In the past two weeks, I gave a few tips on how to break the conservative rules of fashion. Rules like “you shouldn’t wear white during winter” and “socks and sandals are unacceptable”. This week I’m favouring prints.

Print on print has always been a taboo. Many believe it to be a fashion faux pas. That’s because they haven’t tried it. Here are a few tips on how to mix your patterns, and how to make this trend work:

-Treat leopard print like you would a neutral. It’s the easiest way to break into pattern mixing. Whatever coloured print you choose, add leopard accessories. They’re always a winner.

-You can wear two of the same pattern, but make sure that one is bold and the other is slightly more tame.

-Keep in mind that the most essential element when mixing prints is that the prints should at least have one colour in common. Repeating colours is the way to help prints complement each other without clashing.

-For a slightly bolder look, choose a less dominant color from one print and match it with your second print.

-Prints that are similar in size but come in slightly different colors can layer beautifully. This is a great way to mix prints if you’re a bit weary of this trend.

-Pairing the same print in two different colours is another easy way to incorporate this bold trend.

-Mixing polka dots and stripes is one of the easiest ways to achieve a mixed look.
-Try the 60-30-10 rule. Stick to 60 percent of your number one print of choice, 30 percent of a second pattern, and 10 percent of a third as an accent. Try three patterns in a range of scales, such as a narrow stripe, a midsize geometric, and a bold floral.

Cherri-Lee Rhode on Twitter.

Images: Pinterest, Style Nostalgia , The Clothes Horse , Xio Marah , The Little Hero , Electric Keyboard Milk , The Bloomsday Report, Sincerely Jules