Introduction
Many patterns come and go for the purposes and presence of their times. There are many prints that cannot escape their original trending period; some maintaining their iconic substance and others that sink into tacky territory.
With that being said, floral patterns are neither. Florals have stood the test of time dating back numerous decades all over the world. You are looking for a pattern that will look fantastic regardless of the event. A print that can be found in every aesthetic, fashion genre, and period ever. Today we will be discussing why it is that floral clothing will never go out of style and the many aesthetics that present floral pattern options.
Floral Clothing in the standing the test of time
In our “What is floral clothing” article, we focused on the history and significance throughout the decades that florals held. It was in the 1960s that florals became prevalent in North America, the USA in specific. In previous years, florals were starting to become more diverse and even presenting themselves in more men’s clothing. It was in the midst of the era of mainstream psychedelic awareness, and romanticization that clothes would reflect the trends of this time.
Not everyone was wearing neon orange and yellow florals. Many people were leaning towards a style known as MOD. Fashion magazines were designing futuristic style clothes yet neutral florals maintain their stance.
By the 1970s, we saw Americans dipping into all of the above and more! Structures versus non-conformity! When comparing the two, I find it infatuating how polarizing the two decades became.
So, you see, floral patterns can be worn in just about any which way and look absolutely stunning. Some are show stoppers, others are elegant, yet some are perfect for the workplace.
As of the 2020s, we now find ourselves with a variety of floral patterns. We’re truly spoiled rotten with the fashion opportunities we now have at a keystroke or a simple 15-minute drive.
Here are seven different aesthetics that present floral pattern options
Dainty / Coquette floral
Dainty floral prints typically depict numerous flowers spread throughout a shirt or dress. Many of these flowers have thin stems, and though not limited to any specific flower, often are posies, daisies, roses, and tulips. These patterns are simple and perfectly girly. The ideal seasons to wear patterns like this are spring and summer, but there are plenty of floral items that have fall colors in the designs. The trick to wearing florals is to wear clothes that match a few of the colors in the floral garment.
Here’s an example of a dainty floral outfit:
Goth floral
In contrast, there are plenty of darker and mysterious floral prints for the fall and winter seasons. Even for your everyday soft goth or goth, you can find items in black, deep reds, and purples to match your color palette. This aesthetic would have a compromise of pretty little details and matte finishes, or mesh and lace.
See this example of a gothic, dark floral pattern/outfit:
Neutral floral
There are neutral floral patterns and prints that work regardless of the season. When keeping up a professional and mature appearance, note that the smaller the flower, the more sophisticated the garment will look. Larger prints are more casual, with only a few exceptions. Neutral colors like blues, browns, and beiges are fantastic.
See this example of a neutral floral:
Professional floral
We touched base on this topic before when it comes to neutral florals. The smaller the print, the better when it comes to professional settings. Try pairing your main background color or petal color with your pants, shoes, or accessories. You will look clean and put together, but also fun and adventurous. Most floral prints in this category will look playful and lively regardless of what you wear with them; fresh and fashionable, this is a great option. Many of these prints depict florals in a different sense than the aforementioned all together! These flowers are cartoonish, trippy, and bright! They are great statement pieces, being that they are so eye-catching these days.
See this woman wearing 1960s style bright florals:
Hipster floral
The 1970s would transition America from brights to natural earth tones, sparking an overall lengthy and flowy craze. Florals throughout this time period were calmer, somewhat bizarre, and cool. Hipsters would opt for less structured apparel, as a sort of rebellion to the 1960s’ structural trends and brights.
See Cher wearing floral clothing over the course of the 1970s:
Island floral
For the ultimate casual summer outfit, look no further. Island-style floral button-up tops or button-down tee shirts are always fun. Large flowers, looping stems, and even beaches and palm trees can be seen on these pieces. People love how abstract and creative many designers get with these. You’ll be smooth sipping by the beach in your crazy comfortable floral top.
This guy is having a blast while wearing an outfit that reflects that seamlessly:
Conclusion
It's now plain to see that florals will never go out of style. You now know a little history, some icons to look to for fashion inspiration, and a number of floral patterns that you can incorporate into your own preference.
Don’t lie to us… we know you started looking for florals while reading. They're iconic, timeless, and frankly, inescapable. The diversity in flower kinds, floral prints, and aesthetics is refreshing and beautiful overall. Happy shopping!
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