summer). Is one or two outfits incorporating an animal print item per week too much? And FWIW, if I wear the bag, it is not seen with the outfit except when I am entering and leaving the building.  The shoes are, well, shoes; they can be worn with any outfit. They are comfortable and flattering. I do like how dark and subdued the pattern is, and I tend to wear a lot of all black. These could be a point of interest without being in-your-face animal print. And I have been looking for animal print shoes forever. Then again, that was before the blazer and the coat and the bag... The bag is again, an accessory. It clearly cannot be worn with another animal print piece at the same time. Then again, as an accessory, it will be kept forever, so it can be worn five years down the line or ten years down the line after I've recovered from animal-print-mania, and it would only be seen twice a day (if I see the same people) when I enter or leave the building.  This coat is IT. I could not believe when I tried it on how flattering, comfortable and well-made it was. The lining is wonderful. It is not a thick coat, so it is a transitional piece to wear in fall and early winter. It will not do the job in a polar vortex (then again, we've had far more 40* F+ days per winter than ever), but it is wonderful, and somehow feels less LEOPARD than the rest (more subdued). That could be my animal-print-addled brain talking. But I love this coat and how it fits. This jacket seems like overkill with the other pieces, but the print is so nice - dark and neutral and less in-your-face than others. It fits well, has a slight stretch, and it has a button closure. Why does that matter? Because I want blazers with the option of closing, and SO many are open now. A blazer can last forever, but will THIS blazer be a lasting piece? Is this print better or worse than the rest? Again, I wear a lot of black, including black dresses and black tights, and this piece could provide a pleasing diversion.  These shoes are, literally, a different animal. Does the snake print make them different, or is is just more animal print? They're black and white as opposed to brown and black. They're quite comfortable and would coordinate well with dresses or trousers. I like them, but again, I just wonder when is too much too much? This is potentially FIVE animal print items in the running. Any one of them I would pounce on, as they all fit well, feel good and play well with the rest of my wardrobe. The only other animal print I have right now is a scarf, and that's an Alexander McQueen and will be with me until I die. So if it doesn't get wear for a year or five, it will still come out again later. Is five animal print items too much? If you were to choose between them, which, if any, would you eliminate and why? Sorry to be so needy, but I'm just stuck as to how much to TOO much.