It’s not officially spring until you bust out your favorite floral print or soft paisley pattern. But this season, those familiar motifs are getting graphic, larger-than-life makeovers that ultimately elevate the clothes they’re on from awesome outfit accents to full-on fashion statements. That means spring 2015 is officially your time to peacock like a style blogger. We’ve made a resolution to get the most out of our wardrobes in 2015, so below we’re showing you three ways to make a bold spring pattern ($60) feel fully wearable, whether it’s taken over a top, dress or pair of pants, like we picked here. Scroll through to see how we’d wear the eye-catching piece to the office, on a night out and on a lazy weekend.
ON DUTY
To make sure you don’t blind you cube mate from pattern overload, outfit yourself with hearty staples that can stand their ground alongside your hyper-printed piece. Textural materials like leather and canvas work great here, especially when they can break up the pattern with pops of unexpected color like this powder blue top and (gasp!) copper mules do. A drapey duster will add extra weight to your look, too (and that’s in the best way possible). Round out the look with industrial-feeling accessories like gold bar jewelry and a grown-up version of your grade school lunch sac for those days you can leave your laptop at the office.
Topshop Floral Silhouette Woven Jogger ($60) + COS Leather Front Top ($275), Zara Oversized Cotton Trenchcoat ($170), Rachel Comey Mars Mule in Bronze ($391), Tiro Tiro Ididis Necklace ($195), UNA Gold Bar Earrings ($48), Peg and Awl Marlow Lunch Bag ($44)
PARTY ON
When you’re looking to stand out from the pack at the cocktail bar, just one standout piece isn’t enough. Volume is another big spring trend (literally): in the form of a mega ruffled shirt (or flared-to-the-max skater skirt), and it’s a perfect OMG PIC to your pattern’s pop. Cover up smartly and stylishly with a cape coat (just try to stick those ruffled sleeves into your date-night moto jacket), then streamline your look with sleek, wear-again accessories like simple strappy heels, gold geometric jewelry and a metallic clutch.
Topshop Floral Silhouette Woven Jogger ($60) + JOA Ruffled Trapeze Top ($59), ASOS Heads or Tails Heeled Sandals ($65), Topshop Super-Soft Cape ($52), Pamela Love Lunar Cross Ring ($175), Sarah Loertscher Gold Parallel Earrings ($179), Molly M #10 Leather Pouch ($64)
WEEKEND RETREAT
Let the pattern do the talking on your day off, when that extra spiffiness can help turn a grocery run into a mid-day adventure. Keep your color palette simple, even non-existent with white-on-white making a statement of its own. Slip on slide sandals and a mini backpack to stay on trend, then finish your look with polished everyday accents like a gold beaded friendship bracelet and shapley stud earrings.
Topshop Floral Silhouette Woven Jogger ($60) + Mango Shirt Collar Top ($70), Mango Long Cardigan ($80), Jeffrey Campbell Olbia Leather Sandal ($100), Sara Cramer Friendship Beaded Bracelet ($25), Upper Metal Class Mini Wave Earrings ($55), Ecote Textured Mini Backpack ($59)
What pieces in your closet deserve more attention, but stump your style game? Tell us about your trickiest wear-again garments in the comments below and we might feature them in our next Style Resolutions post!