Style Tips · What's New · Feb 18, 2024

Florals, Pastels, and Prints, Oh My! Forever Spring Patterns

by Carmen Lopez

Pastel Spring Colors

Patterns and pastels are stepping into the spotlight to transport us out of our winter blues and into a chic, vibrant spring. From classic pastels to fresh florals and from elegant lace to sophisticated animal prints, spring is the perfect time to break out your favorite prints – whether you love something more bold and daring or classic and feminine. Below we’ve rounded up the 8 most popular patterns for spring that aren’t just trendy but also great investment styles if you’re building a timeless, sustainable closet.

1. Enhance your outfit with a pop of pastel.

pastels for spring 2022

Pastels are a spring must-have, no matter the year or current trends. You can never go wrong by adding a few pastel colors into your spring ensemble, whether you’re flaunting a monochrome pastel outfit or just adding a touch of light color with your accessories.

The quintessential and go-to springtime pastel colors that will forever stay timeless in your closet are soft buttercup yellow, light lilac or lavender, gentle sky blue, lively peach, mint green, and photo-ready pale pink. If you choose your perfect pastels based on what best matches your skin tone and coloring as well as what matches your wardrobe best, then you’ll be able to wear those pastel pieces for years to come.

Pale lilac, baby blue, and canary yellow are shaping up to be the most popular pastel colors for Spring, both on and off the runway. Here’s the scoop on this year’s trending pastels:

Soft lilac is a purple with a grayish undertone, meaning it pairs gorgeously with gray outfits. If you tend to wear a lot of gray, soft lilac is an easy go-to for spring that you’ll be able to match with your closet for years to come.
This season’s light blue is reminiscent of cloudless skies and tranquil lakes—perfect for a spring spent outdoors. Sky blue looks beautiful as an accent to white outfits, and it also works as a gorgeous focal point with navy or blue-toned monochrome ensembles.
Pale yellow is always trendy, but this spring is seeing a yellow that’s slightly more lemony and saturated than it is pale. This canary yellow still has a matte, chalky finish that makes it pair beautifully with just about any neutral outfit. Or wear a head-to-toe yellow outfit for a bold yet subtle statement that will instantly boost your mood and confidence.

Which pastel are you grabbing? Check out our collection of Precious Pastels here.

2. Fresh, feminine florals are forever.

floral prints 2022

Nothing says spring like flowers, so there’s no better way to praise the springtime than by donning your favorite floral prints. Sometimes floral prints get a bad reputation for being too “loud” or “old,” but that’s definitely an over-generalization. Florals can be one of the easiest, chicest, and most timeless additions to every girl’s spring wardrobe – you just need to find the floral pattern that best suits your wardrobe. That means choosing a floral print that flatters your unique complexion, body type, and personal style. For example, petite women with rounder features look dazzling in small or mini floral patterns, while taller women with more angular features are stunning in large and bold florals.

Spring is showing a lot of heirloom florals and “tea party” florals, aka floral prints that are reminiscent of past eras. Think floral prints you might see in your grandma’s closet – but not in a bad way! This kind of print is more subtle and spread out, with smaller and more delicate flowers in pale or pastel colors. This floral pattern is beautiful for a feminine, cottagecore aesthetic, and it’s both trendy and cyclical (this kind of floral isn’t always timeless, but it seems to come in and out of style every few seasons, so it’s still a decent investment).

Still, heirloom florals aren’t right for all women. If small florals aren’t your style, you can never go wrong with colorful flowers printed on a white or black background. Search for a floral pattern that makes you look and feel good and you’ll be able to wear it for springs to come. If you just want to dip your toes into floral patterns for the first time, try incorporating florals in your accessories, like a light neck scarf or a warm-weather handbag.

3. Or substitute florals for fruits.

fruit print for 2022

Tangential to floral prints are fruit patterns, which are equally springy but with a little extra boost of sugary sweetness. We’ve seen a lot of spring designs with small fruits either as the sole focal point or added into other floral or retro designs. Peaches, pears, limes, berries, apples, and cherries are all popular fruit patterns, but there aren’t many rules when it comes to this style. You can opt for a fruit print based on your favorite fruit or choose something that matches the color scheme of your personal uniform. For example, if you tend to wear a lot of pinks and ivories, you might want to opt for a peach pattern to pair with the other pieces in your closet. Or if you tend to wear a lot of whites, cherries and apples can add a pop of red color to a more neutral outfit.

Search “fruit” (or your favorite fruit pattern) in the search bar above to see which fruit patterns we currently have in stock! Get them today, because fruit patterns sell out fast!

