Floral Frenzy
Everything’s coming up roses,… and peonies, and daisies, and everything in between. It’s a season of garden patterns in every color under the sun, and if they’re not yet growing in your yard, you can find them in your favorite clothing boutique.
Patterns can be tricky to wear if you’re not mindful of scale. A large blossom on your backside is not always a girl’s best friend. Here are a few ideas to get you in the floral mood.
Floral Variety
Just like in a garden, floral varieties mingle with one another in this spring’s take on prints. The key to pulling off a pattern mix is having a “link” between your printed garments. Ideally, the connecting element is a color that’s common to both prints. In the example above, it’s a color family (the aqua and blue-greens) that links the top and bottom. This one’s pre-mixed for you in a one-piece dress.
Another key to pairing your prints is choosing them in varied scale (size of the print). The print on this top is smaller than the allover botanical print of the dress’s skirt, making it work in a quirky sort of way. The “allover” quality helps, too. The top has lots of background space, where the bottom does not. This way, it’s far less overwhelming on the body than full, allover patterns in both the top and bottom.
Floral Pants
The larger the print, the more apparent the body area becomes. If you’re a bit shy about wearing a loud print on your bottom half, look for one that contains colors that are not in stark contrast to one another. (A black-and-white mix, for example, is considered “high contrast.” Ivory mixed with white in a print is not as striking, and thus, “low contrast.”)
Floral Tops
Tops are generally easier to wear than floral bottoms, but don’t overlook scale here either. If your facial features are small and delicate, you might be overwhelmed by a large-scale print. Similarly, if your body size and features are large, a very small print tends to look a bit “off.”
Maybe you just can’t envision botanicals hanging in your closet. If you want to play the floral game low-risk, get yourself a handbag in a fun floral design. You can flash some flower for minimal investment and look like a pro who’s savvy to the detail of accessories.
Patty Buccellato, is an image coach and founder of Refined Images. She brings extensive knowledge and expertise to her work with men and women individually, as well as with corporate employee groups. Patty established Refined Images in 1994, and while her studio is based in Rochester Hills, Michigan, you’ll find her serving clients throughout North America in their homes, offices — and, yes, even in shopping malls! To get your FREE copy of Patty’s “How to Shop Like a Stylist,” visit www.RefinedImages.net or contact Patty.
Go here to claim your FREE eBook!
Connect with me! 
