Was I just in a parallel universe where I hacked into Claire's YLF account and wrote this post? I feel like I could have. Seriously.

I've been more self aware of my strong leanings toward printed tops and dresses lately. I think as Gaylene pointed out, sometimes it's just a matter of being more self aware and deciding to keep or break a habit (as silly as it sounds I needed to hear it how she analyzed it). I am going to stew on this for a while myself.

So Claire, thanks for posting! The replies are so insightful.

Haven't read the whole thread - will come back later when I have more time, but I would get really bored with my wardrobe if it didn't include prints!

Often if I'm all dressed in solids I'll take a look in the mirror and go "blah... something is missing".... and it's a print. But that print needn't be the top or dress. It could be the simple addition of a scarf, or animal print shoes, or leopard print handbag, or cowhide/snakeskin belt. Then I feel complete and ready to go.

I also adore printed blouses for their concealing/eye confusing factor, and have a few that have managed to survive many culling sessions. Paisley. I have a crazy irrational love for paisley. And since I'm only 5'0 it is particularly difficult for me to let go of items that have a pattern that scales well for my petite height.

I love printed dresses for the same reason, but have been really trying to curb this, because I do find solid dresses a lot more versatile (just pop on a printed scarf or shoes or bag). A dress in a wild print can't be worn quite as often, because it is more memorable. But then again, a solid dress in a stand out color is also memorable -- just slightly more versatile depending on how it's accessorized.

For my recent shift in lifestyle -- lots more business travel -- solids make a lot more sense, so I am refraining here, but still indulging on printed accessories. A scarf or belt doesn't take up all that much room in luggage.

Well, abc's comment just ups the ante because she is not a rectangle, although she is fair in her colouring....

In the end, I think Gaylene's got it -- it's personal style, no more or no less. Yet we do want to know what makes something work for us, or not, and it makes sense to try to figure it out so we can prevent more buying mistakes!

I was thinking some more about the solids thing....In cooler temps they are layered more so even if wearing monochrome, there is added texture and interest from the lines. This layering also breaks up a rectangular expanse.

Angie has this option for almost the entire year, due to climate and the fact she runs cold. I have it much of the year, but there are two solid months in summer where layering, except in the thinnest knit linens, becomes impossible. In fact, I struggle with summer dressing, precisely for this reason, and I recall, last year, as I was bemoaning my boredom with my summer so-called outfits, you gently suggested that I might want to try a PRINT for a little interest!

DUH! I thought. So I did try a print or two. And fast discovered that I could only bear a print in small doses! And once in a while.

One of those print tops almost went into the purge pile this year. But I kept it because it is a nice-quality, low wrinkling silk, and I hated to waste what I had spent on it -- it's still in excellent shape. (BR -- worn quite a lot last year but by no means worn out.)

Oddly enough, I am actually enjoying it more this summer than last. Why? Because I figured out that I like it better with a semi-tuck. Left untucked it just feels like too much of an expanse of PRINT. So there is another "rectangle" story for you!

Of course it also doesn't cut me in half so much in a semi-tuck. So there is that angle to consider as well.

I really want/need to think about this a lot more.

For me wearing a printed top plus solid black bottoms and black shoes was a lazy formula for many years of business casual work dressing.

So for me it is very much a learned habit.

But could it be more?

Solids, as someone mentioned on the thread, need to be a modern cut. More work than your average throw on and go printed top (in my case at least).

Are prints really more flattering on me or is it just that my eye is used to seeing them? As Shiny points out, sometimes it's adding a slight detail with print such as an animal print shoe. I find myself doing this all of the time.

Is it part of my learning curve and "maturity scale" in terms of dressing? I sometimes fight the urge to add more or a print to a solid colorblocked outfit but old habits are hard to break.

Is it because I've always been bigger framed and thus (at least in my own mind) able to carry off prints easier?

The whole rectangle body shape is an interesting wrinkle as Suz points out because I most definitely am not a rectangle. Hourglass/pear here all day long.

Should I feel compelled to add more solid tops or should I just go with what "works" or what I thought did.

Doing more thinking. Check back later.

