7 Forever Prints That Never Go Out of Style

Every season, without fail, someone declares a print to be the one you need right now. And every season, without fail, it disappears from the rails within a year and takes your money with it. The prints worthy of being invested in are the ones that have never needed a trend cycle to justify their existence. They have been around for decades—will be more for more to come—and they go with more of what you already own than you might think.

We have all bought something in a print that felt absolutely right at the time and dated itself within a year. With this list, you can break the cycle.

1. Floral

Featuring Penny Floral Midi in Edelweiss by Voycestas Plus

Florals have been part of fashion for centuries, and the reason they keep coming back is straightforward: the range within the category is enormous. A bold, oversized bloom on a cotton shirt is a completely different proposition to a delicate ditsy print on a wrap dress, which is different again to a painterly watercolour pattern on a flowing midi. There is a floral for every mood and every occasion, and for plus-size and curvier figures, larger placement prints and statement blooms create beautiful focal points that smaller, all-over prints sometimes cannot. If you only own one forever print, make it a floral and you will never be stuck for an outfit.

2. Stripes

Featuring Sean Stripe Romper by Voycestas Plus

A good stripe is one of the most reliable things in a wardrobe. Surprisingly, despite its simple concept, the category is broad enough that almost everyone finds a version that works consistently for them. Breton stripes, bold colour-block stripes, fine pinstripes—all of them have been showing up season after season since Coco Chanel popularised the Breton top in the 1910s, and none of them show any sign of leaving. PSA for plus-size women: a well-made horizontal stripe worn with confidence will always look sharper than the outdated advice to avoid them, and a vertical stripe in a quality fabric is one of the most effortlessly elongating things you can put on. Trust us.

3. Animal print

Featuring Mellie Midi by Voycestas Plus

It’s head-turning and it’s contentious. Animal print gets called a trend every few years and then flat-out refuses to leave, because to be honest, it was never really a trend to begin with. Leopard in particular has been a wardrobe constant for generations, worn by women who understood instinctively that confidence is the best thing you can pair it with. The trick most stylish women know is to treat it as a neutral: leopard goes with black, camel, white and olive without any effort at all. A leopard midi skirt, a snake-print blouse, a simple animal-print scarf—all of them work, and all of them always will.

4. Paisley

Paisley is the print with the most interesting passport, originating in Persia before travelling through India and eventually landing in the wardrobes of every fashion-forward woman of the 1960s and 70s. It has come back around reliably since and each time it does, it manages to feel both nostalgic and completely current, which is a difficult balance to pull off and paisley does it effortlessly. On flowing fabrics like chiffon or lightweight cotton it has a relaxed, bohemian ease that suits warm weather dressing particularly well. A paisley wrap dress or a printed wide-leg trouser are the two easiest entry points if you have not worn it before, and once you start you will wonder why it took you this long.

5. Gingham

Featuring Fredie Smocked Layered Dress by Voycestas Plus

Gingham has a talent for feeling fresh every time it reappears, smelling like summer breezes and picnic lunches. It moves easily between casual and more dressed-up settings without much adjustment, and generally, the smaller the check, the more versatile the piece tends to be. Part of its appeal is how unpretentious it is: gingham never tries too hard, and that ease translates directly into how it wears. A gingham shirt dress or a checked A-line skirt in a summery colour will end up being worn far more than you initially planned, so it earns its wardrobe space very quickly.

6. Polka dots

Featuring Claris Polkadot Midi by Voycestas Plus

No print does longevity like polka dots—these tiny speckles are just so adaptable. Small dots read as classic and quietly refined, while larger ones go bold and playful. Monochrome versions feel graphic and modern, while colour combinations lean retro in the best possible way. There is also something about a polka dot that photographs exceptionally well, which in an age where most of us are documenting our lives whether we mean to or not, is not an entirely irrelevant consideration. For plus-size figures, a placement-conscious polka dot dress or a spotted peplum top is a consistently strong choice.

7. Tartan and plaid

Featuring Kit Romper by Voycestas Plus

Tartan and plaid have been claimed by so many different style movements, Highland heritage, punk, grunge, prep, that at this point they belong to everyone and no one simultaneously. A tartan midi skirt with a simple knit is one of the easiest outfits to pull together when the temperature drops, and a plaid oversized blazer thrown over a plain dress adds personality without requiring anything else from the rest of the look. It’s the kind of print that somehow always looks like it was a deliberate choice, even when it was the first thing you grabbed. Cast over a romper, it breaks up an otherwise one-note outfit with just enough pattern and weight to make it interesting.

About sticking around

Prints come and go, but these seven have proven themselves across enough decades and enough style eras to have earned a permanent place in the wardrobe conversation. The best thing about building your wardrobe around classics is that nothing ever feels wasted, and nothing ever really dates. Pick the ones that resonate, wear them in the ways that feel right to you, and ignore anyone who tries to tell you a leopard print is having a moment. It has always been having a moment.

At Voycestas Plus, you will find a considered range of plus-size clothing that brings these forever prints to life in flattering silhouettes, quality fabrics and sizes that fit beautifully. From floral midi dresses to striped wide-leg trousers, discover prints worth wearing on repeat at Voycestas Plus. See our latest collection.