Stylishly Unsettled

Remember Miranda’s classic one in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’: ‘Florals for spring. Groundbreaking.’? Well it’s taken us quite some time but we finally brought some new shit to the table and grew out of floral prints and stripes. The day has come my fashion friends when we’ve got new prints to talk about. While florals and stripes are still in, more like staples, if not unoriginal but safe versions of the print trend, spring summer 2016 is all about retro prints. Desaturated, darker, muted prints that resemble a 70s psychedelia mixed with a fuck you to all the pretty print rules we’ve had so far.

Of course the King of these prints is none other than Gucci. Let’s all take a moment now and sigh and sigh for it’s all bloody worth it.

If I could wear a designer for the rest of my life I’d say Gucci. Period. With some Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana, Jonathan Saunders, maybe a bit of Missoni & Miu Miu. God help us.

What are the hot prints to wear in 2016? Anything that is reminiscent of some retro time, mood, vibe etc., with a major penchant for 70s, 60s, even 50s.

Geometric prints, tribal prints, paisley prints, checkered prints, polka dots.

The groundbreaking thing about all these prints is that they come in a more muted if not desaturated version of the classic bright prints of summer. Or, if they’re brighter – like Gucci’s yellows and reds – they rest on dark coloured fabrics that are the epitome of 70s fashion: dark dusted shades of green, blue, orange, brown.

It all sounds really gloomy but they look amazing. Very moody, and I like that for a change.

The clothes that come in these retro prints are different somehow than what we’ve had for the past 2 years or so. No, we’re not wearing leaves instead, is just that as much as we’ve become less prude, our clothes have become bigger somehow, oversized, loads of fabrics to make room for all these dark prints.

Summer dresses have a maxi cut, long sleeves, blouses are huge and paired with retro tiny shorts and chunky shoes, office tops have massive pussy-bows and are paired with midiskirts, there are flirty jumpsuits, uber long wide legged printed pants paired with tiny little crop tops.

The animal & tropical prints are still holding on strong in either the retro version of tinylittle bugs sitting on dark fabrics, or a more pop-culture-kitsch-80s-meets-90s-take in massive picture animal kingdoms, forests, and jungles. Bug life prints look amazing on maxi dresses, or 70s inspired wrap dresses, and midi styles, and the jungle exotic big picture animal kingdom prints looks fab on oversized men-inspired t-shirts, shirts, huge jackets, and square cut crop tops.

What’s NOT-SO-HOT prints-wise this season then? Tbh, in a time like today – when ALL is in, and it’s all a matter of personal style rather than trends per se – I wouldn’t go dismiss pretty much anything, but I will say that the classic floral prints have taken a step back. I’m kinda glad they did to be honest, cause too much of something is never ok.

The classic pink, red, yellow super saturated roses sitting on bright white fabrics, for example – that’s a little bit too preppy for 2016’s penchant for darker more retro prints, BUT if this is what you love, by all means drape yourself in them and enjoy every minute of your rose garden and don’t let nobody tell you otherwise.

Stripes may be less in, but I don’t buy it. I’m all for stripes, and will always be. Here’s the thing about stripes: retro solid stripes are massive this season, the classic Breton stripes will always be IN, and the rest… (what rest?!) who cares? If it rocks your boat go for it!

On the subject of mixing prints – YES – I’m still all for it and I think the retro prints mixed and married among themselves give a perfect chaotic sophistication to a look and I love that.

This print trend post needs all the inspo we can get, not cause we’re void of sartorial ideas, but just cause – in my case – looking at prints gives me this urge to just take my fabulousness and drape it in all the paisley, bugs, palm trees, graphic and tribal patterns in the world.

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SHOP the 2016 prints look below. Click on image to buy.

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