Check out these other spring trends you need to know about! (Obsessed with the third “love” on this list!)

4. Step into spring with bold stripes.

stripes for spring 2022

Stripes are grabbing attention, and we’re loving how they’re being used. This season’s stripes are thick and bold, rather than thin and retro. We’re seeing a lot of heavy black-and-white stripes as well as color-blocking ones, and a lot of outfits are pairing stripes with complementary colors to create a bright and bold outfit that’s perfect for spring.

I love that stripes can work with even the most neutral of outfits – like white or black – while also adding that “wow” factor that neutral outfits often crave. Stripes also change the silhouette of an outfit, elongating or halting the body’s lines to create a flowing or contrasting look.

Stripes might not seem traditionally springy, but they’re particularly hot for spring when paired with neutrals, bright colors, or even in conjunction with florals. Don’t be afraid to play around with stripes this season to see how they can enhance or change up your basic work outfits or your weekend brunch styles.

Check out some of our favorite spring stripes here.

5. Add more timeless neutrals to your closet.

spring 2022 neutrals

Neutrals are endlessly chic and polished. The best part is – you probably already have this spring trend in your closet! Neutrals always look put-together, whether they’re used in a monochromatic ensemble or the foundation for other patterns like stripes or florals. The only difference between spring neutrals and fall neutrals is the material – and sometimes you can even extend your neutral pieces year-round if you choose a classic organic material like cotton.

Neutral colors include white, grey, black, ivory, beige, taupe, khaki, and brown. In general, you want to stick to either the white, grey, black palette or the ivory and brown palette when creating an all-neutral look, but you might want to have a few pieces in each neutral “family” so you can mix and match with other patterns and prints in your closet.

For spring, you can’t go wrong with whites, ivory, and light neutrals. Pair them with your favorite white-base floral print, a daring color block stripe pattern, or even add a few pastels. You’ll always look good in an ivory outfit with a pop of lilac or in a light grey ensemble with hints of pale yellow.

Browsing Current Boutique’s New Neutral collection is one of my favorite things to do in my downtime. It’s impossible not to find a piece (or 20) that would pair beautifully with so many other pieces that you already have in your closet.

6. Go wild with animal prints.

animal prints for 2022

When you think spring, you probably don’t think animal prints, but some of your favorite fashion designers are here to change your mind. Along with the stripes theme, we’ve seen some more monochromatic zebra patterns hit the scene, particularly when paired with bright or neon colors. The neutral blacks and browns in leopard are also popular for spring when paired with lighter neutrals, like khakis or ivory.

I am a huge fan of animal prints. Although different patterns come in and out of fashion, like how snake may be trending one year and zebra another year, you really can’t go wrong with a faux animal print that matches your wardrobe. Animal prints are natural and earthy while also providing an extra little zing of audacious personality.

Learn how to wear animal prints for every season here.

7. Lay in the sun with lace.

lace affair spring 2022

Lace is one of my favorite year-round textures. Paired with dark colors and velvet, it’s perfect for the holidays. Add some white and pastels and it’s gorgeously springy. Whether it’s a white lace dress, a plain tee with lace sleeves, or pops of lace on a maxi skirt, you can’t go wrong when you add this elegant and refined texture to your spring wardrobe. Lace will never go out of style, particularly if you choose a lace piece that flatters your body type.

Throw on your favorite sunglasses, a cute purse, a pair of sandals, and you can take your lace from a day in the park to an evening out with friends with just a refresh of your lipstick.

Browse our trending Lace Affair collection to find your new favorite piece!

8. Travel with your tropical prints.

tropical prints for spring 2022

There’s nothing worse than having an entire vacation wardrobe that you only get to wear a week or two of the year when you’re on a tropical vacation. So, break out your favorite vacation wear and sport it this spring! We’re seeing a lot of beachy and resort-style prints hop on the scene, everything from the classic palm trees and tropical florals to more unique styles like geometric patterns and ‘90s style beach vibes.

What I love most about this style is the dreamlike quality of wearing vacation clothes in your everyday life. I love packing for a getaway vacay because I always feel like I can wear anything I want, be anyone I want, and do anything that moves me. There’s a sense of freedom in going somewhere new and adding some of those tropical vibes into your daily wardrobe might just be the confidence boost you need to make this spring your best yet—even when you’re staying in your hometown.

Which spring patterns do you already have in your closet? And which will you be investing in this year? Check out Current Boutique’s trending collections for new florals, pastels, neutrals, and more from your favorite designers – at a fraction of their original ticket price!