Alike blooming floral patterns, exotic animal prints get lost amongst the sea of blue, black, and grey; a dark period some refer to as “winter.” Designers have kicked this fierce trend up a notch and boldly intensified the colourings of the wild. The realistic, traditional leopard is now more vibrant than ever and offers variations of colour hues, like pinks and purples, for a fantasy cat print. Also a newly introduced pattern is the snow leopard. More of a muted grey, icy blue combination skin, the snow leopard gives the same allure as her relatives and leaves us enticing more.

The key for continuing to sport this trend throughout the winter is a statement coat, pant, or boot. The faux fur leopard print coats are perfect for standing out amongst the pack and are reliable for keeping you toasty during the extreme cold flashes we have been having. A slim fitting animal print pant or trouser is a fun way to dress up a normal jean. Accessories, such as a clutch or belt are perfect pieces to incorporate a subtle jungle print into any outfit, adding a bit of edge.

Be mindful that a leopard doesn’t like competition and often wins the battle in the end. Translate this same concept throughout your ensemble when dressing in the morning; keep accessories muted and opt for the rest of your pieces to be similar shades of a dark colour. It’s easy to mix other popular trends into your outfit, but stick to shape and textures versus contrasting prints, as animal prints tend to speak for themselves. Dark contrasting pieces will ensure the animal print is most striking. Most importantly, be confident, and your sophistication will shine.

1. Nine West Candy Shop Medium Clutch, $75
2. Club Monaco Leopard Skinny Belt, $45
3. Sam Edelman Petty Snow Leopard Booties, $165, available at Shopbop
4. Steve Madden Jancey Leopard Print Pump, $90
5. The Gap Faux-fur Leopard Jacket, $65
6. Topshop Knitted Leopard Print Sweater, $72, available at The Bay
7. DKNYC Faux Leather Leopard Print Tunic Top, $100, available at The Bay.
8. Nasty Gal Jordan Leopard Jeans, $79
9. Nasty Gal Donna Leopard Moto Coat, $79
10. Forever 21 Leopard Print High-Low Dress, $28

By: Jenn McNaughton, Toronto

You should follow me on Twitter @jennmcnaughton.

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