When you hear animal prints do you immediately think Peggy Bundy from ‘Married With Children’? I also conjured images of teased hair if I saw a leopard print boot or a zebra scarf but I’ve recently come around on animal prints. Here I’m sharing the tips that I picked up when choosing and styling animal prints. If you’re new to trying these prints, the key is to not overdo it.
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Tips for choosing animal prints
- If you have a select color palette in your closet, look for prints that work within that palette. You can very easily find prints in neutral colors, usually black and brown.
- Start with a small print. Unless you are comfortable with big, bold prints, stick to something small.
- Try different types of prints. There are so many animals to choose from: leopard, cheetah, snake skin, zebra, etc.
- Buy second hand. If you’re trying out a new trend or print and you’re not quite sure about, look to buy it second hand. Try your local thrift store or ThredUp.
You might also enjoy reading about How I Found My Personal Style
Tips for styling
- Start with an accessory – scarf, earrings, purse, belt. This is an easy way to start incorporating something new into your wardrobe without feeling too awkward. I especially like these scarves on Amazon, lots of fun prints to try out for a very reasonable price.

- Shoes are another great way to add a pop of print or color without making giant changes to your wardrobe. You can find animal prints on all sorts of shoes: heels, sandals, sneakers, ankle boots, heeled boots, etc.

- You can find animal prints in pretty much every type of clothing, so try it out for yourself. Here are some more examples of clothing pieces in leopard print.

- Sweater (both the black/gray and black/brown): Amazon, similar
- T-shirt: Amazon (the size S was very loose on me), similar
- Cardigan: Amazon, similar
- I also tried a pair of leopard print pants but the fit wasn’t flattering on me but here is the link if you want to check it out: Amazon, similar
- Old Navy animal prints: Masks, leggings, jackets, dresses, pj’s, sandals, scarves, sweatshirts, scrunchies
- If you want to wear more than 1 piece of animal print, try to separate them a bit. Example: leopard scarf with leopard shoes. Also, stick to 1 type of animal, I’m not sure how a leopard and a snake would get along together!

Animal Prints Dressed Up
I realize that these are all very casual outfit examples but animal prints can be dressed up as well. A leopard print pump is perfect for a business casual environment or a night out. Snake skin boots can really dress up a simple dress or jeans. I’m still working on adding more animal prints to my wardrobe and because my style is very casual at the moment, I’m adding casual pieces first.
I think animal prints are a lot of fun and very versatile and I hope these tips help you feel more comfortable trying out a new print or pattern. Leave a comment if you love animal prints or hate them. Have I changed your mind about them?
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