3 Essential Elements to Choosing Flattering Prints and Patterns

contrast in prints and pattern by imogenl featuring a bright tank

Yesterday I was out shopping with one of my lovely clients. She wanted some blouses and dresses that were more ‘fun’ than her current range of tops in solid colours.

Knowing her color palette meant picking up all the options in the store that had her colours in them was easy, but also one of the keys to picking the right prints is also working with your natural level of contrast.

Value Contrast by imogenl featuring red makeup

My lovely client is a fair skinned blonde with pale green eyes, giving her a low contrast, thus the low contrast prints were the most flattering on her.

How to interpret prints and patterns by imogenl featuring a colorblock cocktail dress

Her personality was Classic Feminine, so a smaller more delicate print worked best on her.

scale of prints by imogenl featuring short dresses

Her body scale was medium – so medium contrast small prints  to lower contrast medium prints were the most flattering. (The contrast of a print will make it appear larger or smaller)

Contrast and Scale by imogenl featuring a stripe sweater Here are some more useful posts on prints: How to pick a slimming print How to pick prints – angular or curved Understanding the elements of prints How to find a pattern that won’t date quickly How to flatter patterned skin Using patterns to inspire color schemes