I've Done the Research—These Are the 6 Prettiest Print Trends of 2023

Bright colours are all well and good, but in my humble opinion, nothing makes your outfits more fun or unique to you than prints. For the longest time, I've avoided anything too patterned, choosing instead to focus on building a wardrobe of classics. However, in doing so, I've lost much of the joy that should come hand in hand with fashion. As such, I've made it something of a style resolution for the year to invest in some playful printed items to balance out my current collection of basics. Handily, I just so happened to be given the task of finding the best print trends of 2023, meaning I was able to do my own sartorial research on the clock. 

For this, I immersed myself in Who What Wear's extensive library of S/S 23 runway imagery, spending hours poring over every collection, from 16Arlington to Zimmermann. When I came up for air, it was clear there were six defining print trends that kept cropping up.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Jonathan Simkhai)

I know what you're thinking: How different can these print trends be from, say, last year? Designers reliably update mainstay patterns such as florals and stripes for each season and, the S/S 23 iterations feel significantly fresher this time around than they perhaps have in the past. On top of that, there were a handful of less-common motifs that caught my attention and are sure to make my outfits feel more current. That's not to say they'll be passé in a few months; I genuinely believe these print trends have staying power. 

Continue ahead for my edit of the best print trends of 2023, as seen on the most recent runways. Then, shop my pick of the best market items for each. 

1. Rad Plaid 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of A.W.A.K.E. Mode; Junta Watanabe/ImaxTree; Bottega Veneta; Ottolinger/ImaxTree)

Style Notes: Thanks to Bottega Veneta and Ottolinger, plaid prints—the sort that dominated my angsty teen wardrobe—are back for 2023. The easiest way to wear it is via a flannel shirt, akin to Kate Moss, but designers also showcased the motif in the form of floaty skirts and fitted dresses. 

Shop the Print

2. Love Locked

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Paul & Joe; Moschino/ImaxTree; Victoria Beckham; Nensi Dojaka)

Style Notes: This season's prettiest print trend is no doubt the love hearts that decorated the collections of Victoria Beckham, Nensi Dojaka, Moschino and Paul & Joe, which is already filtering into plenty of new-in sections. 

Shop the Print

3. Seeing Spots

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Proenza Schouler; Sergio Hudson; Molly Goddard)

Style Notes: Having taken a bit of a back seat over the past few seasons, polka dots are back in a big way for 2023. This season's exploration of the pattern is a honed one, consisting of a largely neutral or classic colour palette. With a spotlight on variations in dot size and fabrications, these are arguably the chicest spotty clothes have ever looked. 

Shop the Print

4. Blurred Lines

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Zimmermann, Peter Do, Roksanda, Altuzarra)

Style Notes: Tie-dye always makes a comeback as we begin to approach the standard "holiday" period, but, this year, blur prints present a sleek alternative. The trend was kickstarted by Loewe, whose blur-print tube dress was worn by Instagram's most-adept dressers and Kendall Jenner alike. However, designers such as Peter Do, Roksanda and Jonathan Simkhai have taken it to a whole new level with colour clashing in luxe materials. 

Shop the Print

5. Painterly Florals

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Dries Van Noten; Erdem; Richard Quinn; Carolina Herrera)

Style Notes: Florals are always in, but in lieu of precise, photo-style prints, designers including Dries Van Noten and Richard Quinn have taken a more paintbrush-and-easel approach with softer blooms in watercolour finishes. 

Shop the Print

6. Strokes

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Anonymouth/ImaxTree; Luisa Spagnoli/ImaxTree; Zimmermann; Rokh/ImaxTree)

Style Notes: The print that repeats itself most regularly in my wardrobe is stripes, and I'm wiling to bet that's the same for many of you. For 2023, blocky, two-tone stripes populated so many collections I just know they're going to be a thing. 

Shop the Print

Next Up, Spring/Summer 2023 Fashion Trends: 21 Expert-Approved Looks You Need to See

Maxine Eggenberger
Deputy Editor

Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her own Who What Wear UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.

Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.