“Floral? For Spring? Groundbreaking.” These famous lines from Miranda Priestly in the movie The Devil Wears Prada, defines everything cliché about the use, misuse and abuse of floral inspiration from centuries. Yet if we are looking at Spring-Summer trends, it is hard ignoring the flower power for breezy sunny days. Floral prints and embroidery can never go out of style, but you can also style them differently to create unique looks. Floral prints in the right size, colours and patterns can absolutely do wonders to your wardrobe; and fashion experts indicate that with this trend, never hold back.
One way or another, the universally flattering floral print is always trending; and designer Vandana Malhotra thinks all kinds of blooms are a perfect ode for feminine dynamics. She says, “From ditsy floral prints to over-sized flower patterns — blooms are certainly in this season. I would totally recommend you to go for the floral on floral look — mix and match floral patterns (head to toe) for a maximised take on the trend. Or try to pair a floral dress with a floral patterned handbag or sandals.
Another way to wear floral print pieces is to clash them with another print. It takes courage to do that, however, stripes and polka dots look best when you want to adopt that look. Choose to wear a bright dress with flowers or a pastel coloured print but make sure to pair them with the right accessories. A long flower print maxi dress from your floral outfits range, with a high heel and simple stud earrings, can make you look like a princess. If you are into casual playtime look, then club your floral printed shirt dress with a pair of sneakers or ankle boots. You can also never go wrong with a leather belt and a light shrug to get an extra refined figure with loose summer dresses. There are so many long floral shrugs that can reinvent your basics and give your plain or floral short dress major style boost.
Make sure to understand your body type to choose the perfect outfit. Based on your body shape, choose from bright eye-catching floral print dresses and hide or flaunt your best features.”
The floral pattern is generally considered feminine and romantic and can be paired with your current wardrobe for some offbeat chic looks. Designer Pallavi Jain says, “One can hardly go wrong with floral prints and patterns – pair a floral shirt with denim or shorts or match it with a solid colour skirt to create an interesting balance. When it comes to dresses, at Quince casuals we love to experiment with short dresses and long maxi dresses with bold floral prints that look gorgeous on all body types. For a long dress, avoid using long sleeves and pair with a contrasting jacket or side slits to break the monotony. One can also try an edgy look with digital and geometrical floral patterns in 3D as they look absolutely high end on any outfit.”
While most designers recommend investing in a floral top or dress, US-based designer Tina Tandon vouches for a floral print blazer this season. They can be easily paired with a dress or T-shirt/ jeans or slacks, and can quite versatile and stylish item. She says, “While wearing florals, remember to play with proportions -- pair bolder, bigger prints with smaller and delicate prints. If you are going for a bold floral print, keep the others more subtle, neutral or monochrome. Keep the prints in the same tonal range- complimentary color stories look best when mixing prints. Or go with Monochrome- same colour family. Ground the bright floral colors with a neutral color tone solid shade (whites or beiges) or pick one color from the print as the solid shade to compliment the print when pairing with solid colors. Choose prints with two or more colours when mixing prints, and use complimentary shades (example, all kinds of blues or greens) or contrasting colours like pinks with orange for statement looks.”
Not just Western wear, but even for Indian outfits, one can use floral prints in cotton, silk or linen fabrics to look cool in hot weather.
elaborates, “For Indian wear, match a beautiful floral printed blouse with a plain saree or vice versa. For semi-Indian outfits, match a floral printed skirt with a plain top or a white kurta and add a floral scarf or dupatta to get a stylish summer look. My personal favourite is a floral printed pant and a coat, paired with a plain white shirt or silk blouse for a corporate meeting or a formal event. One can also pick a nice floral kurta and match it with black leggings or match Patiala salwar for a casual summer look. Floral printed earrings in pastel shades can be matched with printed clutch for a classy combo. Or show your fun side with floral printed sunglasses in hues like yellows, pinks, and nudes to beat the heat.”
Floral design necklaces, earrings or bracelets can spruce up any basic outfit, and this season they are quite big. Floral printed accessories in any form, from scarves to shoes and bags to jewellery are quite in, mentions designer Laksheeta Govil. While pointing out the basics, she explains, “Give a minimal outfit a stark contrast by adding a printed pair of juttis and a bright coloured satchel bag. Floral embroidered or printed footwear is going to be big this season - whether it’s a cute pair of juttis on a lehenga for the summer weddings or sneakers on a classic pair of denim. There are a few do’s and don’ts when it comes to pairing florals with different prints, especially while picking accessories. One thing to keep in mind while styling prints is that if the base colour of the garment or accessory complements each other, there is a high possibility of the prints looking good together. If too much print is not for you, break the look with a solid colour. For example, add a layer of a solid colour to your look, complement a printed outfit with more somber footwear or vice versa. Lastly, keep in mind to always match a single colour of one print with another. Too many colours might ruin the whole look.”
