Florals Scare Me

Amy

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Is it just me, or do floral patterns become dated very quickly?

How do you judge if a floral is on-trend? Or too ditsy? Too "Little House on the Prairie?"

What makes florals elegant? What makes them childish?

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14 years ago

General

39 replies

Latest reply was from rae

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I have no idea but have to say I love that umbrella and those boots are very cool.

14 years ago

ironkurtin

Veteran

Florals scare me too. Unless they are very small and liberty-print-ish, or giant Marimekko prints on bags.

I have been looking for a floral that is neither too cutesey or too garish, in a cut that is neither too twee nor too girly, for a very long time. So far, I have a few Steven Alan shirts in a seriously mannish cut. So I feel your pain!

14 years ago

citygirldc

(website)

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I think it has to do with the print and the style of the dress. I'm so into florals right now.

14 years ago

Transcona Shannon

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To be honest, I'm not sure florals are a trend I can get on board with. I think other people can look lovely in them, but I keep picturing my Grandma and her floral "house dresses"...

14 years ago

Jonesy

Veteran

For me, I shy away from any florals that are predominantly pastels, especially pink. For me, they are too cutesy/soft/girly/not modern, but I would think it's different for everyone. I like bold (vs. soft), "grown up" colors (vs. baby ones), nice scale (vs. ditsy or little ones). I also like florals paired with black or navy or olive.

A few examples:

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14 years ago

taylor

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Me too...dislike florals so intensely...too much going on. I will only wear them in a skirt large scale in neutral...very strict on this. Did I say I dislike florals intensely on me!!!

14 years ago

Amy

(website)

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Jonesy, that's really helpful!

14 years ago

Sveta

(website)

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I am not into florals much as well...however some of the pictures Jonesy posted interested me. Mind you I cannot imagine wearing floral pants - I have enough problems finding solid colored ones
Maybe I have not seen "MY" florals yet?

14 years ago

HelenInCanada

Veteran

If the print or pattern speaks to you - go for it! If not, pass. That's my motto! Some floral blouses and dresses are just gorgeous, and would feel amazing to wear to the right places, but could be toughened up with leather or denim if the need arose...while others are a little on the, shall I go out on a limb and say it?- ugly. It's all a matter of taste. I think the trio of dresses you posted in the OP, Amy, are beautiful. Don't know exactly when or where I'd personally wear them - but they're eye candy, for sure! And some of those floral patterned pants Jonesy posted are so fun and modern - love!

14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jonesy hit the nail on the head for my own style - that's just how I feel about florals too. Personally, I am not into ditsy florals, but they can look fab on others.

Taylor! I didn't know that you had a poison eye for florals!

I am still a geometric patterned girl by about a billion percent. But florals look so fresh to me at the moment. I am with Helen in loving the florals in the trio of dresses that you posted (Amy).

Amy, perhaps you need to look at more abstract florals like #2.

Here are all my florals bar one new grey floral blazer:

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14 years ago

Anonymous

I think I've finally narrowed the florals I like down to stylistic, usually large, and widely scattered. None of the examples you have are florals I'd be fond of. I like Angie's dress in the second photo.
There is probably a type of floral for everyone. Here are some of the type of florals I like (the design, not necessarily the garment):
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/di.....ltback=521
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/di.....ltback=260
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/co.....tback=2995
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ja.....tback=5078
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ar.....tback=5338

14 years ago

taylor

Veteran

Oh Angie, I absolutely will not wear them, I love florals on others but you know I am a solid girl at heart. In fact after the last post with the striped sweater...I disliked the photo and top so much I deleted the photo and gave the sweater to my daughter...just a solid personality. Although I will wear print in a skirt, and leopard of course:)
Your photo #2 is one of my favorite EVER!!!

14 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

They scare me, too. Because I've lived through crazes for them umpteen times and seen how stale they can get. And because (for my own style goals) I want to avoid looking either "old ladyish" or "cute girlish."

But I love Angie's examples.

And I bought an abstract floral dress myself this winter and adore it.

14 years ago

nancylee

Veteran

Florals scare me a lot, too! It seems there is a very fine line between fashionable and "granny's housedress" when it comes to florals. And it is so subjective and personal. I love Angie's abstract floral dress in photo #2, for example, but most of the floral patterns out there this spring just don't appeal to me.

I do agree with Jonesy that choosing neutral or non-girly colors for your florals is a safer bet than pastels and pinks. Jonesy's #5 photo is a good example of a floral print that probably won't date as quickly.

14 years ago

Amy

(website)

Veteran

This is fascinating.

Angie, I particularly like your skirt and dress #2. While I like dress #3, that's one of those florals I'd be more hesitant about picking out, possibly because it's so pink. I like pink, but pink + flowers is so...blatantly feminine? I'd need to be a whole lot more confident in my fashion choices than I currently am to pick out something like that.