Late to the print party but I felt this post was really of interest as I've been a bit print-phobic in the past, but recently have embraced a few again and am enjoying them so far.

What I noticed is like Suz said just above about her green/blue tropical print is that semi-tucked, prints are much better to me than full on - such as in a long tunic or dress.

The scale of the print and color scheme is also so much of the deal for me. The following prints have been recent purchases and I've only worn two of the three so far but one I've worn 3 times. The navy/white arrow print is a little more "high contrast than what usually pleases me, but for some reason I still like it and plan to wear it with shorts as it is very light weight and comfortable. Both are silk/cotton blends. The plaid gauze shirt (more navy IRL) is super light but not see through and is one of those HEWI items I think I've had in my mind for years. I paid full price for it and have not regretted it. I love it with white or faded blue jean shorts but I will wear it into fall (very warm here) as well.

What I like about them all is probably is that they are fairly classic in style (I think I could wear them for years), they are colors I love, they are not overly loud - though the plaid is bold - and they can all be semi-tucked (and look best that way to my eye), and I guess they don't make me think of any one thing too much - like "tropical" or "beachy" or "tribal", if that makes sense. They are a bit neutral in their pattern and color.

Solids on the other had are a mainstay for me, but my palette is limited (at least my favorite items are). I definitely prefer navy, emerald, wine, white, charcoal, and black for my solid tops. I have probably 15 navy tees in various styles because I sometimes change 2 or 3 times in one day in the heat of summer and several I use for sleeping. I have a lot of white and then a few gray and less of the other colors.

I do have a couple of print tees but I admit I wear them less because they feel so much more "memorable" or something. I doubt others remember them, it's probably just me.

Abc hits the nail on the head for me... I think my love of prints started out as a learned habit, so easy to add printed top + black pants and be done with it. But then YLF worked it's magic on me and now, while I still love & crave prints & feel an outfit is missing something without a dash, I am much more apt to add them into an outfit in controlled/ smaller doses, i.e., accessories.

Or, to attempt advanced pattern mixing... which I'm no pro at, for sure... but I will play sometimes when I'm feeling brave.

Unfortunately current trends seem to be gravitating away from pattern mixing. But trends are trends. Wait a few years. Maybe, Claire, you are simply *ahead* of the trends?

Also, I think it's incorrect to say Angie doesn't like patterns. I've been on this forum forever. I know she likes patterns. She just has strong preferences for certain patterns over others. Such blog posts in the past have helped me identify and label my own preferences.

When I put together an outfit, I think of the elements: Color - Pattern - Texture - Shine. I try to have all four, but having only three seems to work reasonably well; only having two is b-o-r-i-n-g. I found that wearing a solid neutral palette (tone on tone) is more difficult in summer because it is harder to incorporate texture and shine.

FWIW, I find patterns neither more nor less attention grabbing than solids. High contrast, large patterns can overpower, just as high contrast, intense solids can similarly overpower. Patterns vs. solids is all in the execution. . .

Solids tend to bore me, but as I get older I get more particular about the patterns that appeal to me. Since YLF, I have become a pattern mixing fan (who occasionally goes off the deep end). Solid topper, print top, and solid skirt/pants now bores me to tears, so these days a patterned topper or patterned skirt/pants holds a lot more appeal to me.

Agreeing with Shiny that Angie enjoys pattern. Just wears more solids as a rule. But she has lots of patterned pieces.

Just playing devil's advocate here but I didn't learn the habit of prints. In fact I still haven't. What I'm trying to say is, maybe we learn by trying things & then we keep what works for us

Claire, I'm glad that you got us thinking on this topic. I've had a couple of aha moments. As another rectangle with a large flat expanse of color when I wear solids, I just realized that pattern isn't the only choice for breaking it up. Recently Angie mentioned that she favors a structured ( not sure that is the correct word) drape rather than soft draping on herself...something like that. The three dimensional aspect can break the flatness. Wearing a topper open breaks it up. I use scarves a lot and beads. Ruching, multimedia, embellishment and other built in interest can work too.
I started wondering why I have so few fall/winter patterned tops when trying to put capsules together following Angie's casual fall capsule. I noticed that her example had a wide variety of tops. I think one is a stripe, one a graphic tee, and at least is a print that can pull your choice of colors together. That third piece is a wardrobe hole for most capsules I've tried.
On the other hand I have a couple of print tops that I'm puzzling over. They make me happy to look at them. I like the colors, fit, etc.,but I don't like wearing them and can't figure out the problem. I am very happy with prints that I like usually, although I'm really picky.

