Tricky visual question alert: the difference between various animal prints? - YouLookFab Forum

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Tricky visual question alert: the difference between various animal prints?

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Here's a concept I've never been able to master, and I'm hoping you descriptively-gifted ladies may be able to help. What exactly is the difference between various animal prints? Leaving colour out of the equasion, what distinguishes a snake print from lizard, or leopard from croco?

I'm looking for an animal-print sandal that will work as a neutral but will look especially good with black. In my mind I'm picturing the perfect option as a black shoe with a black animal print. Something that would lend texture to the basic black sandal yet still be interesting. Am I completely off-base here? If so, please help me adjust my thinking.

Thanks for dealing with this latest descriptive curve ball!

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17 replies

Latest reply was from Michelle

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Hi Michelle- your questions are so much fun to ponder. First off, there is a difference between animal "prints", and the texture of animal skin (which can be real, or embossed) The prints have more than one color, and these are animals who generally have fur- zebra, leopard, giraffe, etc.
Now I think that what you are after is the texture (which can also have a variation in color sometimes) of animal skin. So, you're looking for cold blooded animals- snake, lizard, crocodile, etc. Let's see- crocodile skin has sort of regular oblong circles (or rounded off rectangles) in the pattern. I think that alligator is similar, but smaller and not as regular. Snakeskin has smaller, roundish scales that I think overlap each other. Lizard I am not sure of, but I don't think that it has the scale effect of the other two, more of an all over texture would be my guess.
I hope that helps, and I am curious to see how others can describe it.

shiny

Veteran

Chewy gave you a great explanation, and in all honesty I easily get my animal prints all mixed up, so I'm the last person to ask! Where is Jewelrygirl? She is probably the resident YLF expert here!

But I just want to add that right now animal prints in unnatural, bright colors are a big trend. For example Angie recently blogged about her snakeskin wristlet which happens to be bright green and yellow. I've seen pink and orange and purple and blue too.

Debbie

what about the shoe Angie blogged about on March 7 2009? It is a dressier version tho.

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Happylife, if you mean the Brulees mentioned in the post from March 9, I just ordered a pair, but they don't come in black or animal print as far as I know. I'll be testing them out in the pewter to see how they work for me.
Khris, thanks for your descriptions! It's super helpful.
Shiny: I know animal prints are everywhere, which is why I finally decided to try and get to the bottom of what each one looks like. Once I can picture a certain style, I find it easier to start experimenting with it. Unless I can visualize it with my existing wardrobe and on my own body, I'm usually not comfortable wearing it out. Does that make sense?

April

Veteran

Hi Michelle -- the Brulees do come in black patent, if that would do: http://www.zappos.com/product/7506623/color/90

As far as animal patterns, Khris made a nice distinction between textures and prints. Were you interested in visual descriptions of the different (non-textural) animal prints?

For example, here is a bit of geekdom whose moment may have come... Leopard print is a golden brown background with deeper brown spots ringed in black. It is often mentioned here as "cheetah print," but -- and here is the geekish bit -- cheetahs are just golden with plain black spots, lacking the jazzy patterned rings of the leopard.

I feel certain that is not the information you were looking for...

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Oh, but April, that kind of info is incredibly helpful! That bit of geekdom, as you put it, gave me a sense of what leopard print looks like for the first time ever! If you've got more tidbits like that, hook me up!
As for the brulees, I think I'll stay away from patent for my casual sandals tims time around. Plus I believe Angie said the patent leather wasn't as soft.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

But it's so much more fun to say "cheetah print" than "leopard." At least for me anyway, I really like saying and hearing words with "chee" sounds in them, like "mochila" in Spanish (mocheela). Hee hee, it makes me smile to say it. (Yes, I'm a crazy word person).

Wow, great descriptions! I love when Michelle asks these questions, because it's something I never really think about, but when she asks, I do think about it, and it's interesting, and kind of challenging to explain, isn't it? Thanks Michelle!

Giraffe print is light golden tan, kind of like cheetah/leopard print, but it has closely spaced, irregularly shaped, darker brown patches on it. All the patches fit together though--to me, the darker patches look like stepping stones in a patio, and the lighter tan color is like the mortar between them.

Zebra print is black and white. It is made of up jagged, curvy stripes that sometimes fit together and bend the same way, and sometimes fork out in a V shape at the ends. Zebras are white with black stripes on them, but when you see a zebra printed item, it just looks like black and white alternating.

I'm not sure if that helps. I think April and Khris did a better job explaining.

Alecia

Veteran

Oh, great descriptions, Ana, Khris, and April. I was thinking about how to describe giraffe print on my way to the gym tonight. Ana did a better job than I would have done.

Going to your question about color and what would be the best neutral, I agree with Khris that your more likely to find something neutral but with the textural pizzaz of an "animal" print in a snakeskin. I tend to associate crocodile exclusively with texture because products of crocodile or approximating crocodile tend to be dyed one color (at least in my experience). The colors are not usually the natural crocodile colors. You might find blue or pink or really any color under the sun. The interest lies in the difference in hue between the large raised "scales" and the demarcating line between the scales. The line between scales is often just a slightly lighter hue of the color.

