How to Wear a Chevron Print Without Looking Busy

A chevron print tee styled with plain cream pants.

The easiest way to wear a chevron print is to let it be the only pattern in the outfit and keep everything else solid. Chevron is a bold zigzag, so it needs quiet pieces around it.

This post is for anyone who likes the look of chevron leggings, tees or hoodies but is not sure how to style them.

What a chevron print actually is

Chevron is a pattern of repeated V shapes that form a zigzag stripe. It is often confused with a simple zigzag, but a true chevron has stripes that meet at a point in the middle. For a longer look at the design and its history, see the Honeh chevron pattern guide.

Start with one chevron piece

Choose one item with the print, such as leggings, and keep the top plain. A solid tee or sweater in one of the colors from the print ties the outfit together without competing with it.

The trade-off is that a single bold piece draws attention. If you prefer a calmer look, pick a chevron in tone-on-tone colors, like two shades of gray or cream and beige.

Pick your solid colors from the print

Look at the print and choose the lightest or darkest color in it for the solid piece. That makes the outfit look planned, even when you did it in two minutes.

• Dark chevron leggings: pair with a light neutral top.
• Light chevron top: pair with dark solid bottoms.
• Bright chevron: pair with black, white or denim.

Mind the proportions

Pattern scale changes how a print reads. A large chevron looks graphic and bold, while a small one reads almost like a texture. If you are petite, a smaller scale often feels easier to wear, and if you like a statement look, go bigger.

Care so the print stays sharp

Wash printed pieces inside out in cool water and skip high heat in the dryer. Bright prints can fade faster if they are washed hot, so it is worth following the care label on each item.

If you want to see chevron designs on leggings and other pieces, you can browse the Honeh shop. Each piece is made to order, so production takes a little extra time before shipping.