Nothing is more controversial than a hint of animal print paving its way across town! Questions from Is it faux to Is it back in fashion and How does she pull it off? gets thrown around like leaves in autumn (hint my heavy fall reference?).
We can all agree that the trend seems like a horrid thought off season and seems like an It-Girl material when it enters the fashion lane from a heavy detour session. ‘Seriously?’ turns into collected gasps of awe and you find yourself in the majority, scrolling past bloggers’ post featuring anything and everything animal!
Being someone who never really liked animal prints, associating it with the horrendous closet of Bunty and Bubbly, I was surprised to find myself totally immersed into the experience of sporting animal print. It really wasn’t as bad as my biased thought.
This exotic trend has its roots originating from the time of the Pharaohs (Egyptian Monarch) and was worn by noblemen as a sign of wealth and status. Animal print features not only in fashion but also in home decor and fashion accessories to add a touch of finesse. Every print, from cheetah to snake and zebra to crocodile falls under its wing and the materials used these days are sustainable and cruelty free in comparison to the authentic fur donned and featured by fashion houses.
The devil may make Kim Kardashian break the internet with her assets but animal rights supporters work harder. Promoting cruelty-free makeup, turning major design houses vegan: they’ve done it all! Thanks to this, the animal-inspired fashion market has seen a transition from fine to faux fur and has also made being environmentally conscious and fighting for cruelty-free products trendy and fashionable. Everyone wants to be fashionably woke, anyway!
The look that was selected for the article was a jumpsuit I fell in love with as soon as I set my eyes on it. I had to have those and after I did have it a lot of planning went into the execution of the shoot. To get the entire mood of faunal lifestyle captured in the photos, we selected a simple location which elevated the colour of the prints and also made it look more natural and at home.
Accessorising also included warm tones like gold that matched the rich appeal of the print and at the same time complimented the print tones. The end result for me was a modern-day Jane, lost in the wilderness yet in sync with it, her free spirit feeding on the energy of the wilderness.
Keeping in mind that animal prints clothes are not only the ones making headlines, with printed boots running close behind it, another simple, everyday look was inspired and a trip to the mall turned into a full-blown shoot *happens to everyone totally feeling their outfit*.
Do not shy away from experiences, experiment and reach the conclusion of whether you are a Blair Waldorf or an edgy Sandy Olsson.
And finally, here comes the classic Dos and Do Nots!
DO
- 1. Balance and Harmonise: Showing off the print happens when you pair it with a neutral tone of clothing making it easier to style and combine.
- 2. Add colour: If you feel a little more daring, go ahead and add a pop of colour as an accessory!
- 3. Great accessorising: Do not go too loud or too soft. Choose your accessories wisely as they may get lost due to the emphasis on the print.
DO NOT
- 1. Overdo: One of the biggest reasons for a faux pas is because of someones need to overdo!
- 2. Little is more: The key here! Harmonise, like I’ve mentioned for your print to pop, not you!
Here comes the end of another article enriching our fashion knowledge! Before the trend falls into the pits of fashion no-no again, do sport it. The edge and the class it exudes at the same time puts a different light on it in comparison to the other trends that still haven’t been shelved into the classics yet.
I end here hoping to see most of you sporting animal prints and also going out of your comfort zone and trying out different locations to make your outfits pop more.
Stay tuned and see you, next week!
Where to buy?
- 1. Cheetah print jumpsuit: Zara
- 2. Snake print boots: Shein
- 3. Mini bag: Forever 21
- 4. Accessories: Forever 21
- 5. Sheer Top: Shein
- 6. Black jeans: H&M
*The article is taken from the blog of the writer, The Soft Style (@thesoftstyle) on WordPress and Instagram*
