Print Trends to Look Out For in 2023
Print trends fluctuate throughout the years, with some patterns falling in and out of style while others remain timeless. 2023 print trends come from a range of aesthetics and styles, allowing you plenty of different ways to incorporate a trendy print into your personal style. Trending prints include complex optical illusions and classic basics, creating a fun contrast that allows you to make a bold statement or impress with a minimalist style.
Explore some of this year’s most popular fashion prints below.
Plaid
Depending on how you style it, plaid can be rustic, casual, chic, or bookish, making it a popular trend for people with all different styles and aesthetics. A simple plaid button-up is always stylish for the autumn, but you can be on-trend in plaid year-round. Larger plaid prints are projected to be especially popular, providing a bold graphic element to this classic pattern. Try on a flowing plaid knee length skirt for a chic summer look, or pair plaid high-waisted pants with a women’s white blouse for the perfect smart casual outfit.
Tie Dye
Elevated tie dye is a unique print perfect for incorporating color into your outfits. If you love the look of an ombre, look for watercolor-style tie-dye patterned skirts, tops, and scarves. Modern tie dye is painterly and luxurious, and artistic tie dye patterns can turn a maxi dress into an eye-catching art piece. Tie-dye is especially chic on satin and silk fabrics, which give an extra shimmer to the flowing designs. Subtly incorporate tie-dye with a monochrome color scheme, or pick an edgy print with contrasting colors.
Polka Dots
As styles of the 2010s come back into vogue, polka dots have become a fashionable pattern in 2023. By playing with size and spacing, designers have brought new life to this old-school pattern. While uniform polka dots in a grid are still popular, you also have unconventional options, like polka dots in unique designs that create optical illusions. Look for designs that feature random, scattered designs with dots of different sizes to add a whimsical, fashionable touch to your ensemble.
For something dainty and delicate, look for sheer tops or flowing dresses with small, tightly gathered polka dots. Prefer a bold statement? Wear a structured dress or jacket featuring an oversized polka dot pattern.
Swirls
Whimisical, freeform prints like swirls reference groovy, psychedelic designs from the 60s and 70s. Midi dresses in monochromatic, pastel colors are an especially trendy item featuring swirls, creating an artistic feminine appeal. Swirls are another print that designers are using to showcase trending optical illusions, with tight hypnotic curves and rippling colors. They’re the perfect print to pair with other bold patterns or to feature as a statement piece.
Pair a women's blouse with black and white swirls with a bold, solid color blazer and a matching skirt. A lightweight dress with subtle pastel swirls is for the spring, and a dress with thick, large-scale swoops can elongate your body and accentuate your curves.
Stripes
Stripes are a timeless classic that are on-trend year-round. Horizontal, vertical, or diagonal–you have a whole world of stripes to explore. Stripes are popular on any garment, including pants, dresses, skirts, coats, and even swimsuits.
Both thick and thin stripes are in this year, letting you enjoy both delicate pinstripes and chunky strips of color. Opt for thick, two-tone stripes pairing a color with a neutral to produce an eye-catching, graphic effect. Cozy up with a striped sweater, add a striped cardigan sweater to your outfit, or wear a summery maxi dress with thick, horizontal stripes. Prefer more delicate, slimming shapes? Pick out a midi skirt with thin, monochrome stripes to elongate your legs.
Leopard print
Of all the animal prints, leopard is one of the all-time favorites. It’s a mysterious, exciting, and playful print that you can still feature in mature, elegant looks. The leopard print trend continues in 2023, and you can incorporate this iconic pattern into any outfit. Smart casual, glam, athleisure, beach wear, the list of aesthetics that feature leopard print goes on. Look for leopard print in unique colorways to add even more pizzazz to your outfit. Pink or blue leopard print on a white background is feminine and fun, perfect for a jersey dress or knit tank top.
Unconventional Florals
Florals are always in, but the trend is evolving. Painterly, detailed, realistic florals are popular for this upcoming trend cycle. As printing technology improves, designers can add photorealistic florals to fabrics and play with large-scale natural imagery on their garments. Painterly, illustrative styles are also on trend. Unconventional, creative floral designs add eye-catching depth to your ensemble and make an artsy, modern statement. Whether you like roses, daisies, or tropical hibiscus flowers, look for patterns that incorporate extra detail.
Though these patterns are diverse and unique, they all make great focal points for any outfit. Pick your favorite pattern to create a trendy, cohesive capsule wardrobe, or mix-and-match patterns to become a trendsetter yourself.