NYFW: An Unexpected Print Mix

Sometimes a print mix is planned and other times two just discover each other. This is the story about how floral found leopard.

After the majority of snow had been plowed off the streets and the models of New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2017 had walked the last runway of the first official day, I was sitting with a bunch of blogger babes buzzing from a total fashion high while having a late night drink. A lot of us female digital entrepreneurs had come from the Michael Costello show (see my recap here) gushing about how in love we were with the flowy garments and gowns that had glided down the runway just minutes before our martinis were shaken.

When the morning of NYFW Day Two came around (a little too quickly after being up late the night before), I didn’t have much time before I had to be on-the-go again. With no time to overthink my outfit, I slipped on this green turtleneck with shoulder cut-outs (here) and floral-printed maxi (here). Maybe I was subconsciously influenced by the previous nights’ show and conversation about flowy silks, but I was pretty pumped about taking on the day wearing this colorful combo. The illusion neckline, tiered skirt and delicate lace frills of this maxi had been calling to me ever since I discovered the Australian brand, Nicholas, on SHOPBOP (an online go-to for contemporary pieces, however, this dress was sold out by the time I wrote this. Maybe it gets restocked soon!).

Since it was going to be another chilly day, I added a pair of cozy leggings (here) and over-the-knee leather boots (here) underneath for warmth. Still, I had no idea what I would wear over the crinkled silk crepe, as I didn’t want to hide its slim silhouette under another fluffy fur. So, I went to the longline coat section of my clothing rack and pulled this leopard coat by Elizabeth and James (one that I typically use to add a pop to a simple jeans and sweater combo).

As I layered the midnight-blue leopard print over the dark, romantic floral, the mix started to look promising but the outfit was bulky. So I dug around for the leather wrap belt (here) that I had eagerly purchased from Asos (my favorite site for trendy finds at affordable prices) but hadn’t yet worn. I folded the coat open so that the dress would show and began gathering in my waistline. I was pleased to see that the wrap was creating a femme silhouette, but the playful print mix still needed to be balanced. So, I added a light gray beanie (Club Monaco has the softest ones) and like magic it all came together! I had a print mix look that pushed some boundaries for me, but I was excited about it.

My point here is to take risks. Don’t overthink what matches and go for the expected pairings. Below, you can see more of this look, as well as some other dresses by my new brand crush, Nicholas.