Textures and prints tend to have a short life cycle in the fashion world; so when those happen to be your style staple, keeping them fresh and crisp is key.
One way Christopher Bailey, chief creative officer at Burberry, managed to do that in his fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection was by mixing clean color stories with radical textures and prints. The soft jewel tones and patterned tights were consistent throughout the collection, but I loved when they were contrasted with bold tartans, demure floral and shiny python print. The whole collected erred on the edge of tomboy, but the unique sense of patchwork in each look screamed nothing but high fashion editorial. The effect of these combinations is truly whimsical, giving a nod to David Bowie and mixed-media Bohemia.
Taking this style off the runway can be a challenge, because sometimes combining color, texture and print simultaneously just comes across as chaotic. My suggestion is to focus on two of the three components in your look.
In my outfit, I decided to play with only texture and print to add visual interest. The enlarged graphic tartan of the blouse really complements the subtle leather chevron in the bomber jacket. I also love how the softness in the silhouette of the blouse is offset by the mannish proportions of the bomber. To really amp up the layering of patterns in the look, I incorporated another tartan using a cozy wool blanket scarf. In order to keep the whole look crisp and clean, the rest of my outfit is very simple with a black toque and black leggings. I kept the color palette relatively neutral to help make the look cohesive, but I opted for a pair of navy knee-high boots instead of black as a subtle way to keep things fresh.
Get My Look:Â 1. Graphic blouse. 2. Textured bomber jacket. 3. Blanket scarf. 4. Navy knee-high boots.