It's interesting to think you'd need confidence to wear florals...they hardly seem like a RADICAL fashion statement, but since they do seem to date quickly, perhaps that's not such a strange feeling?

Joy, I like those prints too. They're a lot more abstract or impressionistic than your typical British wallpaper or French country floral. That print on the Jason Wu skirt is elegant.

14 years ago

Angie

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Fashion Stylist

Taylor, you crack me up. You looked amazing in your striped sweater!! I guess you can enjoy it on DD :). I hereby crown you Queen Solid! And thanks for the kind words.

Thanks, Suz. I hear you on your floral reservations, though.

Amy, I hear you on the bad of "pink and flowers". That pink midi dress was out of style character, but what can I say - it was love at first sight and I had to have it. (It's a photographic print). Weird how that happens sometimes? Strange as it may sound - but I really think that florals work with your style! You have a great witty and romantic streak to your look. Florals fit that persona.

14 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Now Angie's florals I can get jiggie with - they don't look old fashioned. Is it because the actual flower is less "obvious" and leaning a wee bit toward abstract? Or is it because the colour combination itself seems more modern?

14 years ago

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Really, Shannon, I think Angie could make a paper bag look fabulous

Angie, I do *like* florals, but whenever I consider them, I have flashbacks to the series of Laura Ashley puffy sleeved dresses I wore in the 80's. With big hair.

14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Shannon, perhaps you like florals after all

Amy, I'm blushing - and laughing at your comment at the same time. No Laura Ashley flashbacks. Retro, Modern, Romantic, Fun and Cool Amy is what I have in my head when I see you in the right floral garb.

I have two more floral pieces. Now you have seen all of them but the floral blazer. (My little precious Jasmine in the one pic).

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14 years ago

rachylou

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Ok, I do like the boots and don't think those would date, but... yes, I think I'm guilty of avoiding the florals in my closet because they scare me. I get afraid they've become dated or, frankly, they were never cool. Or they're muttony matron.

14 years ago

christieanne

Veteran

I am hesitant on florals as well but I must say that Angie looks anything but "grandma's house coat" in the pink floral midi dress - it's very va va voom.
I like the examples with a mix of tough or neutrals and a floral pant. Maybe worn in a pant or skirt, it seems less like something my mom would have worn in the 70's as a blouse or maxi dress?
It also occurs to me that I have no floral prints in my home decor either. We have a lot of tribal rugs and pillows and those are the patterns I love.
Floral print shoes and bag are still something that intrigues me. And scarves.

14 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Jonesy and Angie's examples really attract me! I would wear the last two of Jonesy's posts in a HEARTBEAT. I need saturated colors and abstract wacky florals - not so much the ditzy prints or pastels.

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/pr.....03=5630585

14 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I always have some florals in my wardrobe, they may be small in scale but rarely ditsy. Here are some (almost all) of my current floral pieces. The dress stands out as being different to the other pieces due to the tonal quality of the print (salmon pink and lavender) and smaller scale of the flower.

I even have floral feet

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14 years ago

Anonymous

I tend to be drawn to florals, but resist buying them because the only florals that seem to work for me are the ones that are neither too large nor too small and that have colors that sort of run together like a watercolor print. At present, I only have about two floral tops in my closet. That's it. As much as I love them, I do not want to overload on them. They do have a tendency to look dated after a while.

14 years ago

jayne

Veteran

My floral excursion was a black dress with a few but big colorful flowers. I have tried the ditsy small ones but finally had to admit a serious poison eye for those! So this last attempt surprised me. I bought now yet another from express to see if I can handle it...

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14 years ago

MsMary

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I love florals, including all of the ones in the first post except the small/ditsy print. Angie's florals are just spectacular, especially the gray skirt!

14 years ago

Anonymous

Actually, I also love the floral jacquard (tone-on-tone) prints. To me, they look more sophisticated; not the least bit ditsy or grandma-ish.

14 years ago

Claudia

Veteran

I am going to admit to my own level of fear and loathing when it comes to most florals. I like them subtle -- and in small doses in an outfit (like R&J's photos and jayne's), and in interior design. I have a poison eye for most of what's been shown here on this thread, but that may just be a continuation of my dislike of 1980's fashion, prints, and colors: back in the day -- and now. Not feeling the love.

Just the idea of a floral suit, or dress, head to toe cabbage rose print or the like is distressing to me. I'll be interested to see if this trend lasts this time around, if my feelings will change. It just all looks so loud and/or weak (girly-girl sickeningly sweet) to me right now.

14 years ago

Heather

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I am guilty of wearing disty and matronly florals. I'm cool with it.

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14 years ago

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