How to Embrace Florals in Winter
Floral prints are beautiful in spring and summer, but can you wear them in fall and winter? ….Absolutely, but there’s a way to make them look more season-appropriate.
Here are five tips to look fabulous in florals when it’s cold out!
How to Embrace Florals in Winter
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1. Switch from Light Florals to Dark Florals
The old rule about no floral prints in fall and winter has gone by the wayside. When it gets cold out, all you need to do is switch from wearing light to dark florals.
Dark floral prints look great in fall and winter because they are bolder, moodier, and edgier than light, sweet, airy summer florals.
When dark florals first appeared, they were rather dreary and even goth—tiny faded flowers on dusty black backgrounds. Many dark floral prints looked like they belonged in a funeral parlor!
Thankfully, they’ve evolved. Dark floral prints have become brighter, livelier, and easier to wear.
There are now more background colors to choose from instead of just black, such as navy, deep purple, dark green, and burgundy. Also, the flowers themselves are brighter, bolder, and more saturated than before. These changes make dark florals look more modern and exciting.
Above: My gorgeous floral cashmere sweater is a great example of a modern dark floral sweater ( purple mixed with black, bright pink, and a touch of green). It’s season-appropriate but not dreary.
2. Choose Modern, Sophisticated Florals
When it comes to winter florals, you never want to look like you’re wearing your grandma’s chintz curtains. (Lol!) Look for classy, not kitschy, patterns with sophisticated blooms ( like orchids instead of daisies), artsy florals, and botanical themes in rich, bright, or deep colors. Abstract Floral prints are also a chic way to wear dark florals.
The most modern floral print pieces are simple and streamlined with minimal detail. If your dark floral dress or top is too fussy frou or has too much going on, you can look junior or frumpy.
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3. Wear Richer Fabrics
When you think of spring florals, you think of light, floaty fabrics like satin and chiffon, and some of those do tend to stick around in the fall. But you also want to look for more substantial, luxurious fabrics that are more season-appropriate.
For example, a cashmere dark floral sweater, a velvet burnout floral dress, or dark floral jacquard pants are more suited to cold weather.
Or, you could pair a silky dark floral blouse with something else in a fall/winter fabric like leather pants.
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4. Layer Your Florals
When it’s cold out, layering makes sense and gives your outfit more of a fall/winter look. Try layering a dark floral top with a long cardigan or a pretty dark floral blouse with a velvet jacket. A beautiful knit sweater with a silky dark floral skirt also looks wonderful.
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5. Accessorize Wisely
Winter florals are bold and command attention, so balancing your outfit with neutral accessories looks very elegant. I’ve kept things classy and let the flowers do the talking by styling this beautiful wrap dress with simple black slingbacks and a sleek black shoulder bag.
One note of caution: Do not mix floral accessories with floral prints unless you want to look like an overgrown garden.
A Note about Scale
Any time of year when you are wearing florals, consider the scale. If you are petite, a huge floral or a floral print with the flowers spaced wide apart will overwhelm your frame, so stick to small or medium floral prints. Plus size? Avoid teenie flowers, which only exaggerate your larger size.
How to Style Dark Floral Dresses for Fall and Winter
- Alone with dark fall accessories
- With a long cardigan or duster for a cozy fall look
- With a dark fall blazer for a chic Fall outfit
- Tall boots in suede or leather add to the Fall/winter vibe
Dark Floral Long Sleeve Maxi
The Final word on Wearing Florals in Fall and Winter
Just because the seasons change doesn’t mean you have to give up wearing floral dresses and tops. Floral prints can work year-round and are a gorgeous way to add life to your fall and winter wardrobe. (i.e.:Dark, floral tops are an easy way to transition into fall)
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you think dark florals are glamorous or too gloomy for your taste? Have you worn them? How and where?
I prefer dark florals over light ones. I never wore the light ones because they reminded me of a shower curtain back long ago. I still don’t do alot. I like the moodiness of the darker ones with bigger florals. I bought one from Ann Taylor that is a fake wrap style & have worn alot. It is old now and need to find a new one. Will check thru and see if any petites available in your bunch. Thanks for sharing them!!
Bonnie, The shower curtain comparison cracks me up! HAHA. As for petites, where do you like to shop. I’m trying to find some new places to send followers to. Thanks! Deb
I love the Winter florals with longer sleeves and lengths. Perfect with leggings. Black/flowers are big this Winter. Thanks for the ideas.
Dark florals have always been my favorite because of their versatility and sophistication. They work well to punch up cold-weather outfits, yet they’re easy to wear in warm weather by pulling a pastel or bright tone out of print. You’re right about getting the pattern scale right for your frame. It’s essential to look at the background color versus the way. Your examples show a clear “ground” between the pattern elements. That’s the path the eye will follow, and often the clearer the way, the better it will shape your figure.
For fall, I’ve added a tunic with an oversized burgundy and rose watercolor floral print, dark gray, burgundy, and blush floral jeans, and a short-sleeve knit sheath dress in black, olive, plum, and turquoise.
These are great tips and beautiful outfits! I love wearing florals all year.