Statement patterns have been a constant presence both on the runways and off for the past few seasons, and by the looks of this year’s fashion weeks thus far, they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Whether it’s Rixo’s bold floral prints or a less bold but still statement gingham print, there’s an option out there for everyone – even if you only feel like dipping your toes in the trend for now.

Whilst styling statement prints can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, it still can be easy to mix and match into your wardrobe with a few key pieces. These items don’t need to be investment pieces, especially if you’re not sure whether the trend suits you or not, however – that’s not to be said that you can’t invest in a trend if you truly have fallen in love with it. For me, the print that I consider to be a spring wardrobe must-have is EVERYWHERE in the shops, and is actually one of the easier statement prints to mix into your current wardrobe.

THE STATEMENT PRINT OF THE SEASON

Gingham. A staple print in pretty much every fashion girl’s wardrobe for the past few seasons. Personally, I’ve fallen head over heels for this print – I think there’s something quite sweet and summery about it, yet it can be edged up just as easily with a leather jacket and killer heels.

Florals are still a definite contender for the most prominent print of the season, however – I’ll take a page out of Meryl Streep’s book from The Devil Wears Prada, “Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.” Don’t get me wrong – I still do love a good floral, but I’m throwing my energy into really mixing up my style this season and gingham is a print that at the moment fits perfectly in with my existing spring wardrobe, whilst still keeping it fresh and current.

HOW TO MIX BOLD PRINTS INTO YOUR SPRING WARDROBE

My first tip in adding prints into your wardrobe is to do so with pieces that you know you’ll be most likely to reach for in your wardrobe. You may ask, “Well, how do you know you’d reach for it?” Simply put, I would choose pieces in a silhouette that I know flatters my figure or that I currently love wearing and see as a wardrobe staple. For example, a pair of ankle-length trousers or a trench coat. Both of these are staple favourites of mine, and because I know I love the fit – I’d be more likely to reach for a print that was incorporated into my wardrobe by means of one of these two pieces.

Highstreet Gingham Favourites

Another tip that I’d suggest in introducing prints to your wardrobe is to look at classic shapes and lean more toward picking one of these up instead of a trend lead pattern AND shape. Classic shapes tend to last season after season, but trend-led shapes can be easy to tire of – and if these are your printed pieces too, the life of the item in your wardrobe may not be very long.

My last tip for trying out new prints is to look for less investment pieces to start with. I would never recommend investing in something flat out if you didn’t yet know if it worked in your wardrobe or with your personal style yet. Look for trend-led silhouettes or prints in high street shops to start with – some exceptional options are Topshop, H&M or ASOS. Here you’ll find lower price points that make it easier to test drive styles that you may not yet be certain of. Then once you’ve tested out the trend for the season and if you’ve decided that it’s worth investing in, then the premium shops like Reiss, LK Bennett, White House Black Market or Club Monaco are great places to look for quality pieces that will stand the test of time.

Premium Highstreet Gingham Favourites

INCORPORATING GINGHAM INTO YOUR LOOK

When adding prints into my look, I tend to keep it to one piece of my outfit. I don’t want to draw attention to too many aspects of my outfit, because then it can lose its tailored edge and start to look a bit busy. For example, in today’s ensemble I’ve styled a pair of gingham trousers with elevated basics. My top is slightly long-line, making it easy to tuck into the trousers. This is one thing that I commonly look for in tops that I’ll be styling with trousers is a longer hemline. I’ve got a relatively long torso, which means that if I want to tuck in my shirts they need that little bit of extra length at the bottom.

Shop My Look

One of the most important style tips that I stick to when it comes to prints is to pair the rest of your look around the colours in the print. If you go for a black and white print, like the gingham trousers in today’s look, maybe go for a black pair of heels and top like I’ve done here. Or if your look is entirely monochrome, go for a bit of shock factor and add accessories in a bold colour – perhaps in this season’s it hue, lilac.

A word of encouragement for styling statement prints – even if you see it on the hanger and think that you wouldn’t like it, I would encourage you to try it on anyway. I used to be a bit afraid of styling gingham in anything other than a smocked top in the summer, but now I can’t get enough of styling this print in a bold trouser. Statement prints can be mixed well into a tailored-prominent wardrobe or even a monochrome-saturated wardrobe like my own – and it doesn’t necessarily have to be tops, trousers or coats, it could be in accessories too. Accessories are a great way to have a nod to the trend without going all-in before you’re sure if it’ll work with your current wardrobe and personal style.

Elevated Basics to Pair With Statement Prints

Taking risks is all part of the fun in experimenting with trends, and the experimentation is what keeps your wardrobe fresh and new. Do you think that you’ll be experimenting with any statement prints this season? If so, will you try out the gingham trend or will it be more of a staple print like a sweet floral? Let me know in the comments! Until next, xoxo.