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Which print will bring me peace this season?
Laura Dern pairs paisley at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival.Credit: Getty Images
Polka dots can pack too much of a punch, stripes might take you in the wrong direction and florals are not always fresh for spring. If you’re searching for peace, also aim for love and understanding by lighting some patchouli incense and raiding the hippie-era staple of paisley prints.
Originating in Persia before being trend-spotted in India and making their way to Europe in the 18th century, the print’s name comes from the very un-Persian town of Paisley in Scotland, where patterned shawls were woven in the 1800s.
Now the bohemian spirit has returned, wafting through the air along with the patchouli smoke, at the runway shows of Ralph Lauren, Chloe, Zimmermann and Valentino. Designers have been flicking through old photographs of Marianne Faithfull, Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Suki Waterhouse.
At the Venice International Film Festival, actor Laura Dern demonstrated the print’s pervasive appeal, showing that you can escape the challenge of matching sets by pairing paisley in different colours and sizes. With paisley, it’s best to go all-in, with layers of pattern adding an air of romance to skirts that twirl at the shake of a tambourine. Keep silhouettes soft and unstructured so that you look ready to meditate cross-legged at a moment’s notice. Accessories should be equally relaxed, with sumptuous suede boots and handbags offering tactile appeal.
Bring the sounds of the souk to the party with gold belts and jewellery that jingle in time with your daily mantra for wardrobe zen.
To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.