However, snakeskin can either be one color or (and this is my favorite) it can approximate the intricate patterns one sees on snakes. So in the latter, there are two things going on. There is texture created by small scales. Then, there is a larger pattern (formed by the scales) being created by color. This sounds really loud but you can find them in muted and neutral color palates. I recently bought a pair of sandals in a snakeskin that is kind of tan on tan on white. It's very subtle and acts as a neutral but still adds some great dimension.

The patterns from our furry friends (giraffe aside, if the colors are really pale) are harder to make a true neutral. They are beautiful but definitely make a statement piece.

In looking for the shoes I have (I couldn't find them), I found these shoes. http://www.famousfootwear.com/.....pg=1017608 I wonder if these might fit the bill for you? The pair of lifestrides I have are really comfortable. Interestingly, the "white" color has the snakeskin pattern on scale look that I described. The bronze is just a solid bronze color with the scale texture.

Hope some of this makes sense.

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Alecia, Ana and April, add you to the list of people with a knack for description! I really appreciate everyone's input on this. You guys have done more to help me visualize these prints in a day than others have accomplished all my life!

Alecia, those sandals sound like the sort of thing I'm after, though maybe in black. But, story of my life, Famous Footware doesn't exist in Canada! I intend to do some shopping on the weekend to see what I can find, but one early search has indicated this one as a possibility:
http://www.naturalizer.com/Sho.....pg=3005081
I may turn out to hate it if it's in stores, and it may not even be available at Canadian locations, but on paper this sounds ok. Thoughts?

shiny

Veteran

Michelle, I was trying to say that, right now, animal prints in bright, non-neutral, not-existing in nature, colors are in. So if you're a purist, then be sure to tread lightly. Does that make sense?

Help me out here, girls... maybe I'm all wet and pythons DO come in a range of colors? I always thought pythons were kind of earth tones? I'm no reptile expert.... so I could be completely wrong!!

For example, here's a python clutch that comes in yellow, pink, and green - easter-egg shades (pastels):

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/30....._KdBu7TPkQ

I thought I was a purist until I saw Angie's wristlet, which is just so much FUN... hee hee... although I am not sure I would yet attempt a zebra print in purple... hmmm... I guess I should never say never!

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Hehe, Shiny, I'm no reptile expert either, let me tell you. And no worries, you were definitely clear on what you were trying to say, I think it's me who needs to clarify my position. I think I've been reluctant to embrace animal prints because I've had trouble visualizing those patterns in the past. Add really bold colours into the mix and you've got something I can't wrap my head around and would be hesitant to take on anyway due to my somewhat cautious nature. Because of my size, I'm also always wary of really bold prints that may accentuate features I'd rather gloss over (this could well be faulty thinking on my part). Now that you, Khris and the rest of the girls have started explaining what these patterns look like, I may find I'm willing to step out of my comfort zone a bit, but that remains to be seen (I must admit I'm totally loving the idea of a fun animal print bag). It will always be crucial for me to be able to visualize how something looks and be able to identify a role for it in my wardrobe. I'm left to my own devices when it comes to putting outfits together, so I need to have a good grasp on what works.

Thanks so much for your explanations.

Alecia

Veteran

Well, with respect to colors that occur naturally on snakes, I have seen snakes with a skin that's yellow and white, kind of like the print in the handbag Shiny posted. I have also seen snakes that were a solid, vivid, lime green. (Tree snakes, I think.) I have yet to see a pink or purple snake.

I digress. I like the shoe you posted, Michelle. I like it much better in the creme than in the black, though. I actually think that the creme would go with more things than a black (it would go with both black and brown and most every color) and would have the bonus of being a color that's closer to your skin tone, thus elongating the leg. So, in the spirit of Angie's gentle prodding to try new things and Hanna's wardrobe challenges, I challenge you to consider moving beyond the black snakeskin.

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

That sounds like a challenge I can take on, Alecia. I'll see if they have it first, but I kind of like the cream idea. You can always sign me up for leg elongation!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I do like the cream/black snakeskin. I have a pair of flats in a similar pattern. Those sandals have a thong toe, though- can you do a thong toe Michelle? I never could before, but my current favorite sandals have one that doesn't bother me at all. Famous Footwear is also know as Factory Brand Shoes, but I'm not sure that name is in Canada, either.

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I am such a color loonbat that I instantly gravitated to the sandals in yellow! LOL I am hopeless.

Dani

Veteran

Kristen, I was instantly drawn to the turquoise color (last summer, I was the turquoise and orange queen), so I understand!

Michelle, I really prefer the cream ones as well for all the reasons previously mentioned. I hope they have them when you get to the store...be sure to post pictures if you end up with them!

Off topic, I have a pair of giraffe print flats that are on their last leg and I hope to replace this fall. I found myself reaching for them quite often to add a little punch to a neutral outfit. I got tons of use out of them!

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

Aaaaaand...they don't carry those sandals in Canada. Why am I surprised? Especially annoying after all the good feedback here! Oh well, I'll keep looking. That should be an easier in-store find than low-heeled pewter sandals proved to be.
Again, thanks to everyone for all the invaluable help. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.