Ease Into Prints

 by Leandra Sánchez | Creative Assistant

As humans we tend to stay in our comfort zone, and why wouldn’t we? Because well… it works! So, when it comes to our style, we are no different.  With so many trends out there in the fashion world, we might be tempted to try some of them out.  However, it might be a hard task to tackle if one doesn’t necessarily know how to style a trend.  So, in the spirit of a new year and for the sake of trying out new things, I was put up to the task of trying out a trend that scares me…PRINTS! (Ironic for someone who works at Valija, I know)

Ok, so it’s not so much that prints are scary.  It’s just that  I’ve never really felt comfortable in them.  That’s why I teamed up with María; our Print Developer, beach aficionado, and plastic’s #1 enemy. Together we created a style guide for easing into prints (when you don’t really know how to).  This consists of 5 outfits from our new collection; all with different approaches towards prints.  All of which I wore for 5 days in a row.

To get the ball rolling, I decided to start out with the Smock Dress; a total statement piece.  This type of dress isn’t my usual go-to look, but I must admit I felt really cute in this flirty number!

Styling tip: When wearing a dress with a busy print like this, it might feel like a bit too much.  That’s why we recommend cutting the print.  You can do this by wearing a belt with a cute buckle.  Don’t have one? Fear not, you can always throw on a jacket (preferably one that matches at least one of the colors of the print). 

If you don’t feel so cool starting out with a lot of print, you can always start small.  Sometimes you have to take baby steps.  And that is totally okay.  For this look we decided to play with color.  That’s why I wore the Biderman Crop in a delicate floral print and the Fortier Pant in a lovely peach color.  I have to say it was one of my favorites.  Even though it’s a more casual look, I felt comfortable and oh so pretty.  Deciding to put on sneakers definitely gave this look a cool twist too!

 Styling tip:  When using a printed top, wear a bottom in the color of the least used color of the print.  It’s a fun yet subtle way of giving a pop of color to your outfit.  It also gives an all around put together look.  The magic truly is in the details!

Ok, but let’s talk about this dress!  The beautiful silhouette, the neckline, I mean c’mon?! The Garnish Dress made me feel like a complete ‘jeva’.  So much so that I even forgot about the print. Why you may ask? Because it’s what we call a reads-like-solid print. For those of you who don’t know what that means (I didn’t either), let me explain.  These are the type of prints that consist of 2 colors.  They have a base color (for example: black or white) and a secondary color that’s more really like the front man or lead singer (if a print were to be thought of like a band). 

 Styling tip:  Use a reads-like-solid print  when wearing big pieces like a long dress or a jumpsuit.  This gives the illusion that you’re wearing a solid color.  Who would’ve thought prints could be basics? Well I guess our Print Developer, María, did.

A cool office friendly look? Just my cup of tea! I wore the Papilo Jumpsuit with the Amusara Top to go over it and honestly… I was living for this look (I still am).  It gave me that cool 70s chic vibe that I love.  

Styling tip:  Use printed pieces as layers.  They give a funky twist to your outfits.  What’s great about it is that if you’re no longer feeling the print, you can just take it off.  It’s like having two outfits in one.

Just because you’re not into prints, it does not  mean that you’re not into bold looks.  Heck, I’m an all things glitter and sequins type of gal.  I won’t lie.  I did feel very self-aware in this outfit though.  Maybe it was the fact that I’m not used to wearing shirts with dramatic sleeves like the Veni Crop or shorts like the Esme Short.  Nevertheless, I decided to ignore my insecurities and just go for it.  I must say, out of all the outfits I wore, this one seemed to be a crowd favorite.

Styling tip:  Just rock it! When you own your look, you’ll realize that confidence is your best accessory.   

All in all, it was fun trying out new things style-wise.  If you learn anything from this, let it be that the best styling tip you can get is adding your kickass attitude to every outfit you wear. 

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