I will fear the prints no longer...

Would you find this top attractive on you? I thought NOT, but in truth it was fabulously cute when I tried it on.

I am home from 4 days spent in SoCal with my friend Del and her spouse Dennis. It was a fabulous time.. relaxing and restoring and educational.

Friday night, Del and I were watching What Not To Wear, and I admitted a fear of prints. When I've tried them in the past, I lost the me behind the print. They overwhelmed them. Saturday we spent a couple hours at a Kohl's trying on a 20 tops (no I didn't buy any.. though I wanted to)... to conquer my fear of the print.

What we learned. FOR ME:

• A lower neckline is a necessity. A print with a jewel neck chops off my head. (it's my low-contrast, light coloring).
• Plain banding along the neckline and across the waist help to anchor the clothes to my body and keep me from being overwhelmed.
• High contrast color only works with strong banding.
• The perfect neckline will come down to that high point along the sternum, but not down to being even with my nipples. All the tops we tried on in the Desert Hot Springs/Palm Springs area were the much lower cuts. (hello cougar!)

Photo of some the acceptable style tops. NO, none of these would be timeless fashions. These would be 1-2 year maximum styles. Still the concepts of how I can wear prints can be timeless;
Photos taken at Kohl's.

This was both a top and a dress. I really wanted to buy it, as I could layer the top over jeans, pants or a skirt, and even add a cami under it or a jacket over it. But it was not a real wrap, and was cut much too low. Cuter than cute, though.

This lower-color contrast pring worked even without a plain band at the neckline. Had it had a higher color contrast or a higher neck it wouldn't have. Came closest to buying this, but my bra still showed at the edges of the square.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.