Sandhya Garg · Brand Pillar
How to Mix Prints
Share a Colour · Change the Scale · Mix Types · One Leads · 12 Pieces
Quick Answer
Share a colour between the two prints, change the scale (one big, one small), mix types (floral with geometric, stripe with scrollwork), and let one print lead. A printed dress under a jacket in a second print is the easiest way to start. Add a third print only if it's small enough to read as texture.
Print mixing scares people because it looks like a skill. It is, but it's a small one, with four rules. I use them every time I put two of my own prints together on a mood board.
Below are the rules, five pairs from the new collection that follow them, and twelve pieces to try it with.
In This Guide
The Four Rules
I've drawn prints for years, and the same four rules decide whether two patterns work together. Who What Wear's advice lines up with them: marry delicate patterns with bold ones, pick one shared colour, and stay in the same tonal range.
The bridge
1. Share a Colour
Two prints with one colour in common look planned. Two with nothing in common look accidental.
Big and small
2. Change the Scale
One large print, one small. Two prints the same size fight for attention.
Organic and geometric
3. Mix Types
Floral with stripe, scrollwork with check. Different shapes don't compete.
Hierarchy
4. One Print Leads
Usually the dress. The jacket, scarf or bag plays second.
Two prints that share a colour look planned. Two that share nothing look like an accident.
Pairs That Work
| Leading print | Second print | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Louis (pink and red floral) | Dauphine (black and white geometric) | Organic against geometric; black and white is neutral |
| Duchess (red ornament) | Fleur (blue tapestry) | Warm against cool; different scale and texture |
| Queen (pink and purple) | Kimono (pastel tapestry) | Same tonal family; contrast in intensity |
| Antonia (green panels) | Fleur (blue geometric) | Blue and teal are shared; vertical against grid |
| Carolina (diagonal print) | Allie (black with gold) | One print plus texture is the beginner's mix |
Nervous about one print, never mind two? Start with How to Wear Bold Prints. For colour combinations, see Rainbow and Multicolour: Ordered Colour. For the bigger picture, see Maximalist Fashion.
The Print-Mixing Edit · Let Them Eat Cake Collection
Lead Prints, Second Prints and a Rest Point
Dresses to lead, jackets to mix in, and one quiet piece to rest on.
The Leading Print: Start With a Dress
The Second Print: Jackets That Mix
The Rest Point
Dresses run XS to 3XL and jackets XS to XL. Stock is limited, so check the size selector on each product page · Size chart · Made to measure
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the easiest way to mix prints?
Choose two prints that share one colour, and make one bigger than the other. Who What Wear calls marrying delicate patterns with bolder ones its number-one rule, and I'd agree.
Can you mix florals with stripes?
Yes. Florals and stripes are one of the most reliable pairs, because one is organic and the other geometric. Make sure they share a colour.
How many prints can you wear at once?
Two is easy, three is advanced. With three, keep one very small or tonal so it reads almost as texture.
What do you wear with a printed dress?
A jacket in a second print that shares one of its colours, or a solid in a colour taken from the print. Plain black or white is the safe option, but rarely the most interesting.
Keep Reading
One Print
How to Wear Bold Prints
Start here if you're nervous.
Maximalism
Maximalist Fashion
More, on purpose.
Process
How Our Prints Are Made
From drawing to fabric.
Colour
Rainbow and Multicolour
Ordered colour, not random.
About the Writer
Sandhya Garg is a Project Runway Season 13 designer who won two challenges on the show and presented her collection at Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week. She studied womenswear at London College of Fashion and has worked at Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Liberty London and Alice Temperley. Her label has been featured in Marie Claire US, Elle, Cosmopolitan and Vogue online. Every print is drawn by Sandhya in Los Angeles and printed and made in India. Read her story.
Join the List
15% off your first order
Get new prints, first access to small-batch runs, and 15% off your first order.
Leave a comment