Don't let your fashion prints overpower you

Is bolder better? Judging by the kaleidoscope of florals, stripes, dots and argyles in single outfits, designers seem to think so.

Blockbuster movie Avatar, digital photo technology and online shopping (where brightness sells) fed the desire for hyper hues last spring and today’s popping prints.

“We have a new visual aesthetic,” says retail analyst Roseanne Morrison of The Doneger Group.

Prints can be charming or challenging, so remember:

Limit the palette. That, and a sole marking, give continuity “and refresh a familiar pattern,” Tommy Hilfiger says.

Streamline the silhouette. Avoid draping or ruffles.

Opposites attract. Balance delicate “no-print prints” with a burst of blown-up graphic, says Stephanie Solomon, fashion executive at Bloomingdale’s.

Split prints. The Tibi line uses one type of red iris above and one below a white waist.

Strip accessories. Resist the urge to go beyond a second print. “If you love a print, it’s a piece of art,” Solomon says.