Summer inventory brings in more fun colors and patterns than any other time of year.  From floral to tie-dye to animal print to stripes, this guide will help you display your store to best show off the most fun prints you have to offer and offer tips to customers on how to pair your store’s items together to create a full look for them to take home. 

Creating a full outfit out of more purchases will make your customers walk out feeling great and surely increase your store’s average dollar spent per customer rate.

Below are our five tips for mixing and matching the highly detailed, bold, and colorful products you have in store in order to create a unique, chic look:

1.  Treat stripes and animal prints as neutral

The tiny detailing on both stripes and animal print clothing items makes it easy to pair them with other larger and bolder colors and patterns.  Tucking a striped shirt into a pair of floral patterned pants or pairing a leopard print skirt with a bold graphic t-shirt looks sharp on a store mannequin will not only look great but also inspire your customers to get creative.

Another trick with these patterns is to pair two different types of the same pattern.  For example, pairing two different types of leopard print together or two different sizes or colors of stripes can look great together.

2.  Make sure different materials complement each other

Picking the right materials to pair together is just as important as picking the right colors and patterns to forming a put-together look.  Pairing a cool denim or leather jacket with a pretty polyester dress is the perfect mix of tough and girly.  Wearing a silk skirt could be a dressier look but when paired with a cotton top, it turns into streetwear and sends a cool, casual message.

Dressing a mannequin the right materials when layering different items and patterns is very important as your customers will most certainly want to reach out and touch the materials.  Nothing is worse than having a mannequin in your store that is wearing an outfit that does not seem to quite go together.

3. Pair colors with caution

When mixing prints and colors, it is important to know how to best mix colors so that they don’t clash or look to busy on the eye.  Pick colors that look immediately pleasing to you, even if they seem unconventional.  Keeping warm and cold colors separated is a hard and fast rule that you can abide by as you start to get creative.

Cautiously mix colors opposite each other on the color wheel can also make a bold impact. For example, pair a purple top with a yellow bag for just the right amount of color contrast.

4.  Don’t be afraid to pair loud graphics with bold colors

When you pick a patterned item that piques your interest, use another piece of clothing to highlight one of the secondary colors featured in the pattern, as long as it is pleasing to the eye.  Try to pick a color that is in one of the smaller details to keep the look interesting.

Hang these items next to each other or on a display hanger on your store’s racks so that customers pick up on the harmonious color combinations that can be created. 

5. Buy two-piece sets to wear alone or mix-and-match

Monochromatic outfits and two-piece outfit sets have been a big hit this summer.  Purchasing the same set in multiple colors or patterns for your store allows customers to buy both and mix-and-match when the mood strikes.

When starting a fitting room for a customer interested in trying on one set, include the set in another color to try on too.  Be sure to have all of the colors for the set folded or hanging near each other.

Summer is a great time to get creative in your store.  We hope that our tips help you and your shoppers take fashion risks that have a major payoff.  Visit WFS to get the best pieces at the best prices possible for looks that your shoppers will love.