Printed Shirts Are The Summer Staple You Need

Even the most daring dressers amongst us dread the idea of mixing prints.

For a section of men, a printed shirt is often a subject of great concern. Is the floral print too loud? Will I look like I'm holidaying in Hawaii? But summer is easily the best time to embrace your inner wild child and warm up to colour, motifs and patterns.

With temperatures soaring, holiday plans locked, it's the time to rock head to toe prints by either mixing or clashing them. Remember the ever-dapper Dev Anand, (who was also known as India’s Gregory Peck)? His vibrant movie canvas comprising masterpieces like Johny Mera Naam (1970) are a terrific reference point for borrowing print lessons. The dashing actor not only shows how to essay multiple prints in one look but also how to incorporate printed accessories like his signature neckerchiefs.

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The Counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s unleashed a revolt of sorts against rigid fashion norms. Enter psychedelic patterns, peace symbols, and shibori prints in the otherwise stagnant men’s shirting and tailoring space. Moreover, the influence of hip-hop and street ushered in an era of bold printed shirts peppered with supersized logos, graffiti and bloom motifs. Later artists like Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley employed printed full sleeve shirts as a sartorial homage to their cultural backgrounds. Today the likes of Kanye West and Pharrell Williams churn out ready to wear inculcating their specific cultural and artistic codes.

In Bollywood, no one aces the print game like the risk-taking Ranveer Singh, who has time and again rocked Versace Baroque prints with elan. Allu Arjun's printed shirt with geometric motifs in Pushpa 2 and NTR's tropical print shirt in Devara are some of the noteworthy examples.

Over the last couple of decades, luxury brands like Louis Vuitton Versace, Paul Smith, Emilio Pucci and Kenzo paved the way for the print revolution in the menswear space. Back home, Sahil Aneja's recently showcased, 'Play More' collection was a study in mixing prints, textures and letterings. Also worth mentioning is Suket Dhir's 'Panchatantra' collection comprising vibrant shirts exemplifying two thousand years of Indian traditional storytelling. KGL in its recent collection titled, "Ascendrum: The Spirit of Rising" mixed checks with blooms, grid prints with the brand's signature otherworldly animation prints. Shivan and Narresh's Resort 25 reimagines the aesthetic of Fernand Leger's artistry showcasing shirts with hand-painted abstract graphical forms and luxurious textures.

While these may look incredible on our IG feeds, there's a science to mixing and clashing prints unless one's itching to stick out like a sore thumb! Keshav Gupta, Founder & creative Director at Jorah observes that print on print has always been a great summer trend and something that’s never going to die down. "It’s a tricky combination if not executed properly. Print mashup is all about embracing boldness and balance," says Keshav. He suggests sticking to a common colour palette whilst experimenting with different patterns in prints. "Go for something geometrical or abstract with something busy like florals or tropical," he adds. There are no prescribed rules when it comes to clashing or mixing prints, but few things can be kept in mind to make the overall vibe fun and effortless. "Choose one bold print and one subtle print. Always offset a set of prints with a solid neutral colour. Try not to use extreme colour palettes in very bold and contrasting prints. Stick to the same colour palette or complementing hue schemes," he advises.

No garments are complete without the right accessories. No matter what you’re wearing, whether it’s a solid outfit or playing around with a print. "Pairing the perfect watch in a complementing colour to the prints you’re wearing works well," he quips. Mixing, matching, and clashing prints this summer with Line Outline's printed shirts is all about balance and intentional chaos. Deepit Chugh, Founder & Creative Director of the label suggests starting with one standout piece—like a bold, brutalist or abstract printed shirt—as your focal point. "The game is to wear print on print to give a bold stand out look. For an easy option, pair it with another print that shares a similar colour palette or tone. Varying the scale of the prints (large with small) helps maintain visual interest without looking messy," he shares. Breaking up the prints with neutral elements like a pair of beige trousers or denim creates a breathing space. This summer, one's spoilt for choice as printed shirts come in a variety of fabrics, cotton linen, bamboo silk and modal this season. And these statement prints are designed to take centre stage, not play a supporting role – and quite right.

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Best Printed Shirts For Men

Jorah

These statement-making shirts from Jorah's The Kaleidoscope collection can be offset with solids and neutrals. Add a pair of velvet loafers in the same family of colours and you're good to go.

Line Outline by Deepit Chugh

This monochromatic graphic print shirt works wonderful with a pair of striped trousers in neutrals. Offset it with a black or white sling pouch and you're date ready!

KGL

One of the pieces-de-resistance from KGL's resort collection titled, Cynbloom lends itself to multiple ensembles. Style it with a pair of pale blue trainers.

Shivan & Narresh

From the brand's Couture Series IV, this shirt can be styled with a pair of printed pale pink shorts or even a pair of printed pale blue trousers.