Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!  Wasn’t that the chant of the gang that wove their way down the yellow brick road in the “Wizard of Oz” film?  That’s exactly what I’m talking about when it comes to those of us who find ourselves plodding along the boring road of the winter doldrums. Spicing up our outerwear and accessories is as simple as taking a cue once again from the animal kingdom.  I’ve definitely been noticing that more and more winter apparel items are using this tried and true “call of the wild” to make sportswear and other cold weather apparel more exciting and exotic. Follow my tips on how to take a walk on the wild side with items you may be able to find at a Goodwill Store & Donation Center near you!

Classic is now the term for all things animal print. I know that many folks are a little skeptical to go head on into the jungle when it comes to feline fashion, but utilized in the right way, a tawny tone of leopard can warm up even the coldest of winter couture. For example, popular snowboarding apparel manufacturers like Burton have been all over this trend with everything from jackets, accessories and snowsuits. The key is to look for muted tones that fall into the golden brown, rusty chocolate, and warm tan color palette. This could include, but isn’t limited to tiger prints, cheetah, and the always fashionable aforementioned leopard. 

Are you a little on the shy side?  Are you afraid to unleash your inner beast in such an obvious way?  Then you should definitely be looking for smaller accents of animal imagery.  Such as leopard spot lining in a jacket, tiger print accents on a pair of boots, or even a scarf, belt or knit hat with an animal print that could help you bring out your fashion claws in a playful yet entirely subtle way.

In many cases we see the wild kingdom prints as I’ve described here, paired with jet black for the ultimate in contrast. But consider for a moment, for those of you who want to be the latest and greatest when it comes to style, pairing your leopard prints with warm jewel tones. Neutral, and equally warm toned animal prints like these will help to bring out your bohemian beauty when teamed up with pink, teal, and even purple!  Of course there is never anything wrong with choosing to be on the safe side of the style zoo as well. Very few things are better for topping off your favorite pair of jeans than a punch of wild-to-mild pattern. 

You can score extra fashion points by looking for prints that feature a more faded or ombre’ effect. This can help tame the prints and make them more sophisticated and slightly more subtle than strikingly bold patterns.

Have I given you enough style ammunition? Now is the time to start skipping happily down the blue and white brick road of fashion, directly to the Goodwill Store & Donation Center near you, to bag some wild game for yourself or your family this winter!