How to Wear Paisley Print: Colours, Rules and Outfits

To wear paisley print, let one paisley piece lead the outfit and build everything else from the quietest colour in the print, so a navy paisley skirt takes a plain navy, ivory and soft lemon top. Keep the rest of the look solid, add texture through denim, silk and leather instead of a second busy pattern, and finish with warm gold. Paisley is a favourite print at Zimmermann, and a designer midi skirt is the easiest place to start.

Our worked example throughout is the Zimmermann Clash Tuck Midi Skirt in navy paisley, a silk organza skirt from the Resort 2027 collection. If you are planning around the skirt shape as much as the print, read our companion guide on how to style a midi skirt alongside this one.

Key facts

• Paisley is the boteh: a curved teardrop motif with a rounded base and a hooked tip.
• The print reached Europe on woven Kashmir shawls, and it takes its English name from the Scottish town of Paisley, where weavers produced copies of those shawls in great numbers.
• Paisley had a major revival in the 1960s and 1970s through psychedelic and bohemian dressing.
• The one print rule: wear one paisley piece per outfit and keep every other garment solid.
• Pick partner colours straight from the print: the background shade for calm, the smallest accent shade for contrast.
• The Zimmermann Clash Tuck Midi Skirt is 100% silk organza in navy paisley, with a structured tulle underlayer, in UK 6 to 16, true to size.

What is paisley print?

Paisley is a repeating print built on the boteh, a teardrop shape with a curled tip that looks a little like a leaning flame. The motif travelled to Europe on the fine woven shawls of Kashmir, which became highly prized. Demand ran so far ahead of supply that weavers in Paisley, Scotland, produced their own versions of the shawls in large volumes, and the town’s name stuck to the pattern in English.

What makes paisley feel different from a floral is its movement. Each teardrop curves, so a field of them reads as swirling rather than static. That movement is why paisley looks generous on a full skirt and why it can overwhelm a small frame when it covers the whole body. Scale matters: a dense, small paisley reads almost like a texture from across the room, while a large, open paisley reads as a graphic statement.

Is paisley 60s and 70s?

Paisley belongs to both decades, though its history starts long before either. In the 1960s it became part of psychedelic dressing, on shirts, scarves and minis, and in the 1970s it softened into bohemian maxi skirts and flowing blouses. That is the association most people carry, so the quickest way to make paisley look current is to avoid wearing it as a costume. Skip the full head to toe seventies set, keep the shapes clean, and let one paisley garment sit next to modern pieces such as a cropped jacket and a squared toe sandal.

Is paisley print in style in 2026?

Yes, paisley is firmly back for 2026, and Zimmermann put it on the runway for Resort 2027. The Clash Tuck Midi Skirt in navy paisley was first seen on the Cruise 2027 runway, the Clash Paisley Mini Dress carries the print into a shorter length, and the Echo capsule turns it into texture with the Echo Paisley Crochet Tee and matching Echo Paisley Crochet Short.

The house describes its own signature as “sophisticated femininity, clever colour combinations and delicate original prints,” and paisley sits comfortably inside that line. You can see how the brand builds whole looks around one print in our Zimmermann Resort 2027 edit and our wider guide to how to style Zimmermann.

What colours go with paisley?

The colours that go best with paisley are the ones already inside it. Look closely at the print and name three shades: the background, the main motif colour and the smallest accent. The background colour gives you the calmest outfit, the motif colour gives you a tonal look, and the accent colour gives you contrast with a reason behind it.

With the navy paisley skirt, the Clash Organza Shirt in lemon picks up a light accent and keeps the look airy, while the Clash Drill Capri Pant in milk shows how ivory calms the palette when you wear a paisley top instead of a paisley skirt.

What patterns go with paisley?

Paisley pairs best with quiet, linear patterns in a different scale, never with a second busy print of the same size. If you want to mix, follow three working rules:

1. Change the scale. A large paisley sits well next to a very fine stripe, and a small paisley can take a broader stripe.
2. Share a colour. Your second pattern should repeat one shade from the paisley so the two read as related.
3. Keep one pattern dominant. The paisley should cover more of the body, and the second pattern should appear in a smaller area such as a shirt cuff, a scarf, a bag.

