Printed dresses and I have never had the easiest of relationships. As a child my Nan forced me to wear what I considered the tackiest floral prints to every family event. By my teen years I’d pledged never to wear a print again, refusing to be spotted like a bobble brightly declaring “I give up!” to anyone who cared to look.
In reality, this meant a lot of navy and black. For years my wardrobe was reserved purely for these two shades. Okay, fine, dark grey if I was feeling particularly adventurous.
Until I ducked into a tiny dress shop in Marylebone three summers ago. It was a scorcher of a July day, and I was traipsing around London avoiding my then ex-boyfriend (who sat outside Pret watching me annoyingly every time I emerged from a shop…) when I literally ran into this store to seek refuge from the sun.
Dodging behind a rack of maxi dresses whilst maintaining what I’m sure was a death stare in his direction, I absent-mindedly brushed the fabric of a geometric print midi dress.
Chances are I was contemplating flight or fight at this point, when a tiny elderly lady appeared next to me. “Ooh that’s great for travelling,” she grinned, swiping a strand of her immaculate silver hair away from her face. “Non-crease, hides stains and goes from breakfast meetings to cocktail parties in the evening!” she chirped. Suiting sarcastic actions to humorous words I purchased the offending dress mid-laugh whilst still hiding behind racks (don’t judge me I was terrified), wore it out for dinner that evening and got more compliments than I care to remember. More than the contents of my then near exclusively black wardrobe had amassed in years, probably.
Fast forward three years and that £195 dress that I swore I’d regret is now hands down the hardest working dress in my wardrobe. I’ve worn it to client meetings, summer weddings and even that fancypants garden party where I unwittingly ended up chatting up some bloke from the Sunday Times style section. But it works.
It’s versatile, easy to dress up and down and most importantly, doesn’t scream “summer” the minute autumn rolls around. I’ve learnt a lot about prints since that sweltering July day, and thought it only fitting to share with you guys some of my tried and tested styles of print that: A) Don’t look dated within a season B) Are equally as appropriate in 2023 as they’ll be in 2025. Geometric Print Dress Holy Grail The geometric print that converted me into a convert was handily, geometric.
There’s something about angular shapes that makes you feel a bit smarter than the bohemian florals across the shop. Especially if those geometric shapes nod to vintage styles without actually screaming ‘grandma’s cupboard!’ Bold lines, minimal colour palettes and an overall ‘artsy-fartsy’ vibe makes geometric prints extremely menswear sweater-vest boyfriend approved at dinner parties. Trust me, you’ll win Sweater Vest Punk approval and they always know what’s up.
Additionally, geometric prints often reference traditional art movements or architectural styles that are easy on the eye and never *quite* go out of fashion. Bauhaus inspired shapes, art deco cocktail rings, mid-century modern sofas; you get the idea. My first geometric print dress was inspired by 1930s textiles but revamped into a modern colour palette of navy and rust.
Since buying that Marylebone number I’ve picked up three other geometric printed dresses. THREE. Geometric prints haven’t just entered my wardrobe, they’ve conquered it!
To make sure yours age as gracefully as my closet staples, always look for: 1) Simple silhouettes. Think shirt dress or A-line midi as versatile backdrops for your busy print. 2) A colour palette that works with your wardrobe.
Nude, black, white and block colours are always a safe bet when building your print wardrobe. I usually team my geometric print midi dresses with either white trainers or tan leather sandals and leave the outfit there. Statement enough without butering it up with too much else!
Tip: Throw on a long cardigan or turtleneck jumper for autumn/winter and only reveal the dress when you sit down. Voila, instant skirt that no-one can see is actually a dress. Job interview at a creative agency last December and whipped the black cashmere jumper off at the pub after to reveal…wait for it…a dress.
Sophie nearly fell off her chair. Botanical Print Dress Alright let’s talk about florals. Full disclosure, I HATE floral prints.
Too sweet. Too ageing. Too Great Aunt Edna living vicariously through your wardrobe.
Now, give me a BOTANICAL print any day. Something about botanicals makes them smarter than your basic boho print. Subtle pinks, deep emerald greens and ladylike lavenders are my go-to when building a botanical wardrobe that lasts.
My current favourite botanical print is also one of my most worn dresses. It’s a large scale palm frond print on a deep navy background. Painted rather than photographed, the dress itself is a simple wrap style that’s as easy to throw on for work as it is an evening out.
I picked it up from an independent designer who was doing a pop up shop in Shoreditch three years ago. I spent £100 on the dress after three glasses of free prosecco so it was definitely worth the purchase..? Look for: Natural fabrics.
Linen, silk and cotton botanical prints will always age better than your synthetic sheens. -Oversized flowers or plants. Large-scale prints where you can’t necessarily spot what the flower is take the ‘girls on the trowel’ edge off a botanical print. Trust.
