Patterns After 50

It’s easy to love bright, bold prints that wow. From high-vibration colors to eye-catching motifs, they scream happy and make hearts skip a beat. However despite their allure, patterns can easily overwhelm in color, intensity and scale — or all three — and drown out the wearer. This is something to keep in mind with age, a time when our appearance loses oomph. After 50 features start to fade, contrast weakens and hair becomes variegated, resulting in a blended, muted effect that has less “pop”. Adapting wardrobe to honor and support these shifts ensures we don’t disappear, so consider swapping out that supersized parrot print for something more subdued. Here’s guidance for picking the best palettes, scales and pairings for print and patterns after age 50:

1. Florals
   Florals are fab at every age, but after 50 consider color palette and scale more carefully. Avoid vivid, high-saturated colors and match scale to your own features and frame. Neutralize trends by choosing classic motifs in classic silhouettes like shirting in Liberty of London florals, shift dresses in Agnes B. signature roses or kimonos in timeless Chinoiserie prints. Avoid retro or abstract florals, as both will divert attention away from you.

2. Ikat
   Ethnic Ikat prints are muted by design, yielding soft patterns in soft hues with its signature dyeing technique. Look for exotic, medium-to-low contrast color combinations like midnight navy + sky blue, mustard + orange-red and jade + seafoam green. Keep in mind a little Ikat goes a long way, so try accessories first (tote bag, mule slides) then graduate to clothing (tunic, wide leg drawstring pants) once you’ve decided the look works for you.

3. Ombré
   The soft color gradations of ombrés work wonders after a certain age. Choose your best neutral or accent color and benefit from the full range of its hue. Or consider a universally flattering color like coral which lightens to peach, or turquoise which darkens to teal. The result is just as flattering as a solid hue but more interesting, making ombrés a win-win.

4. Brocade
   Brocade is a pattered, woven fabric that ranges from tone-on-tone motifs to softly contrasting color combinations. Gold and silver are often part of the design, so take cues from your undertone when choosing the most flattering pattern. Brocade makes for great statement pieces, so consider for an accent jacket, cocktail dress or tea-length party skirt to pair with simple white shirting and statement jewelry.

5. Animal prints
   Animal prints are trend-proof, ageless and always deliver a touch of drama. Most palettes are low-saturation too, with beautiful analogous colors that softly blend together. Sound familiar? Warm skin tones pair best with classic leopard, cheetah and tortoiseshell patterns, while cool undertones harmonize with snow leopard and gray python prints — especially if hair is salt and pepper, or all salt!

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