People seem to either love or hate animal prints. Particularly leopard is one that produces strong reactions. For a long time I never liked or wore animal prints, but recently have been enjoying some in my wardrobe.
One of the key elements to remember is to pick the animal print that suits your colouring. I think one of the reasons I didn’t go for leopard is that they were usually in warm colours, but recently I’ve managed to pick up some in cool colours which go with my complexion.
You can add animal print to your wardrobe as a touch or head to toe! My gorgeous friend Jill of Shop Your Wardrobe wears some animal print each day, that’s her signature item.
You can wear it in a shoe, in a scarf, in earrings or a bag if you’re less comfortable. If you love it try a coat or a dress, a cardigan or skirt.
Animal prints run from the traditional leopard, to snakeskin, zebra, cow, tiger, dalmatian and giraffe. Choose your animal and bring out your wild side!
You look great in animal print!
I never thought about the fact that leopard is most likely warm, I managed to pick a cooler shade, fortunately. But please, please Imogen let me know what you think:
1. the leopard dress is a shape that is a no-no for an 8 (I am an 8). Do you think that dress looks disastrous on me? (and if not, then how come?!)
2. I am struggling with cardigans/dressing down because of my thinness apart from the little flab on high hips, bum and lower abs, so clothes with structure suit me better than anything floaty/that drapes. but structure is always more formal. i have never found a cardigan I liked, they just lack structure. what do you think/ what could I wear instead in their place?
As a slim 8 you can get away with some flared shapes.
Maybe try a thicker cardigan. I’d also out a leather belt with that cardi rather than the wool belt. It will give you the look of more structure
Thanks v much!
On reflection I suspect the problem with that leopard print dress is that it seems too short. I am 5ft8 and as one of your other (tallish) fans asked some time ago: often very difficult to find dresses that are long enough/have their waist where my waist is. That dress would look lovely if it was just an inch or two longer, I think. Now (even without me wearing heels) it’s all legs. (which according to my mum and the men in my life I’ve got a nice pair of, but I can’t help thinking that I look like I’ve grown out of that dress)
and excellent advice on a leather belt, I’d never thought of opting for another belt as it came provided with one. (btw I have a couple more, much more flimsy cardigans, this was one of the thicker ones I’ve got). I have a suspicion that the zero-size models we see on the catwalk (are obviously still far too thin) but are so starkly bony because the clothes they model are frequently unstructured, and they end up looking like a clothes-hanger partly as a result of that! Your post on who needs structure/floaty was one of the most eye-opening ones ever. You and your blog are so incredibly helpful, I can’t thank you enough.
Thanks Susie.
There are so many short dresses out at the moment, particularly aimed at the younger market it’s hard to avoid. You should add a band of a different fabric to the dress.
I agree with Susie, you really look great in animal print!
I’m not a huge fan of animal print, but I have some nice items in my closet in leopard print in different colours. Today I chose to wear my purple leopard tights with a black knit dress, and I added a purple-black scarf to tie the outfit together.
You definitely look great in animal prints, but particularly in the pink scarf. Love it!!! Years ago I never wore animal print as it was considered to be a bit down-market and “cheap”, but there’s so many great options nowadays and I confess to owning a dress and ballerinas in animal print as well as the scarf that I wore today!
Love all your posts. I too remember when animal print was only worn by barmaids on Coronation St or East Enders. But times have changed !
Oh, you rock the animal print! I completely forgot about this challenge, but happened to wear leopard shoes (and belt) yesterday anyway. The rest of the outfit didn’t work all that well, oh well.
http://amiable.lookfab.com/post/wiw-layered-button-downs
What a great collection of animal prints you have! My favorite is the blue/purple snake print top. I haven’t seen anything like it, and it suits you so well!
It’s only a couple of years ago that I got the courage to try animal prints, because I thought the colours were too warm. Then I saw your post on camel, and thought that when camel comes in both cold and warm then animal print must too.
Today I wore my beige dress with something like a tiger print, but I also have shoes, scarves and bags. So thanks to your original post on a colour I now take great pleasure in wearing animal prints!
Link to my post today:
http://highlyirregularstyle.blogspot.dk/2013/02/how-to-style-yellow-jacket-that-you.html
Loving all your outfits here and adore the yellow jacket. May hou get lots more wear from it!
My animal print is a brown trench coat and faux vest, hats, jewellery, shoes and bags. I don’t do a lot of it.