I know a lot of you don’t need to be convinced to wear animal print, but I’m surprised by how many people I talk to that still have a bad stigma of it.
I get it. There are pink/purple/metallic animal printed hats and leggings that people actually wear. (Dear Lord, WHY?) Or the mental image of a woman that looks like Gloria from Modern Family in a skin tight, deep-v leopard print dress. It can be anywhere along the spectrum from tacky to intimidating, and in those instances it definitely doesn’t seem like it’d be practical for a normal everyday person.
If you’ve been hesitant to get on the animal print train and haven’t known how to jump in, here are a few ways you can do animal print in small doses.
Small Doses
With any new style venture that I’m unsure of I like to start in small doses, aka in accessories. No need to buy a top or a dress in all animal print when you can start small with accessories! Try a belt, scarf, shoes, or even a small animal print clutch.
I started with an animal print belt, which you could hardly tell was animal print. It felt safe and let me test how comfortable I was. It also warmed me up to it. Then I saw an animal print scarf that I liked–I think it was because the pattern on the scarf was larger than other leopard prints I’d seen. Then I moved into full blown animal print stuff–
a top, pumps, flats, and
a dress!
Type of Print – Not All Leopard Prints Are Equal
I was enlightened once I realized there are different sizes of leopard print and different patterns altogether. Like I mentioned earlier, the scarf shown above is a larger print than typical leopard prints I’d seen. The same is true for the top and dress that I got. They’re also more brown and less brown-orangey, and overall feel friendly that way. Just saying, don’t write off all animal print. Know that the variation of color and size of print goes a long, long way.
Below are some accessory options that are affordable and totally wearable for a sensible (but stylish) everyday person! 🙂
Links to Shop:
What’s your favorite way to wear animal print? If you’re not on board yet, which “small dose” are you willing to try?
