A Minimalist's Guide to Wearing Liberty Print
Have you a newfound fondness for pattern but lack the styling know-how? Here’s how to wear prints in a pared-back way
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A Minimalist's Guide to Wearing Liberty Print
Have you a newfound fondness for pattern but lack the styling know-how? Here’s how to wear prints in a pared-back way
By: George ElliotUnassumingly complex, mastering minimalist style requires a selective eye and restraint, especially when it comes to wearing pattern. Less is more, as the aesthetic's motto goes. But, as hand-designed wearable works of art, all decked in botanics that seem to bloom and unfurl right before your eyes, even the most staunch minimalists can often find themselves wondering how to wear Liberty print. If this sounds familiar and up until now you’ve been fairly print-averse, you’ll be glad to know that styling our apparel and accessories in a muted rather than maximalist way can be done. Let us show you how…
Start Small and Steady
As you’re venturing into unfamiliar territory, hold off from wearing bold and large scale prints – at least until you get into the swing of things. Instead, err on the side of subtly in every sense. Start off by wearing just one printed piece at any given time, ideally an accessory that can be incorporated effortlessly into an already formed outfit, like a neck scarf, scrunchie or tote bag. As for the prints themselves, micro and dainty designs are always best for beginners. Decorative yet discrete, a small-scale repeated graphic or a pattern of delicate scattered florals will add interest without ever demanding attention and throwing off an outfit’s balance.
Read more: upgrade your style with help from Liberty's scarf styling guide
Shop Liberty Print Accessories
Strike the Right Tone(s)
Distinctive, full of charisma and long worn by the tastemakers of London and beyond (Mick Jagger, Margaret Atwood and Twiggy are but a few), wearing Liberty print is a sure-fire way to inject more personality into an outfit. So, be sure to pick out a pattern that expresses something about you, like your favourite colour. First, pinpoint what that is before locating a print that’s in it, at least primarily. Then, think in terms of tones, styling it with plainer pieces that share the same colour, only in lighter, darker, paler and richer shades. The result: an outfit that feels a little experimental but still true to you.
Read more: help your style bloom with Liberty's guide on how to wear florals
Shop Tonal Print Pairings
Put into Neutral
There are several reasons why investing time and energy into curating a capsule wardrobe makes sense in the long run. Chief among them is this: you’ll have a collection of versatile staples that can be cleverly mixed and matched with virtually any statement piece you can think of – including any clad in Liberty print. Ideally restrained to warm neutrals, earthy shades and monochromes – colours that have the natural ability to compliment any other – these fuss-free items will pare-back even the boldest of prints, allowing you to wear patterns without straying into maximalism.
Read more: learn how to build a capsule wardrobe
Shop Capsule Wardrobe Essentials
Go Off-Duty
Another way to soften prints, which so often add a sense of occasion and edge of formality to an outfit, is to temper them with, well, soft textures and casual staples. Having a grounding effect and adding interest without piling on more pattern, they’ll also make you feel comfortable – the key to feeling confident, especially when trying out something new. The soft fuzziness of a mohair jumper, a ribbed knit skirt, an oversize hoodie and your go-to pair of jeans will all add depth, pleasing variation and air of effortlessness, so work effectively at toning-down prints, so to speak.
Read more: dress up loungewear like a pro stylist
Shop Casual Print Pairings
Keep Things Familiar
If your dress sense revolves around a uniform and there’s an outfit formula you regularly return to, use it to your advantage. You’ll want to keep its key elements constant, whether that’s a leather jacket and jeans combo or a blazer and trouser pairing. These fixed foundation pieces will ensure familiarity but also leave room for an additional component that can be interchanged with ease: the printed piece. Used to wearing jumpers and a trench? Stock up on a capsule of Liberty dresses you can layer underneath. If tailoring is more to your taste, elevate even the simplest of suits by having a range of Liberty shirt and tie combinations on standby.
Read more: revamp your tailoring by learning how to accessorise a suit
