Clash Away - Maggie Semple

I can’t say I’ve dabbled in it too much, but the many stylish people I follow and like on Instagram or that I pin on Pinterest do it wonderfully. Whether it’s leopard print with cheetah print, or stripes with polka dots, clashing prints seem to work when they really shouldn’t.

It almost goes against everything we’ve been taught. Everything we feel shouldn’t look right. But, then again, I still stand by the controversial sartorial myth that navy does pair beautifully with black.

Whether you mix monochromatic prints – like different stripes for example – or go the full hog and mix colour in their too – sometimes a lot goes a long way, rather than a little. If you like to mix and match prints but have never tried it before, it doesn’t have to make a statement if that’s not your style. It could be subtle – a leopard print blouse with pinstripe trousers for example, or you could go bolder with a Breton stripe top and a pair of polka dot high-waisted trousers in the same – or clashing – colourway.

Mixing colours will of course create a greater impact, but it’s always important to go with what you feel comfortable with. If that’s pink patterned trousers and a red striped shirt then who’s to say it doesn’t work? After all, the rule of not mixing red with pink is another myth long proved wrong in my opinion.

Animal print is always a fail safe when it comes to print; and always comes into its own in autumn and winter too. You might choose to wear a relatively simple outfit but mix and match your accessories. Shoes are a brilliant way to inject a little print and texture too.

Give it a go and see what you think – a little clashing when it comes to your wardrobe can be a good thing I find.