Clothing styles and designs vary from season to season, culture to culture and even from one city to another. Individuals create their own styles based on what is in style, what they like to wear, what appeals to them visually and what is appropriate for their body type and age. One of the trickier things to incorporate into any wardrobe is prints. While some people naturally gravitate towards prints, many of us are shy to wear prints for fear of drawing too much attention to ourselves, matching it incorrectly or looking outdated. However if you know how to wear prints, you will be comfortable with adding them to your wardrobe and wearing them often.

Choosing the right print is always tricky. A good way to start wearing prints is to opt for tame prints in similar tones that will make it easy to match up and will not be too flashy. This will ease you into the change in your style. This is important to do if you have stuck with solid colors only in the past.

Another technique for choosing patterns is to opt for ones that have an abundance of colors you like and wear often. If you like the look of black and white together, a black and white print may be the perfect place to start.

If you are worried about choosing an outdated print, head to stores like Banana Republic or Urban Outfitters that are on the cutting edge of fashion. You are sure to find only up-to-date prints there. You may also want to look at fashion sites online and see what is in vogue this season. Many of these sites will provide you with opportunities to buy the attire you like or link you to sites that sell it.

The other factor in wearing prints is the impact the print will have on your overall look. If you are top heavy, you may want to invest in pants and skirts with prints in order to draw the eye downwards. The opposite is true for those who are pear-shaped or have heavier legs. Wear printed tops to draw the eye away from those less-than-ideal areas of the body.

When it comes to matching prints up with other things, you will want to examine the print carefully and choose a predominant color in the print in order to pair with it. For example a print top with a lot of brown in it will look great with a brown skirt or pants. This will create a more subdued look and keep the print from overwhelming the outfit. If you have an ensemble with bold colors, choose one of the lesser used colors to match up with cardigans, jackets and accessories, as it will help to bring out the color more.

A warning about wearing prints must be given. Do not try to match up prints with other prints. If an entire outfit is purchased together and the print continues throughout the ensemble, it is fine. However, trying to mix and match prints is a bad idea. Your outfit should only have one piece of clothing that is printed. All the others should complement it. Stripes, polka dots and other geometric designs never go with prints.

Be bold. Wear prints, but keep in mind the guidelines of looking good in prints.