How many prints does it take to fill up this spring season? I’ve lost count! You’re going to bump into all kinds of prints this season. How will you decide which ones are for you? Well, prints are personal. While one person swoons over polka dots, another person will do somersaults for a wild animal print or a conservative houndstooth. Do you know your print favorites? Check out this guide and then check out the rules for wearing prints. If you’ve been at all nervous about them, I have five rules that will put you at ease. First, let’s go over what you’ll spot out there in the stores.

Floral – From mini floral prints to large ones, you’ll find one that suits you. A word of caution: tiny floral prints have an innocence to them and may be better suited to a young girl and not a mature woman. Here are some combos to consider: a floral top/shirt with a solid-colored trouser; a floral trench jacket over a white blouse and a gray pencil skirt; a floral dress with a woven leather belt; and the easiest of all to wear, something you can add to any outfit are scarves and neckties in floral prints.

Stripes – Rep ties work well on men with angles and diagonals in the face.  They are most traditional when all the stripes are the same width.  From the thick stripes to teeny rows of stripes that might make your eyes sore (especially if someone’s wearing them on TV!), you can hardly go wrong with stripes for spring unless you wear multiple stripes in the same outfit. Ouch! Stripes are classic for men and women. They’ve been making us think “nautical” for years but depending on what fabrics they’re in, they can be very fun and playful as well.

Plaid – Yes, the 90’s plaids are back again. Don’t go grungy large plaid in oversized shirts, but look for plaid in fitted, flattering shapes that follow your body. That’s how you can make them modern and fresh. Find plaids in toned-down muted colors or in colors with high contrast. If you’re feeling bold, go with the high contrast. Again, if in doubt, a plaid scarf or necktie may be just enough of this print.  Plaid shirts for men are strong.

Bohemian/tribal – This print for women makes for bold statements. There are a wide variety of bohemian prints to choose from. One suggestion is to look for colors in the pattern that are the same colors as you might have in your hair, eyes or skin tone. If it is a very detailed print, make sure something in your outfit is neutral or the print will look like it’s carrying you away with it.

Graphic/eye-dazzling/puzzle prints – This print has a lot going on in it. Don’t get lost in the maze of it all! Somehow the attention needs to come back to your face for you to be flattered. Try this style of print in a skirt, keeping the print a distance from your face. Break up the intensity with a more restful simple, solid-colored top.

Animal prints – Are animal prints the new black? I think so! They show up in neutral colors, brights and high contrast colors as well. Using multiple animal prints in one outfit is mostly just wrong!  While a head-to-toe look would be too much, this print is ideal in a shoe, jacket, scarf or purse.

Tie-dye prints – Be very cautious, here, as tie-dye prints are hard to pull off. That said, some tie-dye prints are in more sophisticated colors and that could take them away from memories of a Grateful Dead concert and into your spring fashion plan. If you’re unsure of yourself, steer clear of this one.

5 Prints Rule!

There are fabulous merits to wearing prints and then there are print pitfalls to watch out for. Remember, you want to rule your prints; you don’t want your prints to rule you.

1. Prints in bathing suits are a great idea. They keep the eye moving around the entire area which has hypnotic results for people looking at you. People won't notice any bulges, ripples or figure challenges because they're too busy following the print.
2. 
   Mixing prints together in one outfit can be tricky. Step number one is to observe the scale of the prints. Are they small? Medium? Large? To be successful in wearing two prints at once, they have to be in different scales, not the same. Two or three equally small prints in one outfit will drive you mad. Make sure one print stands out from the other. Also look for something else the two prints might share, like a color. Prints will blend better if there’s a second element that connects them.
3. If you're wearing one of the wilder prints of the season, find a neutral shoe (black, gray navy, brown, or nude) to work with it.  For women, a metallic shoe is good too. You don't want to match your shoes to the bright colors of the print. It looks too matchy and anything too matchy looks matronly.
4. A print in multiple colors will look especially good on you if the background color is "one of your colors." If your hair is dark brown, a print with a chocolate brown background will look great. If your hair is black and the background of the dress is black, perfect. If the print includes a color that matches one of yours, it can be a great way to wear colors that you don't normally wear.
5. Polka dots in a summer chiffon dress are super fun, but instead of using a fabric self-belt add a leather belt to it. Follow the seam of the dress--if it's a dropped waist and doesn't have a belt, add one anyway. You can wear a belt closer to your hipline. Adding a harder structured element (belt) to a soft element (chiffon fabric) makes it more modern.