Leopard is the New Beige (and I Don't Make the Rules)

My thesis on why animal prints are actually a neutral

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This is my biggest fashion hear me out. To me, it’s like florals for Spring - you won't change my mind even if Coco Chanel herself rose from the grave and beat me with her Classic Flap yelling “Less is More!”. 

Let me plead my case: animal prints are natural.

Think about it - real animal prints are made up of neutral colours: brown, white, tan, black. Does combining those into one pattern suddenly make it less neutral? Not in my book.

If someone wears solid neutrals - black pants, tan shirt, brown jacket - we call it a neutral look. Combine those shades into one garment and suddenly it's "bold"? Please. You're just wearing neutrals with personality. The real challenge is how to style them beyond other neutrals.

Here's my cheat sheet:

Gateway Drug:

Lean into tones within the print. If it’s brown-and-white zebra, pull the earthy browns through the rest of the outfit to keep it cohesive.

People Might Stare, But in a Good Way:

Mix and match animal prints. It's easier than it looks - the key is to choose prints with the same or similar colour palette. Leopard on cheetah? Iconic.

Leopard on Leoprad

Zebra with Leopard: Same Tones

Deer Print with Leoprad Flats

Pink Zebra Pattern Clash

Pattern Clashing is a Love Language:

Mix your prints - unapologetically. Leopard and zebra? Sure. Metallics with python? Even better. The key is confidence and a common colour story. Keep one tone consistent across your garments so it looks intentional, not like you got dressed in the dark.

Animal prints get a bad rap because they're loud, but so are most things worth wearing. They're classic, primal, and timeless - just ask an Italian from Jersey. Let’s have some fun with our fashion and I better be seeing animal prints on everybody. In conclusion, I'm right.

Thank you for coming to my Tat Talk.