Miranda Priestly’s iconic, sarcastically delivered line in Devil Wears Prada (Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.) truly highlights how standard flower print has become in the fashion world. Although we all love a bit of punchy, flowery print in the Spring and Summer, the Fall floral trend is anything but overpowering. Don’t ditch flowers this Fall if you want to stay fashion-forward.
Chintz Unexpected Fashion Return
Chintz is a floral print that combines muted cottage elements on a light, plain background. It’s often described as a washed-out but aesthetically pleasing, aristocratic print. Back in the 80s, chintz was the print everyone loved, and then it quickly became what we loved to hate. It was so widely loathed that the term “chintzy” was coined to describe something cheap or gaudy.
But as with everything, the pendulum swung back in 2018 where Kathryn M. Ireland and other big fashion names declared it back in fashion. Many designers were finally done with the minimalist esthetic and reached their hands out to maximalism, opulence, and the overpowered.
Despite this, the new fall floral chintz is more comparable to a cool grandma who matches her holiday dress with her Thanksgiving flowers than a flower child hippy. Although, yes, chintz can be too much for some, when done right, this pattern can be modern, cozy, and très, très chic.
10 Common Fall Staples Floralfied
Getting dressed in Fall often involves a lot of long coats, dresses, and warm sweaters. Let’s take a look at some common Fall staples that look great with a muted, chintzy floral print.
Maxi Dresses
One of the first garments to find the chintz print was the floor-length maxi dress, and it isn’t hard to see why. You can easily wear the pattern on a single piece without hurting your eyes.
Power Suit
You can’t go wrong with a well-tailored suiting option. Whether you want to wear only the blazer or pants in chintz or the whole power suit, you’ll definitely make a statement in your office.
Sneakers
Floral, and patterned sneakers, in general, are becoming more popular since the rise of maximalism. If you typically wear a lot of neutrals, these sneakers can add a lot of ‘kick.’
Button Down
The versatility of the button-down is unmatched by everything else in Fall, but the chintz pattern will make it harder to work with. Keep your sweater vests and coats neutral for a great look.
Canadian Tuxedo
At one point, denim-on-denim was the biggest fashion ‘don’t’ on planet Earth. Now, it’s effortlessly chic. Adding the chintz pattern can give the Canadian Tuxedo some personality.
Carpenter Pants
A true staple of the 90s, the carpenter-style is back and doing a lot of leg work. Chintz on pants isn’t so hard to pull off with a long coat, chunky creepers, and a white or black baby tee.
Patterned Tights
It’s still warm enough to wear skirts and shorts if you add a warm pair of patterned tights. Chintz tights can quickly look awful without the right outfit pair, so make this staple the only loud part.
Gym Wear
There’s something about the casual look that feels completely stylish. The comfort of gym hoodies and sweats, coupled with chintz fabric, will up the WOW factor on your weekend outing.
Cashmere Coat
It’s impossible to walk through Fall alive without a longline cashmere coat. Chintz and outerwear go together like peanut butter and jelly, but be ready to commit to this fabric for the whole year.
Turtleneck Sweater
Turtlenecks create endless possibilities to be both warm and stylish. Pair your chintz sweater with a non-patterned button-down, and you’ll have a great Fall outfit with lots of layering.
