How To: Animal Print

Wild animal prints are a stylish perennial in designer fashion. 

You'll find it everywhere in all sorts of accessories and separates, so that if you wanted you could dress top to toe in leopard and scare more than the wild animals! However wild you are about this current trend, we urge you to resist the temptation of going over the top with it. 

Here are a few of my do's and don'ts of how to wear your leopard print with style.

DO choose just one power piece from your wardrobe and build your outfit from there. It might be a silk shirt in leopard, a statement handbag or a scarf. Once you've chosen that piece, select others that complement it rather than vie for attention with it.

DON'T mix other animal print pieces. Leopard and python, or leopard and zebra will just make you look like you're heading out on safari.... as one of the four legged attractions! Even mixing two different leopard pieces is probably too much in one outfit.

DO keep it simple. There is a lot going on in a leopard print, so the rest of your outfit should be in simple neutrals that pick out the leopard colours and work as a frame or background to the main print.

DO have fun with all the new accessories and animal prints out there this season. Just because I suggest you limit yourself to one leopard print at a time, doesn't mean that you can't have a different piece for each day of the week. Think leopard silk blouse over plain jeans one day, leopard jeans with a simple white tee another, that stunning leopard scarf the next day and so on.

If you haven't yet invested in a leopard print item, then you've got almost too much to choose from. 

Think about starting with a simple accessory such as a beautiful leopard print scarf, which will update a classic wardrobe with the latest trend very easily, then once you've fallen in love with this versatile and flattering animal print, you can go all out for the latest in leopard print designer jeans and silk shirts.

Shop-Label is an innovative online designer label store based in South Africa, providing up-to the minute designer fashion to online shoppers all over the world. 

Check out their stunning range of designer jeans by coveted fashion designers Current/Elliott and J Brand for some leopard print inspiration, and also browse Shop-Label's ranges of designer shirts and scarves for more great animal prints.