Safe partners are pinstripes, narrow Breton stripes, a tiny polka dot and tonal texture such as crochet, lace and broderie. Denim also works as a pattern partner, because its twill weave and topstitching give the eye something to rest on without competing. Florals are the hardest match; if you try it, keep the floral very small and in the same colour family. For more on mixing silk prints with knots and texture, see how to tie a silk neck scarf.

How do you wear a paisley skirt?

Wear a paisley skirt with a solid top in one of its colours, a defined waist and a simple shoe. The Clash Tuck Midi Skirt makes this easy because its soft tucks sit on a fitted waistband before the silk flares out over a tulle underlayer, so the waist is already marked for you. Build the look in this order:

1. Choose the top. A sheer shirt such as the lemon organza shirt, worn over its own lace slip, adds lightness. The Fairlight Denim Relaxed Shirt in blush, knotted at the waist, makes it more casual.
2. Mark the waist. Tuck the top in fully, since a full skirt needs a clear line at the waist to avoid swamping your frame.
3. Add structure. The Clash Denim Cropped Jacket in night sky ends above the waistband, so it shows off the skirt instead of cutting it in half, and its D ring waist tabs echo the skirt’s fitted top.
4. Pick the shoe. The Solstice Sandal 85 in gold has corset lacing and an 85mm heel, which lengthens the leg under a midi hem.
5. Finish with one metal. Gold suits navy paisley best; keep it to one bold piece, such as a cuff, plus small earrings.

How do you wear paisley from day to evening?

Paisley moves from day to evening when you change the fabrics around it, not the print itself. By day, the navy paisley skirt looks relaxed with the blush cotton linen shirt, a flat sandal and a woven bag. For evening, switch to the sheer organza shirt and the gold Solstice sandal, and swap the tote for a small clutch. The silk organza of the skirt catches light in a way that reads as dressed up once the accessories follow.

For a wedding guest look, paisley is a strong alternative to florals, especially in deep navy. Keep the colour story to two shades from the print plus gold, and you will look considered in photos. Our guide to Zimmermann wedding guest dressing covers dress codes in more detail.

How can you wear paisley if you are new to prints?

Start small: a paisley tee, a scarf and a pair of shorts are lower commitment than a full skirt. The Echo Paisley Crochet Tee in ivory is a gentle entry point, because crochet softens the motif into texture and ivory keeps it light. Wear it with plain blue jeans and a flat sandal, then add the matching crochet short for a holiday set once you feel ready.

Another way in is through accessories. A paisley silk scarf tied at the neck, knotted on a bag handle and worn as a headband adds the print without changing the rest of your outfit. Browse designer scarves for options, and use them with solid navy, cream and denim.

How do you look after a silk paisley skirt?

Silk paisley skirts need gentle care to keep the print clear. The Clash Tuck Midi Skirt is dry clean only, using hydrocarbon solvent, and the care label allows light steam only, with a low iron through a protective cloth. Hang it by the waistband so the tulle underlayer keeps its volume, store it away from direct sunlight, and never spot clean, since rubbing can mark silk organza.

For sizing, the skirt sits at the mid waist and is relaxed through the skirt, in lightweight, non stretch silk. Coveti lists UK sizes 6 to 16, and the UK 6 is Zimmermann’s petite 0P, suited to anyone under 160cm. Check our Zimmermann size guide before you order.

Frequently asked questions

What pairs well with paisley?

Solid pieces in a colour taken from the print pair best with paisley, plus calm textures such as denim, silk, linen and leather. Warm gold jewellery and a simple sandal finish the look without competing with the motif.

What patterns go with paisley?

Fine stripes, pinstripes, tiny polka dots and tonal textures such as crochet and lace go with paisley. Change the scale between the two patterns and repeat one shared colour so they read as related.

Is paisley 60s and 70s?

Paisley is linked to both decades: it was part of 1960s psychedelic dressing and 1970s bohemian style. The motif itself is far older, travelling to Europe on woven Kashmir shawls.

Is paisley print in style in 2026?

Yes. Zimmermann showed paisley in its Resort 2027 collection, including the Clash Tuck Midi Skirt in navy paisley and the Clash Paisley Mini Dress, so the print is current for 2026 dressing.

Is paisley making a comeback?

Paisley is back on designer rails, worn in cleaner, modern shapes instead of full seventies sets. The easiest modern take is one paisley piece styled with solid colours and simple accessories.

Why is it called paisley?

The print takes its English name from Paisley in Scotland, where weavers produced copies of prized Kashmir shawls in great numbers. The motif itself is called the boteh.