The city of London has always had an undercurrent of eccentricity when it comes to fashion. Home of the ’90s punk scene, and envelope-pushing designers like Vivienne Westwood, Lee McQueen, and Jonathan Anderson, Londoners have often been known to experiment. This season, the streets of the city’s Fashion Week were no exception. While inside the shows guests were rapt seeing looks from the likes of Burberry and Simone Rocha, outside, attendees served up their own delectable platter of print and color.
A stark contrast from the minimalism of New York, the London streets were ripe with leopards, zebras, tartans, stripes, and even polka dots—the more expressive the better. Whether it was layered print on print, or the use of one pattern to anchor an otherwise quiet outfit, the looks seen outside the fashion week shows were creative, fun, and supremely shoppable. For our favorite ways to wear them now, refer to our edit below.
Vogue’s London Fashion Week Street Style Standouts:
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
The Zebra-Print Coat With a Striped Button-Down
The key to mixing prints is to keep them somewhat compatible—they’re friends, not twins. Here, a shirt and jacket share a similar colorway and compliment each other in proportion. Keep the rest of the outfit simple, but don’t shy away from a bold, statement shoe. An ultra-thin belt adds definition to the oversized shirt.
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
The Shrunken Polo Knit With a Printed Pencil Skirt
An abstract take on plaid nods to this fall’s preppy trend, without being too on the nose, and the addition of a fitted knit polo does the same. Keep the look feeling cool (and not too prim) with tough accessories like sneakers and a chunky shoulder bag.
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
The Striped Tee With a Denim Maxiskirt and Colorful Extras
Stripes and white denim take on a fresh connotation when worn in new silhouettes like a fluted maxi skirt and boxy tee. Bright, poppy accessories like yellow pumps, a cherry red cardigan, and a purple Jodie bag add even more interest to the look.
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
The Pleated Tartan Skirt With a Cropped Barn Jacket
A low-slung pleated skirt is another shape that takes tartan out of prep school and into 2024. We love it mixed with a logo bag and the season’s must-have barn jacket in green.
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
The Art of the Clash: How to Wear Print on Print
Another example of successful print mixing is seen here in prints in coordinating colors and sizes. However, this look has a bit more of a maximalist quality with Loewe’s floral mules and bow-embellished bag thrown into the mix.
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
The Leopard Print Coat With Touches of Black
Many fashion-insiders consider leopard print to be a neutral, and with good reason. A classic leopard coat will be in style for many seasons to come, adding an extra oomph to any outfit. This showgoer paired hers with super simple extras—black skinny pants and Mary Jane ballet flats. Take note and follow suit when styling a statement coat like this.
Photo: Courtesy of Phil Oh
The Artful Trench With Everyday Essentials
The screen-printed quality of this trench coat takes a humble staple into the extraordinary. Wear it with the classics: dark wash jeans, a chic black tote, and gold hoops. Bag charms add a playful touch.