How to Wear All Over Floral

Designers are going into overdrive, creating looks completely centered on these timeless florals. For S/S 2010, both Dolce & Gabbana and Tory Burch showcased head to toe floral looks that were an eye catching explosion of color.

To keep from looking too much like the wallpaper in your grandmother’s bedroom, wear two separate pieces in different but complementary floral prints.

At Dolce & Gabanna, the floral looks were all about separates: floral on a red blouse paired with floral on black bloomer shorts.

This may seem like a clashing combination, but the hues of red within both pieces, the red roses on the shorts, and the red background on the blouse tied them together for a unified look.

Color coordination is a simple trick to make all over florals look chic, rather than over-the-top.

If one piece has large florals scattered sparingly, balance the print out by pairing it with a piece that has a dense conglomeration of close-knit florals. Shape matters when it comes to flowers, and in this case opposites attract.

No matter what kind of floral prints you play with, make sure that you wear them on sharp and sophisticated shapes. Florals already keep the eye moving all on their own and don’t need any extra oomph from extroverted details like ruffles, bows, and pleats to stand out. Keep away from the frills, and stick to clean lines and simple tailoring.

Sleek A-line skirts, classic crew neck blouses, and practical ankle length trousers covered in vibrant florals make for a hip balance of fashion conservatism and liberalism.

If you do decide that you want to take this look all the way and wear floral separates of the same pattern from head to toe, it’s even more important to keep shapes extremely simple and clean.

Take a cue from the Tory Burch show, where a model wore an overly abstract floral print on both a crisp button-up collared shirt and a pair of sleek drainpipe pants. No extra ruffles or pleats here – just a clean foundation for the pattern to build itself upon.

By taking this advice, you will soon be on your way to mastering the art of wearing all over florals that won’t leave you looking like a walking garden. Here is a runway-inspired floral look to get started with right now.


2. We Who See Teardrop Wedge from Urban Outfitters – $128.00. These unique wedges pull the entire look together, and their peep-toe fronts make them perfect for summer.



3. In Bloom Skirt from Nastygal.com – $24.00. Tuck the blouse into this body-conscious skirt. The large flowers perfectly balance out the small flowers on the lace blouse.


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