Print Watch 2024

The prints and patterns that look good right now and some ones to watch

Oof, what a week! I just returned from a road trip with my family, which took nearly twice as long as it should have because we drove our electric vehicle and had to charge it every 5 miles (not really, but seemed like it. They’ve really gotta work on the range on these things!).

Interestingly, the most reliable spot to charge a car these days is at Walmart, of all places. So I spent more time in Walmarts this week than I have in … maybe my entire life?

Maybe it was the hours I passed wandering under the fluorescent lights, but I started thinking about what separates cheap clothing from higher-end clothing. Obviously, there’s the quality of the fabric, how workers are treated and paid, etc., etc. But aesthetically, the differences in design elements can be very subtle, especially for basics. A $5 white tee from Walmart doesn’t differ THAT much from a $75 white tee from Kule.

Where things really start to separate is in print and pattern. Sure, a stripe is a stripe, and a check is a check, but what makes print and pattern feel new and exciting now is a play on proportion and an artistic sensibility that you just don’t see coming from a store devoted to mass appeal.

On the FW 24 runways, the thing that struck me the most with regard to print and pattern (aside from the fact that there were relatively few prints and patterns in general this season) was the blowing up and shrinking down of classic motifs.

Plaids + Checks

I mentioned a 90s grunge re-resurgence in my pants piece last week, and it’s seen here too. This is the style that keeps on giving, apparently, as I reported on it way back in 2009 during my trend forecasting days and have seen it pop up periodically since then.

This current take on plaid is interesting in that it’s blown up a bit. Dries’s and Loewe’s takes are inspiring, with their wide-open window panes, and they would be the easiest to wear now, as they’re placed on lightweight, silky fabrics. These are all technically fall/winter clothes, so the fuzzier styles (Giambattista Valli, Helmut Lang, Burberry) may not feel that appealing at the moment, but keep them in your mental files for the cooler months.

L to R: Dries Van Noten; Giambattista Valli; Helmut Lang; Loewe; Burberry (all on nowfashion.com)

There are some super-cute summery takes on plaid in the shops now, if you want to get a jump on this trend. I’m obsessed with these Collina Strada socks, and apparel-wise, there are things to suit any sensibility—from flirty and femme to tomboyish.

Clockwise from Top L: MSGM windowpane dress; Collina Strada socks - omg!!; Capulet duster jacket - on sale for $99; cute and femme English Factory short suit; Anine Bing tweed slingbacks

Florals on a Light Ground

Good grief, could you get much sweeter than these florals? I’m loving the micro-florals in particular, and they fall perfectly in line with the 90s theme, harkening back to the Laura Ashley and Jessica McClintock dresses of my youth. The Prada burnout velvet is less of a match with the Giambattistas and Loewes in this world, but I had to include it because Prada is always influential. Let’s keep our eyes opened and see what it inspires in the seasons to come.

L to R: Prada; Erdem; Loewe; Ulla Johnson; Giambattista Valli (all on nowfashion.com)

This is the perfect print to start wearing right now, and it’s giving me Poor Things/Salter House/cottage core vibes, in a good way.

Clockwise-ish from L: Everlane perfect 90s slip dress; Rails tie-front dress; En Saison muy romántico; the cutest sleep set from Bedhead PJs; Agua by Agua Bendita ruffly bikini; squee—these earrings from Simone Rocha; Jeffrey Campbell’s ultra-femme take on the sheer ballet flat

Animal Print

This is a tough one for me because I like animal print in theory, but—I think because I’m Sicilian—when I try to wear it, I just feel trashy. I love it on other people, but so far, it hasn’t worked for me. On the runways, there were some beautiful coats in this pattern (that Michael Kors is so chic!), but the piece I loved most was the billowy Zimmerman shirt. Not a hint of Peggy Bundy there with its silky fabric and sophisticated bow neck.

Although there’s never not animal print, I think this is surging at the moment because it’s an emerging street style trend, particularly in Paris. Of course the French girls can pull this off!

L to R: Zimmerman; Blumarine; Marni; Michael Kors (all on nowfashion.com)

I’m issuing a challenge to myself to try some animal print this year, and I think the easiest way to go about it may be to incorporate an accessory in the pattern, although I am loving the idea of a faux leopard coat or bow blouse!

Clockwise from L: Avec Les Filles faux fur coat; Ganni bow blouse; B-Low the Belt hair calf belt; Beek slides; Madewell bucket bag

Ombré

File this under: Is This a Thing or Just a Flash in the Pan? There wasn’t much ombré on the runways, but what was there was pretty spectacular, so I’m wondering if this might bloom into something important. Let’s keep an eye on this one, eh?

L to R: Dries Van Noten; Bottega Veneta; Chanel; Dries again! (all on nowfashion.com)

I love the painterly aspect of the Dries and Bottega looks, and the Chanel looks like the dawn sky.

Honestly, there’s not much of this in the stores either, and what is there is kinda terrible. I do love these two pieces, though!

L to R: A.L.C. skirt set with ice blue edges; MSGM denim wrap skirt in our fave new shade of yellow

I’m 50/50 on whether this trend will become something in the coming months. Is it too close to the early 2010s for comfort? We shall see!

In the meantime, I hope you have a beautiful weekend!

xx,

Joanna