Are You Wearing The Wrong Kinds Of Pattern?
Tina, here.
If you've been to Nashville you know we have a particular style. I regularly refer to Nashville style as "western glam." It's cowboy boots and turquoise cuffs with silky tops, diamonds and pearls (the diamonds can be fake, the pearls can't). I'm almost always wearing solids and neutrals for my take on western glam. We've talked about how to wear color, now let's tackle the more confusing issue, how to wear pattern. And stretch ourselves outside our comfort zones.
Me on a typical non-appointment day. Faded blues, cowboy boots, neutral top and some special jewelry. Western glam, I call it. Pattern scares me a bit. But here we go.
I have a little obsession with ikat and tie-dye, which can veer into what other people call boho. Wait, what if I jumpstarted the whole boho trend with my batik-loving and tie-dye craze back in the late 70's?
Meet Kyle Elias, original founder of Nashville's Scarlett Begonia over 33 years ago. I swear I was there when it opened because it got deep in my blood. The sarongs, the turquoise jewelry, the South American folk art and clothing. It's a destination for sure if you visit Nashville and have a soft spot for fair trade and native cultures.
Even though I typically run from pattern, I consider ikat and batik as true classics. That's because they first surged in popularity during Dutch Colonial times. So you'll recognize a coastal vibe in these patterns.
Ikat, silk and cotton, mid-19th century, Uzbekistan. Smithsonian collections. Photo source Wikipedia.
But wearing pattern can be so tricky. Scale is very important. There's balance, proportion and artistry to consider. Here are the pitfalls to watch out for:
Patterns can be too large. Wearing a pattern too large for your frame, makes your frame look, well, large.
I adore this pattern, but can you imagine what elephants and camels traipsing across your bum and mid-section would look like? Let's turn it into a great porch cushion.
Another beautiful embroidered silk, but there is too much negative space, so the pattern seems too spread out which adds volume to the fabric, and the wearer.
There's such a delicate balance between negative space and how the pattern fills the ground. So yes, a pattern can be too big and splotchy, or it can be too twee, too cutesy.
A teeny tiny floral. Sweet on little girls' dresses and little girls' hair ribbons. That probably makes my point.
Patterns can be too graphic and dizzying.
A simple rule of thumb is to ask yourself if a pattern would look better on a shower curtain or a pillow than on your bum or mid-section. I think we have our answer.
But wearing pattern can be done right and turn a blah outfit into a fab one. Patterns that work:
Animal print.
Even in summer you can wear animal print, even better if it's on a white ground rather than black or brown. Vault Members, find a similar summer animal print inside the brand new section, April Style Vault Style Notes. For more info click here.
Ikat and batik. And some tie-dye (did I just say that out loud again? Like I said, I have had a thing for tie-dye ever since I made my own tie-dye t-shirts as an Eaglet at Monteagle growing up). But ikat and batik are HUGE this spring and summer. And I've included some special finds inside the May Style Vault going live this Friday May 1! You don't want to miss your chance to get your hands on this easy-to-wear trend.
I do love my tie-dye. Not homemade, this one, but recently purchased at TJ Maxx. And I strongly believe a strong pattern needs to be foiled with white. You'll find my fave white tank (and all colors) in April Style Notes inside the April Style Vault.
This ikat pencil skirt is a fave. Typically I wear it with a white t-shirt (my all-time fave white tee is inside April's Style Vault), but since last week's post on wearing color, I got all brave and paired it with a soft aqua t-shirt. And of course a nude pump, because you gotta stop somewhere.
Some florals. Not all, but some. It takes real artistry and some math to get the balance between negative and filled space correct, the right shading and tones, and the scale of the pattern perfect so it is pleasing to the eye.
This watercolor-y floral is a great example of a floral done well. Once the science part of pattern is figured out (nothing too twee or too huge), it gets pretty subjective. And is a matter of personal taste. I personally think this non-literal floral is pretty.
Pretty much anything Lilly Pulitzer gets a pass from us.
So Southern! So cheeky! And reminds me of my Gannie who wore Lilly all summer long. You've heard about Target's collaboration with Lilly Pulitzer, right? Went live Sunday April 19, 2015. Check it out here. It's all sold out, but you can find bits and pieces in the stores.
Stripes are soooo tricky.
I'd prefer you not attempt horizontal stripes on your booty. I have seen it done successfully on some of our clients. It goes back to scale and artistry. And our approval. Ha.
If you like going for a nautical look in the summer, how about instead of navy and white horizontal stripes across your chest, exaggerating your bust line, try a solid navy top with white jeans?
You can also try smaller, vertical stripes.
Seersucker, like this navy and white blazer, is a closet staple for men and women of the South.
And finally, embroidery is a great non-patterny way to add pattern to your wardrobe.
Denim shirtdress, embroidered - I died when I saw it, and had to have it. My mother had one so similar when I was growing up. I found one similar and it's in the April Style Notes section of the April Style Vault.
Looking for your own piece of pattern to wear this spring and summer? I searched and turned up a fab skirt even I want to wear. It's the prettiest ikat woodblock skirt to wear all spring and summer, and it's inside April's Style Vault if you want it. It comes in Tall, too, for those of you who can never find skirts long enough. Find out how to be a Vault Insider here. Join below and start shopping all my must-haves and complete outfits right from the Vault. It's $7.99/month for access to the best shopping and savings, all hand-selected by me. New May Style Vault goes live in 2 days! And now, you can shop looks from the blog inside the Vault, too, in the all-new Style Notes section.
Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our personalized Nashville wardrobe consulting services for men and women. Experience the luxury of having us in your home and shopping the stores for you, then putting it all together. We’re in our 8th year of making the world a better place, one good outfit at a time.
Best,
Tina