Asymmetrical prints. Nothing dates faster than 2019 flower power so seek out prints that are contemporary rather than painfully obvious. Tip: I like to pair my botanical midi dresses with bare flesh; espadrilles or sandals in summer and opaque black tights with ankle boots when it’s cooler.
Let the print do the talking and keep accessories to a minimum. If you need jewelry, stick to gold hoops and a thin gold bangle. Abstract Print Dress If someone had told me 5 years ago that I’d buy a maxi dress with an abstract print that would become my new ‘go to’ party piece I would have laughed in their face.
Fast forward to last summer and that £225 blue and cream abstract print silk midi dress was everywhere I went. Abstract prints are interesting. They catch the eye without being garish and are perfect for those of us that like our style with a bit of an edge.
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People always comment on my abstract print dresses and I’ve had some fascinating conversations as a result (“Oooh love that print, is it a Mondrian inspired print?” *gazes intensely* asked one hot Italian bloke at a friend’s book launch.) Abstract prints by their very nature are harder to date. They’re not trying to be pineapples. They’re not trying to scream 2007 like some chorus line of ABBA tribute singers.
Abstract prints are just. Abstract. Looking for your own timeless abstract print dress?
Pick something: -In A Neutral Colour Palette. Subdued, tonal colours age better than rainbow burst abstract prints. -Terrific Quality. Nothing ages faster than a cheaply made dress from who-knows-where.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. -That’s unique. Yep. You want people thinking ‘I haven’t seen that print before!’ when they first lay eyes on your print, not “oh no not those hideous curtains AGAIN.” Tip: Throw it on with flat shoes and a blazer for daytime or work.
Add a heel and some killer red lipstick for evening and it immediately transforms. Striped Print Dress Honestly guys I used to think stripes were boring. Until I realised that modern stripe dresses have evolved far beyond your traditional Rugby Tank Top stripes and now there is a world of stripe-led possibility at your finger tips.
My first striped dress addiction was a midi length number I picked up from Nobody’s Child. With hand-painted indigo stripes cut into irregular widths all over, it was love at first swipe. I bought that dress three summers ago during a weekend away with my sister in Brighton and she basically refused to leave the shop with me. “It’s too different from your normal style,” she cried as I held the bagged dress like a baby crocodile. “You know you love it Steph,” I hissed.
In hindsight we were both right. Since that eye-wateringly bright striped midi I’ve bought countless others. I even purchased a stripe print blazer to compliment my growing collection!
Opt for: -Unusual colour palettes. Pale pink and white stripes, block grey and white or even black and white with red?! Pushing the traditional stripe colour combos can really update a timeless print.
Asymmetrical prints. Much like our favourite botanicals, uneven stripes are more modern and less PLAYING IN THE SANDWICH workshop. Irregular shapes.
Long short long short,long? No thanks, give me those horizontal and vertical lines played with like Aussie indie band Boy and Bear played their guitars. Tip: Like my boyfriend sweater vests, pair your stripe dress with neutral accessories and shoes.
You can have fun with socks. Which is basically the only saving grace of winter for me. Statement striped dresses don’t need much else going on, so keep jewellery and shoes to a minimum and enjoy the glory that is stripes!
Conversational Print Dress Ok guys, hear me out on this one. I get it, conversational prints have the potential to be nothing more than a novelty. BUT.
And there’s always a but, if you know where to look I truly believe that conversational prints can, in fact, be timeless. The key is finding Artistic vs Novelty. There’s a difference and when it comes to prints that could cling to your wardrobe for years to come, it’s important to recognise both.
My foray into the world of conversational prints was unintentional. A sparkly gold wrapped silk shirt dress covered in -you guessed it- architectural drawings of old keys. Not cartoon keys.
Keys like you and I would recognise. But artistically painted, slightly wonky keys spaced generously all over a cream silk shirt dress. It was love at first SWIPE.
The print is sparse enough to be subtle, but interesting enough to spark conversation. And that, my friends, is where the value of a good conversational print truly lies. Balanced with simple silhouettes (shirt dress, wrap dress, maxi dress) and pared back with neutral accessories, conversational prints can be: Sourced from independent artists.
Unlike Boohoo quick fashion prints, buying from independent artists and designers not only ensures your getting a better quality garment, but that your print is one of a kind. Limited in colour palette.
Whacky, vibrant prints are cute.
But confine your conversational print dress to a limited colour palette (think black, white and greys) and you’re guaranteed to never have to retire your favourite print. Artistic vs literal. Easy, but follow my lead from the key print dress and try to find prints that lean artistic rather than childish or novelty.
Think less cartoon babies and more modern art museum. Tip: Speaking of museums, leave your conversational print dress to do the talking. These kind ofStatement without butering it all up with a load of unnecessary tat.
Whichever print you pick, my advice remains the same. Buy it because you love it, buy it because you can see yourself wearing it next summer and three summers after that. But most importantly, buy your printed dress because YOU love it!
Hit me up in the comments if you have any favourite print dress styles that I haven’t mentioned. I’m always on the hunt for more pretty frocks.
