Dress In Bold: How To Pattern Mix Work Ready Outfits

Pattern Mixing

I once had a co-worker and friend point out to me that compared to my personality and personal style, my workwear was…well…drab. I quickly assessed my work clothes inventory in my head. He had a point. At the time, I had resorted almost exclusively to a uniform of black slacks and solid tops. I took this call out as a challenge to revamp my work wardrobe and to bring some color and excitement to it. I always tend to gravitate towards patterns when I’m buying clothes so mixing patterns for work seemed like a fun way to change up my wardrobe. Mixing patterns can be a little intimidating at first, but if you follow a few simple rules it”s worth the risk for the big statement that it makes.

Floral

If you’re not yet comfortable with pattern mixing, start with stripes. Stripes act as neutral so they go with virtually any pattern and the resulting look is more subdued than most pattern mixes.

Polka dots mix with a wide variety of patterned and can easily pair with floral. I paired this outfit with a chunky necklace matching the colors in the floral pattern to bring the look together.

Polka Dots

Inverting the color of your prints , in this case, black and white is a great way to mix up patterns. Playing pattern sizes such as these large and polka dots also brings interest to an outfit without overwhelming the eye.

. Choose a small scale print to pair with a large scale print to keep an outfit from looking too busy.

One of the easiest and safest ways to start pattern mixing is to incorporate textures into your wardrobe. In this outfit, the red skirt has a subtle floral texture to it. This totally counts as a pattern but it’s super mild. You do not even know that it’s pattern mixing until you get up close.