Take Notes—These Are the Print Trends to Know for Fall 2021

While plenty of the prints we saw throughout the summer, such as retro florals and checkerboard, are still going to be strong for fall, the runways brought out a wave of prints, nostalgic and new, that we think deserve to be put on your radar. While the theme for 2021 fashion is still all about being "out-there" and prominent, we promise there are still understated print trends in the mix if taking it to the max isn't your thing. From crafty patchwork to subtle stripes, we saw a pleasant variety on the runways.

Below, we took an extensive look through designers' F/W 2021 collections and picked out the prints that we think are going to be taking over this season. You may be surprised by some, but some were already seen coming. It's no surprise that plaid is stronger than ever with the recent pop-punk revival in the music and fashion scene. While we saw girls flock toward brands like Rowing Blazers and Sporty & Rich to bring out their inner tennis player and to mimic Princess Diana, we shouldn't be surprised that argyle and school-like stripes are in this mix as well. Keep scrolling for your digital download on the biggest prints we're going to see for fall.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Moschino; Courtesy of Chloé; Courtesy of Libertine)

You may have heard of "craftcore" this summer, and it's only getting bigger. From patchwork to mixed prints and crochet, if it looks like something you could be assigned in an art class, it passes the test. Pick up a crafty piece to be your go-to statement piece this season.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Celine; Courtesy of Altuzarra; Courtesy of Molly Goddard; Courtesy of Chanel)

While we can agree that plaid is always going to be around, we also love reiterations of it from a style perspective. Plaid is seen within the prep trend we mention below, but a large portion of the print this season is inspired by the pop-punk revival taking over in music and fashion. 

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(Image credit: Courtesy of ACNE Studios; Courtesy of Ganni; Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst)

These floral are actually groundbreaking. Usually, floral prints tend to take over the whole garment, but this season, it's all about florals placed sporadically.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Dodo Bar Or; Courtesy of Stine Goya; Courtesy of Christopher John Rogers)

Don't worry—this isn't the geometry class you have to pass a test for. We all saw the '70s comeback this year, and it's only going further.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Alessandra Rich; Courtesy of Vivienne Westwood)

If it looks like it can be a part of a school uniform, then it works. Argyle, wide stripes, and the whole preppy load aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Channel your inner Princess Di moving forward—we already have.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Miu Miu; Courtesy of DSquared2; Courtesy of Paco Rabanne; Courtesy of Celine)

Even if you're not hitting the slopes anytime soon, that doesn't mean you can't dress for the occasion.

Associate Fashion Editor
Yusra Siddiqui is an editor who resides in New Jersey but bounces between the suburbs and NYC. (She's a Jersey girl at heart.) After interning at Who What Wear in 2019, she found her way to the team after graduating from LIM College in 2022 with a fashion media degree. She's also spent time writing and working for publications such as Fashionista, Coveteur, and Nylon, but she always knew that Who What Wear was where she was meant to be. When she's on the job, she's perusing runway shows, analyzing the latest thing fellow Gen Zers are up to on the internet, and sharing what she can about the modest-fashion market. You can also catch her dabbling in entertainment, talking about the costume choices of the latest Netflix series or diving deeper into how the plotline affects the viewers in a myriad of ways. Lastly, she likes to create content for Who What Wear's TikTok. Her personal time is spent doing similar but also different things—deep diving into almost every new TV show (Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls, and Stranger Things are favorites), planning her next local getaway (whenever that may be), and reading the latest Emily Henry or Sally Rooney novel in one sitting.