Claire, you're a Pattern Gal. Simple as that. Good for you. No need to think any further than that - there is no right and wrong here. Patterns create a positive emotion inside of you - that's brilliant - run with it until the emotion tells you otherwise. Some of my clients are unhappy unless they are wearing a pattern - like Client Bridget.

Thanks Jennifer and Suz. You are spot on. Although I wear solids more frequently on this leg of my style journey - I LOVE patterns. I'm just very particular about the patterns I love. I'm drawn to classic patterns: stripes, dots, tartan and animal print, and occasionally a stunning floral.

Angie, you're right. I have an extremely positive happy emotion when I find a print I love, similar to how you feel about your happy colors, I imagine. The print gives me enough excitement that I don't need a lot of color with it, and can be quite satisfied wearing neutrals.

Joy, it was interesting to read your musings, and I'm glad this thread sparked some aha moments for you too! There are plenty of prints that I don't like as well. There's nothing worse than a "bad" print, IMO!

Donna, I don't like so many of the print alternatives that add other interest. I'm not big on either texture or shine--or color for that matter, although I did have a great time following that rubric from WNTW for a while. I learned the rule, and now I'm breaking it, lol! With solids, it's not that the items themselves bore me, I actually think they look more chic on some (most?) people. I just feel like I look boring when I wear them, if that makes any sense. Like I'm not interesting enough on my own to be able to carry them off.

Caro, I'm willing to learn and experiment with the solids I already have, even if it's just for curiosity's sake. I just don't want to keep chucking good money after bad if it turns out that I'm just not a solids kind of gal.

OK, this is a fascinating discussion, but I haven't had time to read all the posts yet.

My initial reaction is that prints do something emotional for you that solids do not. Regardless of whether you believe that solids are a better choice intellectually, there is something about prints that your heart is drawn too. For instance, when we have a crush on someone, we might be really surprised that we are attracted to so-and-so—there is something beyond the intellect that is going on.

For me, I wore only solids for years. Then, when I started experimenting with my style via YLF, I discovered that I felt like trying them again. For me, when I wear a print, I have to be in the mood for it. They take more emotional energy for me to wear; I think that is part of the "movement" of the print. When I am feeling more serious or elegant and more somber, I choose a solid.

In a lot of ways, I don't think we can simply choose a style for ourselves. Our heart will continue to be drawn to what it loves, regardless of what the head says would be more flattering.

That's all I can say for now. I hope to pop in again later!

Oh abc, you're so funny! Hacking into my account, now that's a laugh. I'm glad I'm not the only lunatic around here. ;D Sometimes I feel like I'm following sort of a "beginner's formula" and that I could do better, so IKWYM. But then I tried to wear some all solid outfits, and while there's nothing wrong with them, I feel just a little bit off all day when I wear them (or even just try them on in the mirror). I think I'm going to have to do a little YLF homework and take some pictures so you all can help me decide how much of this is all in my head.

shiny, I know, right? I often just feel there is something missing from my outfit if there is nothing printed, not even shoes (luckily my one and only bag is color blocked). I wonder if it's only me that would think something was missing though. That's what I'm trying to figure out. I was watching some women on a TV panel last night. One of them was wearing a colorful, printed scarf and I thought, she would look very French Chic if she were wearing a solid instead. And then my next thought, after gasping, was: Oh no! I wonder if people see me in all my prints and think the same thing?

Suz, *ducking* I still feel bad if I steered you wrong last year...but I do feel you completely changed the vibe of that top by semi-tucking it. It's gorgeous with the white and now you've essentially divided and conquered it, lol! So if my preference for prints is just a style thing, like Gaylene said, then I wonder if I'm feeling the distant rumblings of a future style shift? Things that make you go 'hmmmm".

texstyle, I have been following the acquisition of your printed tops with great interest. I really like the one from J. Crew. I saw some similar prints and that cotton/silk fabrication when I was at LOFT the other day, and I thought of you.

