Fall Florals Even The Print-Averse Can Love…

floral print silk blouse from Joie. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

We’re back to what I call “desert weather.” Cool mornings and evenings, warm, dry days. My Easy White Shirts feel a bit too summery now and have given way to Easy Silky Shirts. They look polished on their own, but also slip easily underneath a jacket or sweater when the temperature drops. A little bit of print livens things up, too. Lately I’ve seen some options in fall florals that are tempting even this print-averse gal.

Above: this one’s in my shopping cart. The popover style can be a good option for those of us with a larger bust…no gaping in front. The bracelet sleeves are another plus.

sheer floral print blouse from Mes Demoiselles. Details at une femme d'un certain age.Though this top requires a base layer, (my recommendation) the sheerness lightens the black, and the black keeps the floral print from skewing too twee.

wrap front floral print top from Anthropologie. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

I love, love, love this print!

blue floral top from Alice + Olivia. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

If you Just Can’t Even with a black background, here’s a gorgeous blue floral print. The depth of the colors helps it hold its own when styled with other fall pieces. I love the roll-tab sleeves too.

floral print blouse from Anthropologie. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

My friend Karen just got this blouse and loves it. That print isn’t for everyone, but having now seen it in person, I can state that it’s prettier than it looks online, brighter and more vivid. I really like the red piping too.

Floral top with navy background from Asos. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

Edited to add: by request, here’s one under $100 that’s not polyester. I like the simple styling and the navy background is nice.

floral print top in Plus from Old Navy. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

Here’s a Plus option, rayon fabric, nice price.

The beauty of prints like these is that you don’t have to do a lot of extra styling. They provide a strong focal point, so I like to keep the rest of the outfit simple. But if your style leans in a More Is More direction, have a ball mixing with other prints and bold accessories.

More Fall Florals…

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25 Comments

  1. Nope! I just can’t. I may buy a blouse with a small floral print, J Crew Liberty blouse comes to mind, but I never seem to wear it. Plus, being short the floral seems to wear me. I was also “told” to never wear an article of clothing if the print was larger than your fist! LOL! Don’t even know where that gem came from but it rears it’s head every time I contemplate buying a printed anything. Florals just remind me of bedspreads, tablecloths and something a great aunt would wear.

  2. Beautiful tops! Sad to see nothing under $100 though. Would love to see more price points. Btw, I love you blog and have read every post for years.

    1. Hi Jennifer, thanks! I really did look for some under $100 tops, but they were all polyester. 🙁 I’ll keep looking though!

      1. I’m with Jennifer. I adore your blog, follow it religiously and even have your packing list copied to my phone for reference when shopping for an upcoming trip but …. There’s always a “but,” isn’t there? Most of your clothing, bags, shoes and boots are way out of my budget for everyday items. I wonder if sometimes you couldn’t post a budget alternative? So many women of d’un certain age are on a limited budget so an occasional less expensive alternative would be greatly appreciated. Merci.

  3. I have the IM top that’s the first one in your grouping below. I love it – first floral in years. I think they’re looking fresh again.

  4. I was JUST looking at my closet yesterday and thinking, “Wow when did I become a pattern person?” It’s happened slowly over the years. I think it’s partly due to the better technologies – patterns can be so gorgeous these days. I love my Equipment butterfly shirt, for example. And I just wore a Liberty shirt yesterday that I hadn’t put on in days. A silk/cotton blend is my favorite kind of fabric for this – floaty but not slick. I love the color of the Alice + Olivia number.

    1. Very cute top and not a budget buster for a fad. I agree that sometimes the price point on the items in this blog are WAY over my budget!

  5. It must be zeitgeist or something — this morning, as I prepare for a “ladies’ lunch meeting” I hoped I could find something “new” in my closet. Almost everything I own is black, cream/white. No prints. 🙁 Except for scarves. 🙂 Problem solved! Thank you for the encouragement…

  6. Hi Susan, Have been reading your blog since early this year. Enjoy your comments and your opinion about clothes, accessories and life. Like you, I’m print adverse, really floral adverse, but…there is something about paisley prints that work for me. I especially like Liberty paisleys and have bought the material from Liberty when in London or in Dublin. Still have a 20 year old fine woolen paisley skirt I just can’t part with! Maybe you could feature paisley prints in a future blog. Another thought for future blogs, offer advice & visuals on how to up-date a buy from the past. Keep up the good work!

  7. No. Just no. Every time I try a print top, I never wear it. Prefer a little pattern in a scarf and even then, I’m very picky. I did buy a pair of floral Superga sneakers from J.Jill but I’ve not received them yet so the jury is out.

  8. No for shirts from me too, except for very small, repeat pattern. Though I do have some summer linen shift dresses which I’m reluctant to get rid of until I can replace them with something more restrained. Prints look better on the young models and look far too “Mumsy” on mature women.

  9. No florals for me, either, but I appreciate you making the effort to find some acceptable patterns and styles. I don’t even like florals in scarves. I will do graphic prints. Once, way back in the late 80s, I had a very stylized print silk blazer from AK II that I wore to death for ten years. It only had two colors, black and red. I look, but I’ve never found anything like it again.

    I miss those bridge lines, AK II, Ellen Tracy, and early DKNY.

  10. I have to admit, I love a good print. I don’t go crazy, but I prefer to have pattern in my clothing rather than a lot of accessories. It’s partly to do with my work — accessories bother me there, especially bracelets. An earring is likely to end up on my desk when I’m on the phone. And much as I love scarves on others, I don’t really like something around my neck all day. So I, for one, am happy to see prints returning in a usable way. I prefer paisleys and animal prints but a good medium floral will occasionally find its way into my closet too… Thanks for scouting these options.

  11. Print has never been for me me either until this year. I like the dark florals. I’ve been eyeing the one from Anthropologie for awhile. They often run 20% off their clothing so I may purchase it. I bought an interesting black Scandinavian print from Boden- which was way out of my comfort zone but every time I wear it I feel happy and have strangers comment on the blouse.

  12. I love a floral print, IF the colors and style catch my eye. Nothing worse than a print that doesn’t resonate. I especially like the florals (80’s vibe) with new modern shapes. You have a few beauties here! Happy fall, Susan!
    xx, Heather

  13. Hi Susan, I love these beautiful florals on black, they’re so chic & versatile. I just reviewed my closet for Fall & I see it’s now full of print tops. My only solids seem to be a few basic black tees & tanks. I throw on my jeans or black denim, add a blouse & solid cardigan, if needed, some jewelry, then I’m ready for anything! 🙂

  14. I love all these tops! But I am so frustrated by the fact that the vast majority of pretty women’s tops are dry clean only – expensive and too many chemicals in my view. I know that some silks are washable, but it doesn’t seem like a lot of designers care about this issue.

    1. Murphy, I’ve found that most soft silk tops can be hand washed or washed in the machine on the gentle cycle. Rayon and viscose too can be cold-water washed. I line dry and use a steamer if needed.