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No-pattern pattern

Olive Green

Veteran

Just did a whip through on the summer clothes edit, getting very easy as I have become more comfortable buying and wearing what I want, instead of what I ‘ought’. Trusting your gut is job one, and that is a journey!
What is suddenly clear is how I do not like a pattern, on me.
The exceptions are: tie-dye, and camo. I have a piece of each.
So blended bleeding colours are acceptable. OK.
Colour blocking is a happy place. Wild or subtle, bring on colour.
Can’t wear a stripe to save my life. OMG, florals. The horror. Ditsy? Love it, and heck no. Large graphic patterns are a bit better, but at 5 feet, not much real estate for display. Maybe that is the underlying reason for the pattern lack?
So all you lovely people in all the stripes and patterns are making me happy, but I cannot follow you there. I have tried, because it looks fabulous on so many.
Is this being minimalist?

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Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from Olive Green

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Patterns are sooooo personal, Olive Green! One person's love, is another's poison eye. Horses for courses - always - and we can all live in peace and enjoy and appreciate the varying looks that make us feel fab

I don't think you are necessarily a minimalist dresser when you don't wear patterns. You simply prefer solids! That's great! Follow those feelings. And count it as part of your signature style.

There are people here who prefer patterns and pattern mixing their look, and wear it to absolute perfection! It's their happy place and signature to their style. I love it on them because they ooze ease, comfort and honesty rocking patterns.

FWIW, I have clients and friends shorter than 5ft who rock all sorts of patterns! As I mentioned, patterns - and colours - are an especially personal part of one's style.

The Cat

Veteran

Interesting that you can do colour blocking and wear bleeding patterns. Have you considered ombre items? Self-patterns, lace, eyelet, corduroy, tweed, etc. can also add interest, depth and texture to an outfit. Some people who don't wear patterned clothes enjoy wearing patterned footwear and/or accessories. I am just throwing in some suggestions. However, I absolutely don't think all people need to wear patterns.

Anonymous

I'm picky about patterns too- definitely prefer the blended patterns too, plus Asian ones. Not a fan of stripes, checks, graphic prints, or many florals.

Olive Green

Veteran

Angie, so, no pattern can be a signature? I just thought I was very limited, and somewhat boring. Well, that is a good thought! I have a signature! Thank you :-))
The Cat, all such good suggestions. Texture in velvet and corduroy and knits (like cables) are favourites for winter special occasions. I need to make them more everyday, I think. Great idea, will look into more texture for future items.
Summer is harder to find textural fabric for me. Eyelet is so pretty but that would be a little like a ditsy pattern for me. I do love lace but it is completely not for my lifestyle. I got rid of so many scarves when I stopped public speaking, and interesting accessories just never got worn again. It was more of an “ought to have some interest” professional thing.
Suntiger, yes, and I follow your colours and Asian vibe clothes. Harem pants come to mind. Your willingness to experiment is always of interest.

Anonymous

I started wearing harem pants for sleep! The trouble with them, and some of my other Thai prints though- is they have horizontal details on the widest part of my hips/bum. Will be more careful next time!

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Olive Green

Veteran

Well, having gone in search of interesting accessories, I have decided to donate my favourite but ratty alpaca ruana. Bleeding colours! Out to the goodwill box.
The shawl in forest fire space dye colours was made by me years ago and is also alpaca. Not too ratty.
Will be looking for a Ruana replacement.

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Jaime

(website)

Veteran

No need to label yourself just because you don't like certain patterns! Pretty palette and great closet clean up work!

quietloud

I am someone who also feels that most patterns look bad on me. I used to feel very boring for it, but since analyzing my style preferences more in depth I am realizing that texture is my pattern, and there is definitely lots to be explored there!

Olive Green

Veteran

Jamie, having a palette that harmonizes and works with your colouring was a game changer. I like tonal matching rather than exact matching, and the tones do not have to be in the same colour. Oddly, my professional wardrobe at a younger age was full of much bolder contrasts.
Quietloud, texture is deeply satisfying, isn’t it? I think with online shopping it has taken a back seat, as you can’t tell what kind of hand feel the fabric has till you commit. I really miss that.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Great insights. Patterns can be tricky! I am always drawn to pattern, and actually can find it hard to make myself buy solid tops unless the color is really outstanding for me. But then sometimes I tire of a pattern after a while. I should really do a little more analysis of what makes me tire of a pattern vs which patterns have more longevity for me.

Dee

Veteran

Funny, something in my DNA always like a bit of a pattern but I do love tonal moody outfits on others. I also like the blend of textures in monochromatic outfits too as there's a certain sophistication to this look but somehow it doesn't feel quite right on me.
Glad you've landed on a formula that feels right for you.

Staysfit

Veteran

You are lucky to have this sorted! I am learning more about my preferences with each of my closet edits. I am not particularly fond of prints and have slowly removed most of them from my wardrobe. What remains are a few pinstripes, pencil stripes, geometric patterns, specific colors, neutrals and solids. Calling something signature to your style makes it special. You can wear what you like with confidence, on repeat, without worry about what everyone else is wearing, and it feels like your unique brand.

Star

Veteran

I always loved patterns, but bold and geometric patterns. No bleeding or blended patterns for me. The last few years I am preferring solids. Silver hair is a big statement on it's own and together with larger colourful glasses frames it all feels like too much. Previously my hair was dyed and I wore contact lenses mostly. I think this is the reason for such a big change in my preferences.

