My new V by Very Bomber Jacket £39, is the newest addition to my ever growing animal print mama wardrobe. Surprisingly its my first foray into monochrome leopard print. I love it’s bolshy graphic print, how it will work for daytime and nights out looks and the ease it works with so much of my wardrobe.
Since my teenage years, I have collected clothing, shoes and accessories that show off my love of the big cats. Maybe it’s because I’m an 80s kid who grew up on Dallas and Sunset Beach or maybe it’s because I’m a massive Jackie Collins fan, but I wear leopard print with 100% conviction and tell anyone who dares to say animal print is tacky to roar off!
Mods, punks, funkadelics and the cast of Coming to America have all shown how a little bit of leopard print goes a long long way. Ignore the ‘Coronation Street’ and ‘Birds of a Feather’ connotations and you have a print with longeviety. It never goes out of date. It’s bold and screams badass, even if you feel anything but.
A few thoughts on how to wear animal print before we move on.
- Leopard print looks classic and expensive with camel, full on fashion with pop brights, romantic with red and rock chic with black leather and denim.
- Head to toe animal print really only suits one person in the world and that’s Naomi Campbell and perhaps Prince. You are neither, so don’t even go there.
- Zebra print should be saved for hen dos or perhaps retirement in Marbella. Cow print – NEVER!
- Yes, snake print is also an animal print and while I love it, it cannot compare with the bold confidence of its feline friends. It is therefore not included in my round up
- If you’re still au fait with leopard print, look out for the dottier and more cheerful monochrome prints of its canine cousin the Dalmatian. There’s a big trend for this in kidswear at the moment as well as interiors.
I’ve pulled together my animal print styling solutions for mamas of all stages. There’s something for every mum – maternity, school run, working mum, play date, date night, new mum – so wherever you’re at in your motherhood journey, you can kit your self out in the prints of some big kittens.
NO. 1 WRAP IT
Every stylish mama wardrobe should have a leopard print coat to do all the statement making on those days she can hardly speak with exhaustion – the bigger, the furrier, the better.
NO. 2 CLUTCH IT
Is it a nappy bag? Is it a clutch? It can be both, a stylish addition to your regular handbag. You can stuff it with wipes and nappies during the day and your favourite lippy at night.
NO.3 CLASH IT
My default look, mix up your animal print with clashing prints, including sailor stripes, brash florals and pop brights for that stand-out street style look.
NO.4 FLASH IT
Turn the school run into your ‘big’ catwalk with fanciful flats with plenty of bite.
NO.5 COLOUR IT
Take your cue from Versace and go for animal print reloaded with plenty of colour, the perfect way to update a black look.
FEATURE IMAGE AW16 HENRY HOLLAND
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