A Quick Guide to Mixing Patterns #iwillwearwhatilike

Mixing patterns is far from new for me.

In fact I’ve been doing it since I started blogging – see the first recorded instance I could find of a mixed pattern here, just two months in, way back in September 2011. As I have nearly the best part of a decade of mixed prints under my belt (so to speak), I guess that makes me an expert, right…?! ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)

Seriously, though: it’s not something I put any great thought into at all, I simply see patterns as colours. And if you can coordinate colours, then you can mix prints. I’ve just been doing a looooong time and therefore have developed an eye for it, I guess.

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I know A LOT of people are still scared of pattern mixing, but as I mentioned it’s mostly all about getting the colours right.

There’s just one basic “rule” to follow: Make sure both patterns have at least one, or preferably two or more, colours in common.

They’ll then naturally complement each other.

Another tip is to try and get the scale of patterns roughly the same. Here my windowpane check is big and bold, and although the geometric (who knows what you call THAT pattern on the trousers) print has some ‘bitty’ elements to it, it’s still a big pattern overall.

Big, bold checks might not work well with a tiny polka dot, for example… but never say never. Rules are made to be broken, ESPECIALLY when it comes to putting outfits together. Just experiment and if you like it, wear it.

This jacket and these trousers coordinate because there’s white in both patterns. And the pink sweater ties in with the pink of the trouser pattern, so although I might want to introduce another colour(!), the outfit already has plenty of colours in it so it’d probably look messy to try and introduce yet another hue that doesn’t work with anything.

Those of you who’ve been following me for a while might be thinking Oh gawwwd, there’s that windowpane jacket YET AGAIN. Hopefully what you’re ACTUALLY thinking is Oh WOW there’s that fabulous windowpane jacket again – I’d love to see all the ways in which she’s styled it over the years!

So if you’re the latter, keep scrolling and you’ll find four other ways I’ve worn it (there were many more than just four). If you’re the former I can only apologise, hehe.

On a scale of 1 to 10 how much of an expert pattern mixer are YOU? Comment below…

Stay safe, XOXO

P.S. Do add your outfits to this week’s link up – and if you’ve added a link to here or my button to your post you may be featured in my bi-monthly Women Who Wear What They Like post!

Jacket: George at Asda (old, similar)
Sweater: Dorothy Perkins (old, similar)
Trousers: Asos (I like these)
Trainers: Amazon (similar)
Watch: Daniel Wellington
Sunglasses: Asos
Earrings: French Connection / Orelia
Ear cuffs: Asos / Orelia / Topshop

Other wide leg patterned trousers you might like:

5 ways to wear a windowpane check jacket…

Here are some of the other ways I’ve worn my windowpane check jacket so you can see the different ways it can be styled:

Original posts: Top middle / Top right / Bottom middle / Bottom right (notice how I’m wearing the co-ord top – that goes with the trousers I’m wearing today – with the flared jeans outfit!)