I LOVE tex's J. Crew tops. Now, those are patterns I can easily get behind. I think it is their graphic nature and also the colours.

And Claire -- you did not steer me wrong! I believed you were right. And still do...I just learned that I have to be super picky with my patterns and also style them right, or I won't be happy.

Mind you, let's not forget that I wear a veritable drawerfull of pattern in winter with my many scarves. Not that I want to. It is mostly only for warmth!! But there is an interesting topic in itself. Maybe my general apprehension about prints is based on my forced wearing of prints all winter in the form of scarves!!

Funny Suz mentions printed scarves. The other day I observed in my closet of, ahem, way too many scarves that not one was solid. Another confirmation that I am a lover of prints.

Suz, we need to get you some solid scarves then! You have a long winter to get through each year and your emotional health is very important to us.

Claire, do you know what is hilarious? On my recent trip out west, I happened to take my sole solid coloured scarf. And lo and behold, I LOVED wearing it. LOVED it!!!! So I am abc's opposite number here....

Thing is, I am pretty sure that if all my scarves were solid, I would crave more printing sweaters/ tops. Because I'm contrary like that.

Really interesting thoughts here. I'm another one who kind of defaults to prints. While I definitely wear all-solid outfits, sometimes I do feel like they need more tweaking so they don't look boring or disjointed.

And I'm a curvy hourglass with strong, dark coloring (although not quite as high-contrast as someone like Ornella) and also short enough that a large-scale print might overwhelming me. So this thread got about halfway to convincing me that I should be wearing more solids. But then I realized it would probably just feel forced if I tried.

Like other people, I may have gotten in the habit of prints because they're one of the easiest ways to make things look interesting. And add in that (as I've probably whined about way too many times on random threads), being absurdly short and curvy means that the things that fit me best are usually simply shaped knits from fairly mainstream mid-priced stores. So prints are a more likely avenue for making my clothes feel non-generic than things like cut or fabrication or unique details. Color does this too to a certain extent, but it's harder to find a color I want to wear a big block of without just repeating the same few, while prints can look more clearly different from each other.

A lot of the prints I wear are sort of small to medium scale with lots of soft curves, so I think they harmonize with my shape and features. And, since I'm drawn to variety and complexity and "clutter" and am so not a spare, direct type of person, they probably speak to something in my personality. Practically, I also like how prints can distract from lumpier parts of my body and hide stains better.

I also like how soft drape does a lot of these things too. I'm actually wondering whether, if I looked at my mostly-solid outfits, I'd find that a lot of the ones I really liked involved draping somewhere.

Sorry to make this just a giant ramble about me. I do think that you look sophisticated and elegant in all the prints you choose and they work so well with your build and coloring. So clearly you know what you're doing!

I'm like Ummlila--I don't feel quite right unless I am wearing a print. Like I'm missing an essential part of the outfit. But as she said, I think I can sometimes feel like texture can stand in for print to make an outfit feel complete.

Late to this because I was slammed at work. Only skimmed the answers.
But if I may be political.
You are borderline Calvinistic/Puritanical in your minimalist wardrobe.
Prints are extravagant. Always have been, always will be.
I think that's the crux of your dilemma.

I could talk about this all day, Claire! I vacillate between solids (easy, stark, cool) and prints (bright, Indian, cheerful). I tend to like my solids dark and somber and my prints colorful, like Ted Baker. And like Janet, I'm realizing I need to get really picky about prints. Snake is good for me, leopard not so much. Not huge on stripes or black and white contrast, but love a wild kaleidoscopic digital print. Not into tiny florals, but big abstract catches my eye.

I think of Ornella as the queen of solid colors. And since usually small wardrobes focus on a simple, defined, plain palette, I am so tickled that you are a minimalist in wardrobe amount but still love prints and patterns!

Going back to read all the responses here.

Wowza! What a thread. The question was well posed, Claire, and I learned something from every poster!

