Animal print has somewhat of a bad rap. If animal print leaves a bad taste in your mouth, it is possible these patterns make you think of loud 80s fashion or something embarrassing your mom wore growing up. Animal print has been worn a wide variety of ways throughout the decades, with some styles aging better than others.
Animal print isn’t all bad though. Patterns like leopard print, zebra print, and snakeskin can be fun, playful, and even chic when styled correctly. To some, animal print never goes out of style. However, if you’re not that type of person, you may not have any animal print in your wardrobe. And, if you do, you may not be sure how to wear it in 2024.
If you’re wondering how to wear animal print, look no further. Here are ways you can wear animal print without looking trashy.
Ways To Wear Animal Print Without Looking Trashy
Stay Subtle with Animal Print Accessories
Pair with pumps
You do not have to wear head-to-toe animal print to embrace whimsical and vibrant patterns. Instead of styling animal print clothing, you can add subtle touches of animal print to your outfits with accessories, such as bags. This is how to wear animal print, while also staying true to your own personal style. Whether you are going out for a night on the town with a small clutch or you’re carrying around your laptop and notebook to get some work done on the go, you can find fashionable animal print bags in various sizes and styles that can tie your outfits together and allow you to experiment.
Animal print is often neutral in color, featuring browns, blacks, and whites. These colors go with anything, so you can wear an animal print bag with just about any outfit you currently have in your closet.
Animal print shoes
A great outfit is planned out from head to toe. When choosing footwear, be intentional. A statement-making pair of shoes can make a basic outfit instantly stylish. Consider a pair of animal print shoes to incorporate animal print into your outfit without looking trashy. A pair of animal print pumps with a neutral outfit can look chic and creative. If you are not a pump person, you can invest in some animal print sneakers or sandals to help you achieve this subtle, yet effective look.
Animal Print Sunglasses
We may not always think about our sunglasses when we are styling an outfit. Oftentimes, we just grab the nearest pair of shades we can find when the sun comes out. However, sunglasses can easily elevate an outfit, regardless of whether or not the sun is in your eyes. As you style your outfits, be sure to think about the sunglasses that you intend on wearing. A pair of animal print sunglasses can add the smallest touch of a playful print, making a big impact on your look.
What Animal Styles to Wear
Animal-print-like patterns
Not all animal print outfits have to be glaringly obvious. Maybe a head-to-toe cheetah print outfit isn’t your thing, and it doesn’t have to be! You can play around with animal-print-like patterns to find something that works for your personal style. Many designers make patterns that are reminiscent of animal print, but not so on the nose. These more subtitle approaches to animal print can match the style of someone who prefers solid colors or soft patterns.
Anything other than leopard print
When you think of animal print, you probably think of leopard print. Leopard print is the most popular animal print, but it isn’t the only option. Perhaps leopard print is not your style. Maybe it is too bold for you, or perhaps you do not like the colors. Whatever the case may be, leopard print is not the end all, be all. You can incorporate animal print into your outfits without paying homage to this feline.
Other options include cow print, zebra print, tiger print, giraffe print, snake skin, and the list goes on and on. Not only are there countless other animal-print options, but all of these prints come in a variety of colors. Some designers choose to stay true to the colors of an animal when designing an animal-print piece, but other designers use the pattern as inspiration and put their own colorful twist on it. If you’re the type of person who dresses in a specific color scheme, you can find colorful animal-print options that match your unique style.
Printed animals vs. animal print
Maybe you’re not a big fan of prints at all, let alone animal print. However, you still want to experiment with your style and try new things. Instead of adding animal print items to your wardrobe, you can add items with animals printed on them to your wardrobe. A T-shirt with an animal printed on the front or a subtle pattern made up of animals can add that playful element to your wardrobe that you’ve been missing.
Brining Animal Print into 2024
Button down blouse, animal print pants, and red shoes
Red is a trending color this year, and for good reason. Red looks good with just about anything, especially animal print. Leopard print and zebra print look especially good when paired with red, so consider investing in some leopard print or zebra print pants that you can wear with some pointed-toe red shoes. You can finish off this look with a button down blouse for a business casual look that is excellent for a fun day at the office or for a coffee date.
Mule sandalsMesh animal print top with jeans and a shoulder bag
Seeking an effortless animal print look? When it comes to how to wear animal print, simple and chic is oftentimes the way to go. Start with a mesh animal print top. Layer a matching bralette underneath for coverage. Next, style your animal print mesh top with your favorite pair of jeans. Incorporating a belt and matching shoulder bag finishes off the look. This easy outfit is effective because of the texture and playfulness that the mesh animal print adds to the look.
Sweater, animal print maxi skirt, and boots
Want advice on how to wear animal print in the colder months? Add an animal print maxi skirt to your wardrobe. Long skirts are perfect for the winter, especially when paired with some boots. For even more warmth, layer a pair of leggings underneath. Bring out the colors in your animal print maxi skirt with a matching, solid color sweater. If you love wearing brown, consider a cow print skirt and a brown sweater. If you’re more of a black and white fan, you can wear a black sweater with a zebra print skirt. For those who enjoy more vibrant colors, you can find an animal print maxi skirt that uses nontraditional colors and pair this maxi skirt with a sweater of the same color scheme.
Blazer, turtleneck, and animal print pants
When styling animal print, the print will always be the star of the show. Instead of trying to have your other pieces of clothing compete with your animal print clothing, let the animal print shine. To do so, keep things simple. When styling a more formal animal print outfit, pick some flared animal print pants and pair these pants with a blazer and turtleneck of the same color. This is a business casual outfit that is excellent for a dinner out on the town.
Animal print jacket with black jeans, black shoes, and red accessories
As mentioned previously, red is in for 2024. If you want to stand out from the crowd with your red outfit, style your red accessories with an animal print jacket. Because both red and animal print are so bold, tone things down by pairing these pieces with some black jeans and black shoes. The head turning outfit is chic and stylish, but also easy to put together.
Animal print blouse, white pants, sneakers, and statement sunnies
An animal print blouse is a garment you can style countless ways. If you want to style an animal print top in a way that is modern, fashionable, and interesting, start with a pair of white pants. Next, style these pieces with some sneakers. Finally, finish off the outfit with some statement sunnies. This outfit allows you to play with different textures and patterns, without going too far out of your comfort zone. The white pants and sneakers can keep things casual and comfortable, while the sunglasses can help you add a bit more personality to your outfit.
Animal print puffer, jeans, sneakers, and a pop-of-color bag
Wondering how to wear animal print in a casual way for the wintertime? Seek an animal print puffer. Winter coats can often feel drab and boring, so why not opt for an option that is bold and vibrant to match your personality? You can stand out from the crowd by choosing an animal print puffer jacket, instead of a basic black, brown, gray, or white option. You can wear this animal print puffer the way you would wear a basic jacket by simply putting on your go-to jeans and sneakers. To finish off the outfit and add a bit more of your personal touch, choose a pop-of-color bag. We’ve mentioned several times that red is the color of the year, but if you’re not a red fan, pink, green, yellow, or orange will get the job done.