RobinF

Veteran

I find that patterns help me to pull an outfit together, give me a reason to combine two colors. But I am pretty picky about them and much prefer larger, moodier prints. I also like textured tops and find that little bit of extra detail makes them easier to wear. Nothing wrong with all solids though!

Helena

Veteran

Olive Green thanks for sharing your thought process ... Very helpful! I think it just makes you YOU ... Knowing what you love to wear, what you love on others, and what you'll give a miss to is a powerfully authentic place to be!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ok, is that your pooch peeking out from the corner. Cutie!

Your colours look warm and harmonious to me, like a desert landscape. Beautiful.

I love colour blocking and tonal dressing and it can definitely be signature! Why not? And knowing that texture is more crucial to you than pattern will help you find those rare summer textured pieces that work when they show up.

Summer textures I am thinking of....

Gauze
Voile
Seersucker (I have a seersucker dress that is fantastic in summer -- it happens to have a pattern also but not the traditional one you might expect -- see Find. So you might find similar items in ombré or a pattern that does not read as pattern).
Pleats
Textural mixes (like a knit with a woven)
Different thicknesses of linen
Different textures of silk (for dressy, more likely -- but a washable silk might be okay for regular life).
Hemp

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Murph11

Veteran

LOL! My closet is the opposite... so many patterns; so little time.

Olive Green

Veteran

Suz, the pups are hard to escape…and are anything but tonal! I love a mid to heavy weight linen, crisp poplins, and a nice slubby cotton of any kind. Gosh, haven’t seen a seersucker item in years, used to like it in dresses, what a score.
Murph, honestly, love patterns, envy you the art to wear.
Helena, so many items were bought for a fantasy life, or an aspirational one, or to match some cultural requirement, I think I ran out of inauthentic mistakes to make
Robin, so true, and patterns make capsule dressing much easier as they are allow for some combinations that would never look right otherwise. I reference Suz’s latest packing hero of the red skirt, for San Francisco.
Star, there you have it, your sense of what is ‘too much’ can change radically. You change one thing…and it’s all right, or all wrong.
Staysfit, yes, it is very comfortable to find a style groove and just rock along to it. And when I am comfortable, I really do not care what others may think about it. A lot of freedom in that.
Dee, you guys keep giving me good words…a formula is what it is!
Janet, part of what licked off this realization that I was not a pattern person, was reading the post on how different Breton stripes work for people, or just miss the mark. That level of analysis is really useful. I’d be interested to know about your pattern preference. I generally like something low density and open, and those dark florals are really something.
Suz: These are the pups, AKA as a challenging exercise programme.

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Kate

Veteran

I'm not a big pattern lover, unless it's an abstract pattern, usually in neutral colors. Then I find it soothing to my eye. I'm happy to wear plaid bottoms, but never up by my face. I can wear stripes, but prefer them in muted colors.

After having migraines for 50 years, the last 14 years daily, I've realized that I find certain that certain patterns, especially chaotic, vividly colored ones, can trigger nausea and a migraine. Graphic patterns, like a plaid, or any gridded pattern, typically won't. I first realized this when I was reading a graphic children's grammar book in German, and the small images coalesced and my mind couldn't sort them, and triggered a migraine. It was a fascinating insight.

Brooklyn

Veteran

Patterns are so personal. I love dark florals, tie dye, abstract blurry prints. Sometimes geometrics. Quatrefoil. Not so much stripes (at the moment, but I have liked them in the past).

I think pattern makes Summer dressing easier. I find colour blocking harder, especially in Summer when I don’t wear layers.

It is a good idea to figure out what patterns appeal to you because then you can stock up when they are around. Dark floral was around about 5 years ago but isn’t now. I stocked up. I still have some of those pieces, which I am now babying until the next time dark floral has a moment.

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Olive Green

Veteran

Kate, wow, that is an amazing reaction. It seems to be up to where your mind finds less structured patterns to be visually indigestible. A lot of us have a visceral reaction to pattern and colour, others seem indifferent.
Brooklyn, you are so smart to stock up on those florals, which I also love. Reminds me of old Dutch floral paintings, which are wildly beautiful.
Interesting. Structured vs unstructured pattern. Gotta think on this.

lyn67

Veteran

I have my moments when I also don't love many prints and do more plains and textures (especially for colder weather) but for summers I usually stick with my abstract geometric ones, aztec, tye-dye, ikat, some botanicals and some moody florals-especially medium large spaced ones (as am tallish)---but am somehgow out of polkas and stripes at the moment--but loved these, too- earlier in my life. Oh, and a life long pet-peeve--I've just bought me a ditsy skirt which is unheard to me. (Think it was rather the color combo and the blurry effect of it's sour lemon, grass green, some lillac and black- but still!:-)))

Olive Green

Veteran

Lyn67, never say never. I hope to meet a stripe or plaid that I love, one day.
Your skirt sounds like a pointillist painting.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

I will wear pattern on top of pattern, on top of pattern.

But when I think of it, like you, there are certain items/looks that if I'm honest with myself, I will never wear. You see everyone else wearing them, so it's pressure.

For me this would be:
Doc Marten-style boots
slouchy beanies
subtle tonal variations
novelty socks (but tasteful patterns okay)
thick leather bracelets
etc.

Olive Green

Veteran

Carol, I think I have every one of those items
I love a subtle tonal variation, have some very unsubtle orange Doc’s, and like a pattern on my socks! Only!
Pretty sure all Canadian born peeps have a toque or slouchy beanie.
I so enjoy the differences in what suits us.