And this is…to go…even further beyond.
How to match patterns
There are two ways to match patterns:
a) Match like patterns by keeping the sizes different
b) Match different patterns by keeping the sizes similar
Match like patterns by keeping the sizes different
Coordinate like patterns by keeping the sizes different. This creates harmony by ensuring that each element is clearly defined.
Match different patterns by keeping the sizes similar
Match different patterns by keeping the sizes similar. If the sizes are too different there is the risk of having “too much going on” which can result in one pattern overpowering another and the look becoming too distracting.
Three patterns
a)Three patterns of the same design
Match these by keeping the sizes different. But beware, matching three different stripes can look like you’re trying too hard.
b)Three patterns of different designs
Match these by keeping the sizes similar.
c) Two patterns of the same design and one odd pattern
In the case of two patterns of the same design and one different pattern identify which of the like patterns is the strongest. The odd pattern should adopt a similar scale. This will balance out the larger pattern and produce a harmonious appearance.
Four or more patterns
Matching four or more patterns is difficult for two reasons:
a) Too many patterns can be visually overwhelming
b) You risk looking like a try hard
You can resolve the first with refined intuition. The second requires the right attitude: a certain indifference towards how you look. As Hardy Amies put it: “A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them.”
(photos via. Scott Schumann, Drakes of London, Brokeandbespoke, Italianindustrialist, Wale Oyejide)