A great print should feel like an easy addition to your wardrobe, not a costume. You don’t need to wear every pattern that catches your eye. Start with the clothes you already enjoy, try one print at a time, and notice which combinations you want to wear again. For more guidance, see 10 Free Resources for Fashion Design.
Before choosing a print, think about the pieces you reach for most. Are you happiest in crisp shirts, relaxed knits, tailored separates, or playful accessories? A pattern often feels easier to wear when it appears on a familiar shape. If you love button-downs, a checked shirt may be a more natural starting point than a printed dress in a silhouette you’ve never worn. For further reading, see Free Sewing Patterns.
Stripes, checks, florals, animal prints, and graphic motifs are all worth exploring, but none is required to make your wardrobe feel current. Color matters, too. A floral in shades you wear regularly may feel quieter than a high-contrast stripe, even if you usually consider florals the bolder choice.
Our favorite first filter is simple: can you picture the print with at least three outfits you already own? If you can, it has a better chance of becoming part of your routine rather than a piece you wear once.
The same pattern can feel subtle or striking depending on its size and contrast. Smaller, lower-contrast prints often read as quieter; larger shapes or sharply contrasting colors tend to make more of a statement. Use these outfit ideas as starting points, then adjust the colors and proportions to suit you.
| Pattern | Easy first try | Make it your own |
|---|---|---|
| Stripes | A striped top with solid trousers | Try a width and color contrast you enjoy. |
| Checks | A checkered shirt with simple denim | Choose soft or bold contrast to suit your style. |
| Florals | A floral piece with a color pulled from its print | Look for a palette you already wear. |
| Animal print | A belt, scarf, or other small accent | Let it be the focal point and keep the rest simple. |
| Graphic motifs | One printed piece with clean basics | Repeat one color elsewhere in the outfit. |
If you enjoy browsing fashion references, Vogue’s fashion trends coverage offers plenty of contemporary examples. The Victoria and Albert Museum’s fashion collection offers a different perspective on how clothing and pattern have appeared across eras. Treat inspiration as a menu, not a set of instructions: the useful question is what you would wear on an ordinary day.
Give a prospective print a three-outfit test. First, style it for an ordinary day: perhaps with jeans, sneakers, or your usual work basics. Next, build a more polished outfit using pieces you own. Finally, imagine it with a layer for changing weather, such as a jacket or cardigan. You don’t need three perfect looks, but each should feel like something you would actually leave the house in.
If only one combination feels right, you can still enjoy the pattern at a smaller scale. A scarf or belt lets you try a look without making it the foundation of several outfits. You can also make a printed piece feel more intentional by repeating one of its colors elsewhere—shoes, a bag, or a simple layer will do. The shades don’t need to match exactly.
Want to mix prints? Begin with a color the two pieces share, then vary their scale. A broader check beside a finer stripe gives each pattern room to be seen. If that feels busy to you, stick with one printed piece. Wearing patterns confidently doesn’t require wearing two at once.
Pause before adding a print to your closet and ask yourself three questions: Do I like the pattern itself, or only the complete outfit it’s styled with? Does it work with pieces I own? Will I enjoy wearing it more than once? These questions can be more useful than deciding whether a print is “in.”
Look beyond the pattern as well. A color you love won’t make up for a fit that bothers you, fabric that feels uncomfortable, care you won’t keep up with, or a garment that doesn’t suit your occasions. Our team made the printable Patterns in Style checklist to keep those practical questions handy while you browse or plan outfits. Use it to narrow your choices, not to talk yourself into a print you don’t enjoy.
If checks are the pattern you’d like to explore next, the Tom Ford Timeless Appeal Checkered Shirt is one available option. Consider it alongside the shirts you already wear and the outfits you could make with it; it won’t be the right choice for every wardrobe. Our advice stays the same whether you shop or restyle what you own: the best pattern is the one you’re happy to wear again.
Stripes, checks, florals, animal prints, and graphic motifs can all be adaptable choices. A familiar garment shape and a color palette you already wear make any of them easier to work into your wardrobe.
Start with one printed piece and pair it with simple items. If you like, repeat one color from the print elsewhere in your outfit.
Yes. Try patterns that share a color but differ in scale, such as a broad check and a fine stripe. Wearing just one pattern is equally stylish.
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