Nothing makes you feel as fierce as a pair of zebra print heels or head-to-toe leopard. But some animal prints may be tricky to wear during the day without coming off too flashy or outdated. Luckily, designers now are finding ways to bring the zoo to the runway in new ways by releasing more varieties of animal clothing than ever before. Looking to venture more into the wild of fashion but don’t want to end up as prey?
Here are some fresh tips for adding the animal kingdom to your wardrobe:
1. Cheetah Print Jeans
Nothing screams party animal quite like cheetah print. But cheetah bandage dresses and pencil skirts at the club can also gain a rep for being tacky or overdone. If you want a new way to channel some feline ferocity, cheetah print jeans are the perfect statement piece for transitioning from daytime classes to the Friday night party scene. The trick to pulling off spotted jeans is to make the rest of your outfit basic, sticking to white and black tops and simple jewelry. If you want your legs to feel as powerful and fast as the cheetah, you should definitely grab a pair of these pants.
2. Peacock Jewelry
The feathers of the peacocks are purposefully eye-catching to help the birds attract a mate. So if you’re on the prowl for a BF, why not use the gorgeous turquoise colors and swirled designs of the peacock to your advantage by donning some peacock-themed accessories? Adding a feathered earing, necklace, or hairpiece will instantly bring an artistic and bohemian feel to your look.
3. Wildlife Patterned Skirts/Dresses
One of the quickest ways to make an animal themed outfit feel more sophisticated is to look for pieces with actual patterns made from animal designs rather than all over stripes or spots. The animal elements in these pieces are often less obvious, looking like abstract designs from far away but having that extra bit of whimsy up close. Taylor Swift captured the sweet and tweet vibe of the style by pairing a cardigan with an all over bird pattern that’s perfect for a Spring brunch or meeting up with friends.
4. Cuddly Creature Sweaters
These aren’t your grandmothers Christmas reindeer sweaters. Animal printed knits have actually become popular recently as adorable fall and winter wardrobe staples. Pieces like these fox tops from American Eagle manage to look cute but not childish through their natural background colors and vintage inspired designs. If you want your sweater to feel and look as cozy as a baby bunny rabbit, choose one with some adorable animal embroidery!
5. Snakeskin Dress
The first word that comes to mind when you envision snakeskin clothing probably isn’t elegant. But rather than limit the influence of the serpent only to purses and white cowboy boots, tryout a bold, fresh trend by incorporating snake skin into your formal wear. The trick to rocking a snakeskin dress that’s not “costumey” is to choose one with a subtler print and lighter fabric. From afar the snake scales appear like glitzy sequins, but up close you’ll stand out from all the other girls in their metallic dresses and make a truly deadly impression.
Animal print is one of those things that never goes out of style. You can look timeless and effortlessly chic with any of the pieces above. Do you have a favorite item of animal print clothing, collegiettes?