Mixing Prints and Patterns: 7 Simple Rules That Work
- Words by
- Julio Arco
- Published
- Reading
- 5 min
The short answer to how to mix prints and patterns: keep one shared color, make the prints different sizes, and let one piece be the loud one. Animal prints are the easiest place to start, which is why they suit a safari-themed event so well.
Below are seven rules, with outfit ideas you can adapt for a party, a dinner or a regular Tuesday.
Can you put two different prints together?
Yes. Two prints work when they have something in common: a color, a scale relationship or a similar mood. Two prints that share nothing tend to compete, and the eye does not know where to land.
Start with two prints, not three. Once that feels easy, add a third in a small dose, like a scarf or a belt.
1. Keep your color palette cohesive
This is the rule that does most of the work in how to mix patterns and colors. Pick two or three colors and make sure every print uses at least one of them. A leopard print in tan and black sits happily next to a thin black-and-cream stripe, because black and cream appear in both.
For a safari look, warm neutrals are forgiving: sand, taupe, olive, rust and chocolate brown. They sit close together, so the prints read as a set.
2. Mix patterns of different scales
Two prints at the same size fight for attention. Make one large and one small. A wide zebra stripe on a skirt pairs better with a fine pinstripe or small spots on the top than with another bold stripe.
A rough guide: one pattern should be clearly bigger than the other, about two or three times the scale. If you squint and the two blur into the same texture, change one of them.
3. Pair a loud print with a quiet one
Think of it as a lead and a backup. A bold leopard jacket is the lead. The backup can be a tonal stripe, a small dot or a subtle texture like herringbone. Through the lens of evidence-based design, I'd treat the quieter print as a texture rather than a pattern: from a few steps away, a fine print behaves like a soft surface, and that gives the louder piece room.
For more ideas on the loud half of that pairing, see these bold animal print tops for safari-themed parties.
4. Treat animal print as a neutral
Leopard, zebra and snake prints behave more like a texture than a graphic. That is why they go with stripes, checks and even some florals if the colors match. A leopard belt with a striped shirt, or a snake-print shoe with a plaid blazer, rarely looks wrong.
Keep to one animal print per outfit. Leopard with zebra is possible, but it takes careful color matching and is the pairing I would try last.
5. Add a solid piece to balance
A solid gives the eye a place to rest. If your top and skirt are both printed, make the shoes, bag or outer layer plain. A good ratio is two printed pieces to one or two solids.
Texture counts here. A matte linen trouser or a soft knit in a solid color calms a busy outfit better than a shiny fabric, which adds one more thing to look at.
6. Use staples and outerwear as your pattern anchor
If mixing feels risky, let one print live in something you can take off: a coat, a cardigan or a scarf. Then build the rest around it. An animal print jacket over a striped tee and plain jeans is a low-stakes way to practice. More options are in this guide to animal print jackets for fall.
Accessories work the same way. A small print in a scarf, belt or bag adds interest without taking over, and this piece on styling animal print accessories goes into detail.
What patterns do not go together?
There is no fixed blacklist, but some combinations usually go wrong:
- Two prints at the same scale and the same intensity, such as two medium stripes.
- Prints with clashing color temperatures, like a warm rust leopard next to an icy blue check.
- Several busy prints with no solid piece to break them up.
- Two high-contrast patterns with sharp black-and-white lines, which can look like they vibrate when worn close together.
If one of these shows up in your outfit, swap one piece for a solid. That fixes most problems.
Pattern mixing outfits to try
- Leopard midi skirt, thin navy-and-cream striped tee, tan belt and plain flats.
- Zebra-print scarf, solid olive dress and a brown leather jacket.
- Snake-print boots, a small-check shirt in earth tones and straight dark jeans.
- Cream blouse with tiny dots, leopard trousers and a camel coat.
Each one has a shared color, two different scales and at least one solid. For events with a theme, a bold print can be the star while everything else stays muted. If you like a more edgy take, try these grunge bold print styling tips, or look at how to match accessories with bold prints.
Try it on and trust your eye
Check the outfit in a full-length mirror, then step back a few feet. If your eye jumps around, remove one print. If it reads as one calm picture with a clear focus, you are done.
A print you feel good in always looks better than a perfectly matched one you feel self-conscious wearing.
Frequently asked questions
How to mix prints and patterns?
Choose one shared color, vary the scale so one print is clearly larger, and add a solid piece to give the eye a rest. Start with two prints before trying three.
What is the 3 3 3 rule in fashion?
It usually means building an outfit from three tops, three bottoms and three pairs of shoes that all work together. It is a wardrobe-planning idea and not a pattern-mixing rule, though a shared palette makes the mixing easier.
What patterns do not go together?
Two prints of the same size and intensity, or prints with clashing color temperatures, tend to fight. Swapping one for a solid or a smaller print usually fixes it.
Can you put two different prints together?
Yes, if they share a color and differ in scale. Animal print with stripes is a reliable starting pair.
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