I've been pouting a bit about some of the same things, Claire. I feel somehow like I may be going overboard with bright color, high contrast, and pattern, and I want to look chic and refined, not loud and blowsy. More Kate Hepburn, and less Mrs. Roper. Still, I don't have the look or the budget to pull off neutral minimalism, and I'd probably not feel like myself if I tried.

So what to do? Well, I started with giving three summer tops the hairy eyeball:
Photos 1/2/3/4
You can see why I was drawn to them. Bold jewel tones all. The first is in my beloved cobalt, but the boho shape is blah and the breathability is zip. #2 has no structure and shape, and it breathes only slightly better than the first. #3 is a bit boho and a bit twee, however I kind of enjoy wearing it with super casual touches as shown here.

I think, moving forward, I'm going to be pickier with patterns AND color AND contrast. For me, it's a matter of striking a balance with all of these elements, as well as learning to make better use of fabrication and textures for interest.

You've already made most of these changes -- first, by sticking to neutrals that suit your lovely, ladylike coloring, and sticking to silhouettes that are modern, but not overwhelming for your frame. I think the challenge will be to keep the patterns pleasing and up to date, but I don't see the need to move to more solids in order to have a more refined style. I think the refinement is already there!

I've found the solid bottom and topper with a printed top is a hugely practical formula that makes the wardrobe s-t-r-e-t-c-h! I enjoy a patterned dress, too, although I must admit I'll likely tire of it in a couple seasons. With your small wardrobe, that probably works out fine!

Just wanted to chime in with Beth Ann that you don't need to worry that you might be sacrificing refinement for pattern -- you always pick refined patterns! So if that is the concern -- let it go.

Anna raises an interesting possibility. But, even if she is correct and this comes down to an inner sense of contradiction for you, maybe this is no dilemma at all. Maybe pattern provides precisely the amount of extravagance that feels comfortable to you, allowing you to indulge without feeling overly indulgent?

And also...Beth Ann's observation is also key. With a small wardrobe, you will probably rotate items out of your closet at a faster rate, whatever their quality. So the issue of tiring of a pattern (or the possibility of its becoming "dated") really is no issue at all for you. You wear it happily for two or possibly 3 seasons and pass it along.

This even applies to me to a considerable extent. My wardrobe is hardly as small as yours, but it's small enough and my activities are varied enough and my weather conditions distinct and demanding enough that (apart from special occasion wear) within a given season I wear every weather-suited article frequently -- typically once a week, and often (cough) considerably more. (Blue camo patterned BF shorts, I am looking at you now on your second wear. Of this week.) So, especially with summer tops, I most definitely wear through them in two or at most three years in our heat and humidity.

ETA: Beth Ann, ALL those tops look fabulous on you, and every one of the prints suits you, to my eye. But the breathability is a whole other issue and I am with you on passing them along if they don't breathe.

Ok, now that I've read a little closer... You know, I do think some people carry prints better and some carry solids better. I can't say why, but it occurs to me stage presence could be a factor, how dramatic one's vibe is... Ok, yes, time to tell that one Rachylou story: So once one of Prince's backup singers filled in as cashier at Shop O' Punks, where I worked in college. Pretty strange, to be honest. Of all the people to ask such a favour, this was who our manager hit up. What a nutty thing to do. Anyways, you could tell she was behind you from 30 feet; you didn't have to see her at all. I think it's a good thing she didn't wear sharp graphic prints; it would have been sensory overload. And also, from far away, it would be hard to find her on stage... I think that's why the Queen of England wears bright happy solids: so people can see her from the crowds. Which is to say, some people have a practical need for solids. Up close, in QE's case, I wouldn't be surprised if she likes a nice pattern instead of being this spot of blank light blue.

Now for a complete non-sequitur, I feel like I've seen you, Claire, in solid navy silk looking super sharp... but with your colouring, it's a way you can achieve graphic effects. And the silk has sheen. I can imagine you, however, in a matte navy top craving pattern. Because there, such a top is a big blank - utilitarian, self-effacing, unfinished.

Ornella may benefits from solids because (for all y'all Disney fans) it balances the drama of her Snow White colouring, in comparison to your fair Cinderella.